Stargate Atlantis: Season 7
by Lady Mayrid
Summary: Ep 25: Ronon returns to Atlantis with good news, bad news and a new idea. Meanwhile, how far will Todd go in order to protect Katherine? Will he give up his pride? His life? What exactly is Katherine worth to him? Please R
1. Genesis

******A/N: **The following 25 chapters have been written in episode format and will generally have a their own plots with a beginning a middle and an end. There will be certain themes and other plot devices that will carry over through the episodes just like in the show. This story and it's sequel are meant to represent what would be season 7 and 8 of Stargate Atlantis. I realize that I've skipped a season and yes it was done intentionally . I needed to give a few of our characters time to develop and while I will be referencing the unwritten season 6 I will not be writing it out. As always read and review but most of all enjoy, I know I did while I was writing this.

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**Episode I: Genesis **

She was angry, very, very angry and for once in her life she didn't try to hide it. No, for once in her relatively short lifespan she chose to forgo her military training, her special operative instincts that forbade her from showing strong emotions and her common sense and go stomping down the corridors of the SGC like a mad woman bent on global destruction. SF's and other SGC personnel dove out of her path as she rounded the final corner distancing her from her destination and entered Dr. Daniel Jackson's lab.

Daniel had been cataloguing the latest batch of scrolls from their last mission when a military issue manila folder was slammed forcefully down on his keyboard followed by Kate's irate voice, which made the startled archeologist jump about a foot into the air and look around wildly until his bespectacled eyes made contact with her stormy grey ones.

"I'm being reassigned," she hissed in obvious outrage as she began to pace back and forth, shaking with upset at the sudden change to her perfectly structured lifestyle to which she had grown wonderfully accustomed. "Away from the SGC."

Despite the uncomfortable feeling of loss that began to build in the pit of his stomach as soon as his many times ascended and there for slightly superior brain was able to latch onto the news that Kate would be leaving both SG-1 and the SGC, Daniel nonetheless peered ponderously at the manila cardstock as if afraid that it might explode before thumbing open the folder and quickly reading through the first few lines or so. "Atlantis," he looked up, his face displaying both curiousness and slight jealousy. "Why are they sending you there?"

"Fuck if I know," Kate screamed as she stopped her pacing and just stood, arms crossed over her chest, fuming at the injustice that had been directed towards her. "Something to do with an increased number of wraith attacks or something like that. Sounds to me like they just need to get their shit together and stop letting their marines walk into obvious traps."

"Who's walking into a trap and why is it obvious?" Mitchell asked as he walked into his archeologist's lab and looked at his two teammates, back and forth once before settling his eyes on the prettier of the two. "Kate, you have the whole damn base on high alert; Dr. Malcolm says you came tearing through here like a pregnant woman in search of ice cream," the leader of SG-1 had to duck the stapler that came soaring over his head at the rather sexist comment. "His words not mine," he amended and saw her put the rubber band ball, her next weapon of choice, back onto Daniel's desk.

Daniel peered around the incensed Kate to look at Mitchell, amused at the fact that after three years the man had yet to realize that Kate needed very little reason to throw things at him. "How many kids to they have now?" he asked, inquiring after the doctor whose wife had been almost constantly pregnant for the past four years.

"Five I think," Mitchell replied and then nodded as he quickly counted off their names in his head. "Yeah five. Doctors say this one's gonna be a boy which means he'll be the last. Wanted a boy on the first go, got four daughters instead. Man that kid is in for one hell of a ride, can you imagine having four older sisters when you -"

"Gotten a bit off topic there Cam," Kate chided him, snorting and shaking her head at the same time. Some women just did _not_ do the female sex any good.

Mitchell shrugged and started playing with the stapler which he had retrieved from the floor. "Yes well, it happens to the best of us so…why were you storming around here like an angry rhinoceros?"

Kate sulked and Daniel took the initiative to answer for her. "She's getting reassigned."

Mitchell's face took on a look like he'd been slapped and he dropped the aforementioned stapler. "What?" he demanded, snatching up the folder that Daniel had been glancing over. Scanning the page he gave off an indignant snort of disappointment. "Atlantis, they're sending you to Atlantis?" he scanned farther. "Increased number of wraith attacks on off world expedition personnel requires immediate attention….what the fuck is this bullshit? Is Woolsey letting his marines walk into traps again because I thought Sam had a talk with him about that."

"Funny," Daniel took a sip from his ever present coffee cup as he marveled over the often observed phenomenon that was the fact that Kate and Cam seemed to share a brain, "That's more or less what she said."

"Great minds," Kate repeated as she always did whenever she and Cam unintentionally mirrored each other in statement or opinion. "I mean, what exactly do they want me to do? I'll most likely end up babysitting one of the teams of marines who are always getting captured. It fucking sucks."

"Yeah, just a little," Mitchell agreed and then sighed. "Says here that the President is sending more than one of you; Twelve and Ninety-One. What the hell does Atlantis have going on that it needs three NC's?"

Kate hopped up on one of Daniel's workbenches - one that was not covered in various documents covered in Ancient script or various other dead or half forgotten languages - and looked over both her commanding officer and the only person in the SGC that the Ancients (who, ever since the incident with the Ori and the Arc of Truth, occasionally popped in and out of their lives without any warning whatsoever) actually talked to. "They aren't going to keep us all," Kate sighed. "Sam said in the brief that Atlantis was gonna put us into a whole bunch of simulations to see which one of us worked out best and then send the others home."

Daniel coughed into his coffee. "Who's idea was that?"

"Woolsey's probably; sounds like something he'd do," Mitchell complained before leaning against the door so that he could look at Kate. "Well you know, you do have the second strongest ATA gene on record and you are way too smart for your own good."

Kate glowered at him. "You're not helping Cameron."

"He has a point Kate which might explain why the President insisted that you go," Daniel supplied as kindly as he could. "I mean, how many other marines _actually_ know how a hyper drive works?"

Kate pouted. "They're not that complicated," she mumbled.

Mitchell snorted. "Says she who has a degree in applied technology."

She glared at him. "Thank you Cameron, you have helped oh so much; words cannot describe."

Mitchell smirked. "You're welcome."

Kate scowled. "I don't suppose I have a say in this?" she looked at her teammates for support and, at the twin looks of lament on their faces, she sighed. "Didn't think so."

"Yeah well it happens to all of us," Mitchell began. "You get all settled into a place, figure out where all the best coffee shops are, and they move you again. This is still the United States military and even a genetically altered, technically you don't exist, super soldier such as yourself has to follow the rules," he looked her up and down and amended his statement. "Most of them."

Kate nodded, suddenly tired. "Yeah," she said after a while before getting down from the worktable and heading towards the exit. "Listen guys, thanks for listening to me rant but I have to go pack."

"We'll miss you Kate," Daniel said sincerely as she walked past him and stopped in front of Mitchell.

"Hey listen," he started and Kate suddenly knew how much she was going to miss him, "I'll talk to Carter and see if she can't let me, you, Daniel and Vala out early today. You know, so we can take you out one last time before you go to another galaxy."

Kate smiled. "I'd like that. Thanks Cam, I'm gonna miss you guys."

"So will we," He replied as he watched her walk down the hall towards her on base quarters. "So will we."

~xXx~

The city of Atlantis, Earth's research base in the Pegasus Galaxy, was in an uproar. Two days ago they had received a communiqué from General O'Neill of Homeworld Security telling them to expect the arrival of some new base personnel that was supposedly going to help them with their current influx of wraith related problems. The news had spread quickly and by noon the next day everyone was talking about the idiocy of the people in charge and how in the world three people were supposed to tip the scales in their favor. When the command staff found out that, actually, they were only getting three people so that they could test them and then pick one of them to stay, Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne had had to break up a fair number of fights involving pissed off base personnel that wanted to skewer whoever it was that had come up with the moronic idea that one person was going to make any sort of difference at all.

However much the average base solider was ticked off about the idea of the SGC responding to their pleas for better backup by agreeing to give them one person, the people in charge - Colonel Sheppard, Major Lorne, Ronon and Teyla - were ready and willing to accept anything they could get wither it be one person or a hundred.

The only senior staff member that didn't agree with their logic was Rodney and his argument did not honestly surprise any of the others who were all for it.

"One person is not going to make a difference," Rodney argued for what had to be the hundredth time since they'd gotten the news. "It's pointless and frankly insulting that the SGC can't even bother to send us proper back up."

"The wraith have been hammering at our back door since we brought the city back a year ago," John countered. He, his team, Lorne and Woolsey were currently in the gate room, preparing to meet the new personnel as soon as they were beamed down. "Personally I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth."

"We need help," Ronon grunted form besides Sheppard. "The wraith are kicking our ass."

"Yes well, that just means that we have to try harder," McKay insisted stubbornly, sure as always that he and only he was right. "Again, one person isn't going to be able to do anything that we haven't already tried or done. It's just a waste of time in my opinion."

"Maybe they're just that damned good," John suggested. "You never know McKay, we might be getting a super soldier or something."

"A super soldier? What are you, twelve?" McKay demanded, his usual condescending voice slightly higher in volume and octave then it normally was. He shook his head. "No, more than likely they're sending us some hotshot young scientist that think they're smarter than me. Like anything they can come up with is something I haven't tried yet."

"Nobody's smarter then you Rodney," John said darkly as though he were stating a fact, that while true, was something that he abhorred. "'Cept maybe Todd."

McKay sniffed. "Yes, well he doesn't count."

Ronon shifted, tired of standing still. "Why not?"

McKay gave him a withering look. "Because he's like ten thousand years older than me genius; that's one hell of a head start. Besides, since when did we start counting wraith?"

John shrugged. "Well, we have gotten kinda friendly with him in the past year."

"Oh please," McKay dismissed the statement with a wave of his hand. "Just because we've worked with him about a dozen times and he hasn't tried to kill us yet since he took over the Daedalus doesn't mean we count him. He's still a wraith."

"He's got a point," Ronon observed. While it was true that Todd the wraith had become more of a steady ally in the past year then he had been in recent ones it didn't mean that the former runner liked or trusted him any more. It just meant that there was a slightly longer period of hesitation between the time he pointed his gun at him and the time he shot him.

"I always have a point," McKay began dramatically. "And I'm usually -"

"Right, we know McKay," John deadpanned. "Look, let's just drop the subject until they get here alright. After we see what we're getting then we can argue about it, until then; shut up."

"Fine," the scientist sniffed as an air of anticipation fell over the gate room and Woolsey turned expectantly toward the above control room as the estimated time for the Daedalus' arrival arrived.

"Daedalus is in orbit, Sir," Technician Banks informed Woolsey, relaying the communication between the ship's bridge and the city. "They're ready to beam now."

"Tell Colonel Caldwell he has a go," Woolsey replied and turned his head back towards the gate just in time to catch the three beams solidify into three perfectly motionless individuals.

John raised an eyebrow. The three soldiers - and there was no doubt in his mind that they were soldiers and not scientists as Rodney had expected - were about the three most intimidating individuals that he'd ever seen in his life. They were all standing perfectly still and ramrod straight packing about five guns each along with various knifes and those things that the SGC called zats, looking very much like something out of a science fiction novel involving galactic domination. Two males and a female stood erectly before the gate dressed in suits that reminded the colonel of the soldiers out of the 2009 G.I. Joe movie; just standing this close to them, John had to fight the urge not to step back and put some distance between he and they.

"Looks like you might get your super soldier after all," Lorne commented as he came to stand directly besides his commanding officer. His eyes swiveling over the three new arrivals once more, Major Evan Lorne couldn't help the sense of dread that fell over him, drenching him in cold sweat. They all looked like they could kill him on the spot and without so much as trying. He didn't like being this close to them.

"Looks that way," John said slowly as his eyes traveled over their perfect form and the sheer dangerousness that all three of them exuded. The leader, the guy standing in front of the other two, was probably the biggest man in terms of muscle that John had ever seen reminding him of professional wrestlers back on earth. The other guy was just slightly smaller than the leader and a bit shorter while the girl reminded him of some chick out of a DC comic. All together, the three of them had to be the most threatening bunch of people John Sheppard had ever seen.

Lorne leaned in closer to his commanding officer. "Is is just me, or do you get the impression that they're not quite human?"

John turned towards him. "What do you mean?"

Lorne shrugged. "Well, just look at them," the both of them turned and glanced once over the three new arrivals, "They look downright menacing. Like characters out of a comic or something, especially the girl."

John nodded, letting his attention drift back to the only female of the group. "Yeah," he agreed, "Witchblade comes to mind."

Both colonel and major fell silent as Woolsey stepped forwards and stopped in front of the three arrivals. Folding his hands behind his back in a show that was supposed to be intimidating, the balding director failed miserably in the presence of the three individuals in front of him. "Welcome to Atlantis," he said with as much bravo as he could muster given the circumstance.

Behind him, Lorne, John, Ronon and the marines standing guard all snickered.

The leader nodded, accepting his greeting before making a militarized hand gesture that was registered by the other two and acknowledged wordlessly. As one, in perfect synchronicity, the three soldiers reached up and removed their helmets, securing them to their sides level with their hips before all falling into perfect, motionless parade rest.

"Whoa," Ronon grunted, impressed.

John could only nod.

The leader took one step forwards, saluting Woolsey as he went. "NC26 Special Operative Soldiers Ninety-One, Twelve and Seventy-Four reporting as ordered to Atlantis base, Sir."

Woolsey blinked, clearly he'd not been prepared for this. John decided to save him.

Stepping forwards, he stepped up besides Woolsey and leveled his eyes with the much taller leader whom he was guessing was Ninety-One as he'd been introduced first. "At ease," he commanded, the leader lowered his salute and returned to parade rest.

Woolsey turned to him. "They're all yours Colonel."

John nodded and looked at each of them in turn, noting the scars on the face of the leader, the intense kill-you-if-you-move-too-fast expression on the other guy and then on to the startling storm grey eyes of the woman. John felt his heart slam to a stop, the blood in his veins running cold. It wasn't possible, his eyes blinked and he swallowed his disbelief as he gaze remained fixed on the girl; recognition pounding through his veins as his eyes drank in her youthful and familiar face. He hadn't seen her in almost four years and he'd never have thought that he'd see her here, now, wearing an expression of such calm and controlled danger that there was no doubt in his mind that she could kill him before he could ever raise a hand to defend himself.

Her eyes flashed to his and held for the briefest of seconds and in that minute span of time John caught the barest flicker of surprise reflect itself in her stormy depths that had he not known her he would not have seen. The glance lasted for a hair's breadth of a second before his second in command's voice came drifting to his ears, drawing his attention away from her familiar face and back to the real world.

Pulling his eyes from her face, John squared his shoulders and forced a mask of opaque blankness onto his face; as if nothing whatsoever was out of the ordinary. Sending up a prayer to whatever God SG-1 hadn't killed off yet, John opened his mouth and began his address. "My name is Colonel Sheppard," he began and then realized how lame that actually sounded, "And for those who haven't figured it out yet, I'm the commanding officer of this base," he signaled Lorne. "This is Major Evan Lorne my second in command. At ease and welcome to Atlantis, enjoy your stay."

The corners of Kate's mouth twitched upwards at the colonel's dry wit and the surprise that had flared upon first making eye contact with him came rushing back although she did her best to hide it. Truth be told she was proud of him, proud to see him here and proud to see him in a command position when everybody they ever knew had always said that he'd never amount to anything. It was perfectly clear to her that the bespectacled and balding Mr. Woolsey had little or no real power here in the lost city and was nothing more than a figure head; the real command lay in the hands of Colonel John Sheppard. She was proud of him for that as well and, maybe, before she left she'd be able to find the time to tell him that.

While Kate had been contemplating John and the command structure of Atlantis, Woolsey had started speaking again. She hadn't paid any attention to what he'd said until she heard Ninety-One interrupt him. Then her attention turned away from John and back onto the situation at hand, a grin spreading over her face as she watched Ninety-One prepare to dress down the annoying man that was, regrettably, in charge of Atlantis.

"With all due respect Sir," Ninety-One was saying, "Your doctors wouldn't know what to give or not give us. I suggest you read our medical files before you go sticking needles into us."

Woolsey glared at him. "IOA protocol states -"

The leader of the three imported NC's glared at the man as if silently daring him to keep talking. "With all due respect Mr. Woolsey, IOA protocol was invented for the treatment of normal human subjects. We, and the other members of the NC26 project, do not fall under that blanket of jurisdiction."

Woolsey wilted. "But…"

Ninety-One continued, eager to get the man to shut up - he reminded him of Kinsey. "When you and your team have made a decision regarding which one of us is to remain here as a permanent expedition member then and only then will a qualified NC26 doctor transmit all necessary files for that individual solider to your infirmary to be held until such a time as the solider is reassigned or is terminated."

Woolsey gulped; amazed at how easily these people seemed to steal any and all control from a situation and assert themselves into a position of command; and two of them hadn't even opened their mouths. "Very well, then…if you will please follow Major Lorne he will get you settled into your temporary quarters."

Last in line, Kate once again briefly caught the gaze of one John Sheppard as she passed him and this time she allowed her head to tilt just slightly downwards in a minuscule sign of acknowledgement. She didn't wait for the action to be returned before she shifted her eyes away and forced her face back into blank obscurity.

~xXx~

Because Colonel Sheppard was busy more or less doing Mr. Woolsey's job - the man was an idiot who was barely good for anything other than making simple things complicated and sighing requisition orders - Major Lorne was put in charge of overseeing the testing of the three NC26 soldiers. The layout of the tests was fairly simple, all constructed out of basic military trials designed to test for things like marksmanship, combat skill, weapons training and comprehension and physical ability and endurance.

It took fifteen minutes for Lorne to figure out that he didn't have anything to worry about in the physical fitness category.

The first test was an obstacle course that he and his marines had set up out of the south pier. The goal was to get through it as fast as you could and without making any mistakes like having to take two jumps before you could get over the high wall. The course record had been set by Ronon over three years ago when he completed the course perfectly in under three minutes; the slowest time recorded for one of the NC's - the one called Twelve - was one minute ten seconds.

Lorne had been absolutely floored and so had the marines and other base personnel that had wandered out onto the pier to watch the show. It ended up being a short show.

The next test was marksmanship and he, the three NC's and a growing gaggle of Atlantis personnel headed inside to the shooting range that had been permanently erected in a large room that they thought had once been a public hall of some kind down on the ground floor of the city near the south pier. A variety of weapons were assembled - anything from your standard side firearm to a semi-automatic M-16 - and part of the test included taking the gun apart and putting it back together correctly and in the shortest amount of time possible. Again, all three of them moved faster than anything Lorne had ever seen before in his life and, after each one of them had completed the reassembly portion of the exam, Lorne was sure they were more than human.

The actual firing portion of the test began shortly after Lorne had had to be shaken out of his dazed state by one of the observing botanists. Head clear, Lorne called them up to the lane one by one, the leader going first. All their shots hit the target, in fact all of their shots hit the target in the head; the girl's ten shots all hit the exact same place so that her target only had one hole in his head, directly between the eyes. It was then and there that Lorne was clued into the fact that the two males weren't really trying and didn't really want to be there. The woman, Seventy-Four, she for some reason was more motivated then the other two and was actually doing her upmost best.

Her upmost best was scary.

"How do you know that all of the bullets went through the same hole?" lieutenant Stevens, one of Lorne's team members, asked; looking over his CO's shoulder as Lorne examined the target.

Lorne turned and held up the paper man for his second to see. "The hole's wider than this one," he held up Ninety-One's target, "indicating that more than one bullet passed through the same hole."

Stevens stared. "How'd she do it?" he asked, flabbergasted. "Nobody's that good."

Lorne looked at him. "Todd is. Remember when Colonel Sheppard insisted that he learn how to fire our weapons last year?" he held up Seventy-Four's target. "Hers is the same as his."

Still mentally numb, Stevens just stared at the target which Lorne thrust at him as he called the three NC's over to him and told them that they were all going to the gym.

Once there, they were told that they'd be running through your average military PT test. They'd looked at each other, all exchanging little smirks as if to say 'piece of cake' before dropping down to the mat for pushups. Lorne called a halt to the whole thing after all three of them, in unison, did a hundred and eighty-six perfect pushups in quick succession without breaking a sweat. Continuing would have been pointless.

Ordering them to all take a quick break, Lorne went to go get Ronon so that he could see how well they handled themselves in hand-to-hand combat situations and what their skill levels were. He figured that they'd be pretty high but he had to check and he knew that Ronon had been jumping at the bit to fight one of them since one of the marines had informed him that they'd all beaten his obstacle course score.

"Hey Ronon," he called, poking his head into the rec room and waving for the man currently playing video games with one of the guys from engineering to come over.

Ronon came. "What?"

Lorne eyed him. "Hand-to-hand is up next. You wanna be the one they wail on?"

The Setedan crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, leaning against the door jamb. "I'm not the one who's gonna get beat on," he said confidently.

Lorne smirked. "Well, you can show them that. Coming?"

Ronon nodded and followed the major back to the gym. When they got there, the three NC's were waiting for them, standing rigidly and assertively off to one side. The gym was packed, Lorne noted, looking around at how many people had come to see this particular test. Turning towards Ronon, Lorne gave him a nod and then called Twelve up first.

The dark skinned NC let Ronon circle him twice before making the first move. The fight was surprisingly long, lasting twenty minutes before Ronon got a few good punches in and landed Twelve flat on his back. Again, Lorne got the impression that the guy wasn't really trying all that hard and was just sort of putting on a show although for whose benefit the major hadn't yet figured out. Still, even without trying, the man lasted longer against Ronon then anyone else ever had before.

Ninety-One was up next and he lasted longer but still wasn't really trying although nobody but Lorne picked up on it. The men were good actors, Lorne had to give them that; they both made sure Ronon thought that he'd won fair and square, giving the Pegasus native no indication that had they both really have tried he'd have been out cold in about five minutes.

When it was Seventy-Four's turn, Lorne held his breath. Form the moment she stepped into the ring, he knew that this fight was different. Like her other tests, this NC was actually trying and trying hard. She wanted to be here and Lorne wanted to know why although he figured that it'd be a long time before she ever told him. Somehow, she and the other two NC's didn't strike him as the share-your-feelings type. They were a lot like the colonel on that score.

Watching Ronon and Seventy-Four circle each other, Lorne's eyes narrowed as he took in how tensely her body was wound; like a spring ready to snap. And when it did, it was something he'd never forget. Ronon had lunged first and the girl had ducked under his swing easily, pivoting as soon as she was behind him and slamming the palm of her left hand into Ronon's chest. The large former runner had literally flew away from her. Dazed and disoriented, Ronon had come at her again only to have each and every one of his blows blocked before she'd once again ducked under his arm only this time she hit him from behind, right between the shoulder blades. Ronon keeled forwards and she crouched, kicking his feet out from under him. He turned over only to immediately have her plant her foot on his sternum and press down. After three seconds of trying to get out from under her, Ronon gave up and simply lay there and glared at her.

On the sidelines, the entire gym was as silent as a tomb. Lorne ended it.

"Stand down," he called, stepping over t the two combatants and looking between them. "The win goes to Seventy-Four."

The woman stepped back, holding her hand out to help Ronon up only he didn't take it; not that Lorne thought he would've. No, instead he got up on his own and came at her again exactly like the major had suspected he might. It was over quickly. one punch to the face and not only was the runner's nose broken but he was out cold. Lorne stared at her.

Seventy-Four shrugged. "Self defense," she said tonelessly before turning on her heal and going over to join her peers.

Lorne decided that he better quit while he was ahead. 'Alright," he called, the whispering and the mutterings coming to a halt and all eyes focusing on him. "I think we've seen enough now. The only thing left to do is a practical field test which will be announced later. Dismissed."

The three NC's walked stiffly past him on their way to he assumed the mess hall while Lorne himself called first a medical team to the gym and then went in search of colonel Sheppard.

~xXx~

Paperwork, John hated paperwork. Groaning, the commanding military officer of Atlantis gave up on re-filing and organizing his mission reports and crew evaluations and put his elbows on his desk, lowering his head into his hands and took a deep breath. A day, the NC's had only been here a day - not even - and they were already driving him crazy even though he had taken special care to ovoid them. He'd even come up with some bullshit reason why Lorne needed to be the one to administer their aptitude tests. He's said he was busy, had things to do which he did, but none of them were so important that he couldn't have put them off so that he could do his damned job and test the three new arrivals to see which one they were going to keep.

Truth was, and John hated to admit it, he was scared. Scared and intimidated of not what they could do but what _she_ could do. He'd known that she was in the military, known what branch even, but never in his wildest dreams had he figured she'd be doing stuff like this. Underneath all his miscellaneous non-important paperwork was Kate's file and, knowing that putting it off any longer would drive him completely bonkers, he dug it out and opened it up.

He let out a shallow breath.

Spread out in front of him was the military record of the one person he'd almost give up the chance to come to Atlantis for. His flip of a coin all those years ago had seemed like a good idea at the time but now, now he wondered that if he'd stuck around maybe he'd have had some kind of heads up on the sort of thing she'd been into. Government contracting jobs, a fancy way of saying assassin, were plastered across her file left, right and sideways. There were lists, lists of places she'd been and the dates she'd been there making it easy for him to go back over his own memory of which political leaders or activists had suddenly kicked it around those exact times. It wasn't a stretch to figure out why and in the wake of this revelation John knew that everything he'd thought he'd known about her had been a lie; a cover that she'd used to hide this human weapon that she'd been turned into.

Along with the lists were other startling bits of information. her medical records for one, the number of times she'd been shot making the bile rise in the back of his throat. Just thinking about her in that sort of situation made him sick; knowing that he hadn't been there to protect her when he'd promised her that he always would be made him physically ill.

"Colonel."

John looked up, some of the color returning to his face when he saw who it was. "Major Lorne," he greeted, sighing and lifting a hand. "Come in."

The major entered his commanding officer's office and sat down across from him on the other side of his desk which was covered in papers and folders of Lorne didn't know what.

John looked at him. "So, what can I do for you?"

Lorne sighed. "I'm looking for the file on the girl, Seventy-Four, but I can't find it, I was wondering if maybe -"

John held the folder up. "I had it?" he finished for his second.

Lorne nodded. "Yeah; guess I should've looked here first."

Slowly, John leaned back in his chair after passing off the folder to Lorne. "So, major," he began, giving the man a once over, "What'd you want her file for?"

"To look at," Lorne said honestly, flipping it open; his eyes widening as they landed on her NC service record. "She's an assassin."

"She was an assassin," John corrected, sitting forwards and pointing to the spot of the page where it said that she was honorably discharged from the NC26 program and transferred to the SGC. "O'Neill requested her specifically for the SGC, her and six others. She got pulled off of SG-1 in order to be here."

Lorne looked up, frowning. "She was on SG-1?"

John nodded. "Yep."

Contemplating this turn of events, Lorne put the folder down on the edge of the colonel's paper laden desk and looked up. "Sir, she's trying," he said cryptically and then waited for his Co to ask him what he meant.

He didn't have to wait long.

"What do you mean?" John asked, confused.

Lorne sighed. "The other two, Twelve and Ninety-One, it's clear that they don't want to be here. They're just going through the motions of actually giving a damn but they're not really giving it there all."

"And she is?" John asked, now very interested and regretting more than ever skiving off his responsibility and giving it to Lorne.

The major nodded. "Yeah," he looked up. "Remember when you made the wraith take the marksman test? How Todd did?"

John nodded slowly wondering what this had to do with anything but willing to go along with it for now. "All ten rounds hit the exact same place on the target, directly over the heart."

Lorne continued. "Well Seventy-Four's test went the same way only her one hole was directly between the target's eyes. Perfect kill shot; the other two's were nearly that perfect but not."

John stared at him. He remembered thinking, after reeling Todd's target in, that no human could ever beat that. Apparently he'd been wrong. "Anything else?" he asked Lorne, now insanely curious as to how her other tests had gone.

"Her obstacle course time was fifty-six seconds, the time it took her to take apart an M-16 carbine and put it all back together was half that and in hand-to-hand she knocked Ronon out cold," Lorne looked up at his commander. "She's the best of the three Sir; tried the hardest too."

John's mouth fell open. "She knocked Ronon out cold?" he asked, shocked. "Seriously?"

Lorne nodded. "She beat him fair and square only he didn't take it so well. Instead of accepting her hand to help him up, Ronon rushed her. She punched him and the next thing I know he's on the mat again with his eyes closed and blood pouring out of his nose."

John sat heavily back in his chair. "Whoa."

"Whoa is right," Lorne shook his head. "I just wish I knew why she's trying so hard when the other two don't give a damn."

_'I have a theory_', John thought to himself as he continued to stare blankly at his desk. Shaking himself from his thoughts he looked up at Lorne. "So, he started off softly, "We thinking that she's the one we want to keep?"

Lorne nodded. "Yeah, it's looking that way."

John agreed. "Well, we've still got the field test but, if she's like you say, she'll do good on that too."

"You could always have her with you, sir," Lorne reminded him even though he knew that the colonel hadn't planned on using his team to field test any of the NC's. "That way you could see for yourself what she's capable of; make an informed decision instead of just taking my word."

John smirked and eyed his second in command. "There some reason why I shouldn't take you at your word major?"

Lorne grinned and shook his head good-naturedly. "No Sir, it's just that this is a pretty big decision and it might help to have more than one pair of eyes on it. Woolsey's useless, Ronon's gonna hate her when he wakes up, Teyla's too polite to judge anyone and Rodney's not gonna care unless she can speak geek."

"She can, apparently," John said offhandedly, reopening her file and flipping through to the education section. "Says here that the military paid for her to go back to school as soon as she got reassigned to the SGC. She's got a degree in applied computer technology. Record says it took her a couple months to get on the account of the NC26 program already teaching her so much about computers and such. Says that besides being a hit man for our government against people they don't like, she's also a fair espionage artist."

"And since espionage is all about information and who has it," Lorne summarized. "And all of our information nowadays is backed up on some encrypted hard drive somewhere…"

"She's good with computers," John concluded. "She and Rodney might actually get along; understand each other."

Lorne let out a breath. "Yep, we could use her."

John agreed. "Fine," he said suddenly, Lorne looking up at him, "I'll tell Woolsey that based on her test scores I wanna test her myself out in the field. Think he'll buy that?"

Lorne shrugged. 'Don't give him a choice," he told his commanding officer. "You never do."

John grinned. "Not really, no," he looked to Lorne. "So, we good?"

Lorne stood and nodded. "Yeah. The tests are over for now, all we've got left are the field tests. I stopped the PT test early; figured anyone that could do a hundred plus pushups on a dime and without breaking a sweat's gotta be in good shape."

Silently, John had to agree. "Thanks major," he dismissed Lorne casually, the major saluting him once before vacating his office and leaving him alone to think.

~xXx~

"You wanna be here."

Kate looked up from her totally tasteless meal and eyed the person addressing her. "Yeah," she shrugged. "So?"

"So last week when we got the news that we'd be coming here you were singing a different tune," Twelve reminded her. "What changed? See someone here you like?"

Kate scowled at him. "It's none of your damned business."

Ninety-One leaned forwards. "Maybe not," he informed her. "But if you really wanna be the one to stay it might help us make you look better if you tell us why you want it so much."

Kate eyed him. "You'd do that?" she looked between the two men sitting across from her at their shadowy little table in the farthest corner of the mess hall. "Fuck up, for me?"

Twelve shrugged. "Why not? You obviously want to stay. Seems to me like it'd be the right thing to do to see that you do."

Ninety-One sat back and crossed his arms. "But only if you tell us why it's so important to you."

Kate sighed, knowing that if she really wanted this then she'd have to give up some information. "It's John," she informed the two of them.

Twelve raised an eyebrow. "Colonel Sheppard? That's why you wanna stay? Wow, Kate I never figured you for such a gir-"

"Shut up if you want to keep all your teeth," Kate threatened him, turning her eyes back to her plate of not-quite eatable food as soon as she knew he'd complied. "It's not like that."

Ninety-One and Twelve looked at each other. "Then what is it like?" the former asked.

Kate took a deep breath. "Nothing, just…" she looked at them. "Remember in basic, before any of us actually made it into the program, they asked us why we wanted to be a part of black ops?" They both nodded and Kate continued. "John was my reason; I wanted to be like him."

They both stared at her.

"He's your…" Twelve trailed off, recollection serving him well as he remembered the first time Kate had ever shared with him her reason for signing up for the black ops unit that had gotten her drafted into the NC26 program.

Kate nodded. "Yeah."

Twelve whistled. "And that's why you wanna stay? You wanna be with him."

Again, Kate nodded. "Been my dream since I joined."

The men looked at each other. "Well make sure you get it then," Ninety-One promised her, reaching across the table to touch her hand briefly before sitting back and forcing himself to eat his food.

Kate and Twelve did the same.

~xXx~

On the other side of the mess hall, at their usual table, Rodney, Teyla and Jennifer sat watching the new comers.

"Maybe they'll just go away," Rodney said hopefully, taking a bite out of his food and looking around the table.

His girlfriend shook her head. "Not a chance," Jennifer informed them all. "Lorne and Sheppard are happy to have them and if what the guys that watched their tests are to be believed we could really use them."

Teyla nodded. "Yes, I heard that they are formidable warriors."

Rodney snorted. "oh please," he scoffed. "They're not anything special. They're just -"

"Hey," Ronon greeted his friends, interrupting McKay and sitting down at an empty spot at their usual haunt.

Jennifer stared at him. "Oh my God," she said, her eyes roaming over his face, his now crocked nose and the many other bruises on his upper arms and neck. "What happened to you?"

Ronon grunted angrily. "The girl knocked me out."

Rodney spit out his food. "The girl did what?" he demanded, twisting to his left so that he could see the girl in question, Seventy-Four, who was sitting innocently at her table and not eating anything. He looked back at Ronon. "Seriously?"

The big man nodded. "The other two put up a decent fight but she must have something they don't got because she kicked my ass backwards," he glared. "She broke my nose and knocked me unconscious with one punch."

The entire table stared at him. Teyla spoke first.

"Perhaps, in light of this, it is not so hard to believe that one of them might be able to help us," she said gently.

Rodney remained adamant. "So what if she can beat him?" he threw out. "So can Todd and you don't see us asking him to come join our merry band of men do you?"

Jennifer sent him a plaintive look. "Rodney," she questioned. "Maybe -"

"Hey did you guys hear?"

The conversation stopped and they all looked up to see Major Martin standing at the end of their table.

"Hear what?" Teyla asked, curious.

Martin smirked. "I was down at the range when Lorne was testing the NC's." he jerked his thumb over them before turning back to the table. "It was incredible. The girl, Seventy-Four, all of her rounds hit the exact same spot - like Todd's did when Sheppard made him train on our guns."

Rodney dropped his fork. "What?" he squeaked, now utterly flabbergasted.

Martin nodded. "Yeah and she completed the obstacle course in fifty-six seconds flat," he looked around at them all. "Just thought you might like to know."

"Thanks," Ronon grunted, annoyed.

Martin looked down at him. "Oh, that's right; I heard she knocked you out cold. How's your nose?"

Ronon refused to answer and instead sat back in his chair and crossed his arms angrily.

Martin sighed. 'Right," he said lamely, turning to go. "Well, just thought you'd like an update. Lorne's in Sheppard's office right now talking about the girl. I think she'll be the one we keep if anything."

To that, Ronon did have a response. "Not a chance in hell," he ground out hotly. "She's worthless."

Martin frowned. "She beat you didn't she?"

The Setedan snarled.

"Fine," Martin backed away. "Later," and he was gone.

Teyla turned to Ronon. "It is alright that you lost, Ronon," she tried to comfort him. "It does not mean -"

"She cheated, okay," Ronon turned to her. "She had to. There's no other way that that little girl could be stronger than those other two."

Rodney, as usual, had no tact. "Maybe they weren't really trying." Ronon rounded on him angrily and the scientist backtracked. "Or maybe she cheated."

Satisfied, Ronon grabbed an apple off of McKay's plate and got up; walking out of the mess hall but not without passing the table full of NC's and glaring daggers at the woman.

Back at the table, everyone shook their heads. "He's upset," Jennifer commented softly, nibbling on her food while she considered what they'd learned about their visitors.

Teyla nodded. "Most likely his pride has been damaged quite a deal," she explained, also taking small bites of her food while her mind wandered. "I believe Rodney may have been correct; perhaps the others are simply not trying with the same aptitude that the woman is."

Rodney swallowed. "Yeah, but why?" he looked around. "Why does she want to stay here so bad and they don't? It doesn't make any sense."

Jennifer agreed. "No, no is doesn't."

"Mayhap we will learn," Teyla offered, turning to look at the strangers, contemplating each of them in turn.

Rodney snorted. "Well I hope we learn fast because if we do keep her Sheppard's gonna have one hell of a time getting Ronon to accept the fact that the other two let him win."

Around the table, the two women nodded.

"She's a mystery," Jennifer observed, her eyes locked onto the jet haired woman. "An interesting one."

Teyla and Rodney agreed.

~xXx~

It was midnight in Atlantis and John couldn't sleep so, armed with a map and two packets of Oreo's, the colonel padded carefully down the hallways until he reached the door behind which Kate has been stashed; careful not to be seen. Even though he and Lorne had already reached a decision regarding who they wanted to keep or not, John had been pulled out of bed at this ungodly hour because of the need to actually speak to her, face to face, before he just made the decision that would change her life. Swallowing his nervousness, he raised his hand, pressed the chime and then waited.

When no answer came John did something that McKay would never let him live down if he'd been there to see it; he overrode the door controls. Stepping into the small quest quarters John immediately saw Kate laid out on her back on the narrow bed. She'd fallen asleep reading, as she'd often done when she'd been younger, and John couldn't help the smile that crossed his face as he closed the door behind him and made his way over to her beside. Sitting down in a chair opposite her, he sat back just to watch her sleep.

"Does McKay know you can override the door controls?" Kate asked as she slowly opened her eyes and gazed at the man sitting in front of her.

John grinned. "No."

"Doesn't know you have a degree in engineering and applied computer programming?" she raised herself to her elbow and quirked one elegant black eyebrow.

"No," John replied evenly as he opened the first pack of Oreo's and twisted apart the two halves. Looking down at them, he handed Kate the one with the least amount of frosting.

Kate took the offered treat and smiled at it as it sat in her hand. "Still know how I like to eat these?" she teased him and finally sat up, crossing her legs and looking him in the eye

"Always, Katie Beth," John replied as he ate his half and she did the same. "So, you're a super soldier," he shook his head. "You always said your clearance was higher than mine."

Kate smiled sadly at him. "I wanted to tell you, probably could have if I'd known you were stationed here. Was a bit surprised to see you the day I got here."

John snorted. "Yeah I know the feeling. I damn near had a heart attack when I saw your face," he grinned at her, "You know you're too gorgeous for your own good right? Ninety percent of the guys around here already have crushes on you. Course, they're scared to death of you but still."

Kate grinned. "It's the principal of the thing, yeah I know. You've told me before," she gave the man a coy look. "And don't you think you're a little bit biased John?"

John looked hurt. "That's not the point," she gave him a look, "Okay, maybe it is the point. _I_ think your gorgeous and _I_ think that half the guys around here would be crazy not to at least make a stab at asking you out," he gave her a compelling look.

Kate nodded. "Better."

They lapsed into silence for a while in which John continued to pull apart cookies and feed her the halves that had the least amount of creamy goodness. When the cookies were gone, John knew that he needed to get to the point of why he'd come here before realizing that it really didn't matter; not right now.

"You know, I came here ready to ask you a whole bunch of questions and everything but I guess now I only got one," he looked up at her and waited a bit before he continued, "Do you want to stay here, Katie?"

Kate closed her eyes briefly before opening them into the plain and naked face of the man before her. His emotions were clear and so she allowed hers to be as well, dropping her mask and mirroring his affection for her with love of her own. She realized that not once in the past fifteen years of her life had she ever given him an explanation of why she'd done what she'd done, why she'd made the choices that she did. Now, sitting across from him in the dark of her room in a city in another galaxy with nothing but the light of the stars by which to see his face, she knew she was long due in owning him one.

"All I've ever wanted, John, was to be like you," she began and smiled at the slight upturn that the corners of his mouth took at her confession. "I joined the military because I wanted to be like you and now I'm being given the opportunity to stay here and work with you," she paused and offered him the most since smile that she could, "Yes, John I want to stay."

"You're better than me," John said, knowing that in no way would she believe him, "You have no idea how desperately I want you to stay but I have to ask, have to know that you're not going to be leaving anything behind that you're gonna miss."

"I'll always miss my old team, John," Kate admitted and saw his face fall, "They were the first ones to take me for what I am, for what I was made and accept it without asking any questions and without passing judgment."

John sighed. "Yeah, guess that didn't happen here."

"No," Kate agreed, "But to me, the fact that you're here more than makes up for the glares I get from everybody else. You're here and that's all that matters to me so no, there's nobody back home that I'm gonna miss as much as I'd miss not being here with you."

John smiled, truly and actually smiled as he flashed his teeth to the darkened room. "Glad to hear it, Katie," he looked up at her, remembering the tray incident. "I can call you that right, when we're alone and nobody can hear?"

"Yes John," Kate gave her head a small nod.

"Right," John muttered before he scooted to the edge of his chair and reached out a hand to gently cup her face, turn her head towards him. "You know I love you right?"

"You always have," Kate replied as she grasped his hand tightly in her own after it fell from her cheek. "And you always will. I've missed you John."

"I've missed you too, Katie Beth," John sighed, completely happy for the first time in a long time. "I've missed you too."

~xXx~

The gate room the following morning after John had gone a-visiting in the wee hours of the morning was a flurry of activity as three separate teams and three NC26 soldiers, one assigned to each team, prepared to go to three separate planets on a training mission that was designed to give the illusion that they hadn't already decided which NC was going to be staying.

Kate, John knew, had approached her fellow NC's and told them up front that both he and Lorne had already more or less selected her. Surprisingly neither of the two of them seemed upset about not being given the proper chance to stay. In fact, John had been standing very close by and had been rather surprised to hear both men tell Kate that they thought she belonged here and that they were both happy for her. The matter settled, at least on an unofficial scale, John cringed at the fact that he and Lorne had more or less rigged this whole exercise to paint Kate in enough positive light to guarantee that Woolsey chose her.

Sidling up to the Major in the organized chaos that was the gate room, John whispered. "You check out the planet that they're sending us to?"

Covertly Lorne nodded back. "Wraith research facility. Don't know what it is only that it's been around long enough to be in the archives."

John nodded. "And Woolsey?"

"Thinks the planet is uninhabited, all I put in the preliminary report was that there is supposedly some Ancient technology rumored to be left behind," Lorne explained quietly as he made a show of fastening his gun to his tac vest.

"And my team?" John asked glancing over towards them to see Rodney, Teyla and Ronon glaring at Kate who was looking at him as if to say _'I know what you're doing'_. John shuttered, it was the same look his mother used to give him when he'd try to lie to her about where he'd been at two o'clock in the morning on a school night.

Lorne looked around before answering, content that no one thought anything of both the commanding officer as the second in command of the base talking quietly to each other. "Clueless."

"Good," John muttered before stepping away from the Major as the first address was dialed and Taldy's team along with Twelve went through the gate.

"Good luck Sir," Lorne called as he went to stand with his team and Ninety-One as the gate was disconnected and then redialed to their training location.

"It's a training mission Major," John dismissed as he backtracked towards the only reaming team waiting for departure.

"You say that now," Lorne smirked as he stepped through the event horizon and the gate was shut down for their re-dial.

"You know," McKay said as the chevrons began to light up in preparation of their departure, "He has a point. Stuff always seems to happen to us."

"Funny how everything dramatic always happens to the lead team," Kate commented as she gave John a piercing look, "Almost like somebody had planned it all."

John had to keep himself from shifting nervously as he led the way through the gate, stopping on the other side to wait for his team.

"How would you know?" McKay demanded of the woman, he thought he remembered someone calling her Kate, as he came out of the wormhole besides her.

Kate shrugged. "Gee I don't know," she said scathingly, "It might have something to do with the fact that I've been on SG-1 for the past three years. Between me, Daniel, Cam and Vala - and on occasion Ba'al - we attracted more trouble than a girl scout selling cookies in front of Wal-Mart."

McKay's mouth dropped open and John smiled as he waited for the question he knew was coming.

"You were on SG-1?" McKay demanded, half in surprise half in incredulous awe.

Kate looked at him as she came to stand next to John looking back at the people she'd have to win over if she had any hope of staying in Atlantis. "Yep," she looked at John, "Which way oh fearless leader?"

John raised an eyebrow. "Fearless leader?"

Kate grinned. "Didn't you ever watch Ice Age? You remind me of the Dodo's."

McKay laughed. "Ha! He does. You're almost always leading us off a cliff or something."

Teyla, too grinned whilst Ronon screwed his face up in thought.

"Are you talking about that movie with the birds and the melon?" the Setedan asked after a few moments and was rewarded with a smile and a nod from the girl.

"Yeah," Kate voiced her approval as they began their trek away from the gate.

John, on the other hand, was the only one that didn't seem to find her alliteration humorous. "You're not allowed to make fun of me yet," he scowled her, "That is a privilege you only get after we decide if we're going to keep you or not."

Kate looked at him. "Okey-dokey Jonathan."

John glared at her at the same time as his team broke into wide, shit eating grins; he hated to be called Jonathan. "Hey," he called out, "That was low."

"She got you Sheppard," Ronon rumbled, amused and slightly surprised that the girl had a sense of humor, not what you'd expect from a trained weapon.

"Who's side are you on?" John demanded, secretly pleased that Ronon had just rose to her defense. He'd thought that after she'd knocked him out he wouldn't have given her the time of day.

"Well that's debate-" McKay started before a energy blast cut him off and the scientist ducked, "Ah crap," he moaned as the five of them became surrounded by drones, "Wraith."

"Happens every time," John said as he put his gun down and held up his hands.

"So it would seem," Kate replied as she again got the feeling that John didn't look nearly as surprised as he should considering that this was supposed to be an uninhabited planet.

"Drop your weapons," a voice called to Kate's left and she turned just as the masked wraith whom she assumed were the drones parted allowing for a tall, pale, longhaired, leather trench coat clad male to come forwards. Kate couldn't help but compare the male to some sort of alien vampire in that he looked dark, creepy and yet strangely compelling all at the same time. '_Must be a commander,' _she thought to herself as she continued to study him. He cared himself purposely and with an air of superiority that transcended arrogance and replaced it on a whole new, as of yet, unexplored level. Kate narrowed her eyes and concentrated on his gait as well as the aura that seemed to surround him that drenched the creature in overpowering darkness. He was a predator of that Kate was sure and, much like herself, his body while lithe was almost assuredly nothing but the finest toned muscle capable of great strength and speed should the need arise for it.

"Hi," John called in sarcastic greeting as the commander came to a stop a few feet in front of them, "Seems to be a mistake here, we were just passing through and-"

"Silence human!" the commander spat with malevolence for the lesser creature's impudence. He tilted his head to the side as he studied them, recognizing four of the five as the troublesome Atlantians the presence of the Setedan proclaiming them to be Sheppard and his team.

"You know," John said, unable to keep his dry humor in the face of imminent danger from spilling forth, "Unlike you guys we actually have names, it's much nicer than just calling us 'human'."

The wraith snarled and Kate, whom was nearest the now overly annoyed alien male, got a good look at two rows of very sharp, very pointed teeth and she had to wonder why John would bother baiting him when the creature could so obviously do them a great amount of damage with little or no effort. A quick mental reminder that this was John had her realizing that the man just couldn't help it. It was as much his nature to be contrary as it was hers.

"Be silent," the commander commanded as he motioned for the drones to begin herding them toward the entrance to the wraith lab, "You are Colonel Sheppard of Atlantis are you not?" he demanded of the black-haired male.

"Hey look I'm famous," John said in a voice of mock pleasure.

The wraith growled, not at all pleased with this particular human's attempt at humor. Humans, he had learned, did not truly know the meaning of the word and their feeble attempts at it were tiresome at best. "That is a yes," he said as he had once again looked over the male to ascertain that his conclusion as to his identity was in fact correct, "My Queen will reward me for bringing her such as you."

"Didn't know I was so valuable," John muttered as he was pulled away from the rest of his team by a small group of drones before the commander came to stand beside him.

"Yesss," the wraith hissed as he looked over his prize and thought of what rewards his Queen would give him for the human whom was wanted dead by every wraith in the galaxy. "Take the others to a holding cell,: he commanded the drones before turning to grin menacingly at Sheppard, "You are coming with me."

John gulped but did not allow his trepidation to show as he realized that his and Lorne's grand scheme had really been a bad, bad misguided idea.

~xXx~

"This is bad," McKay ranted for the fifth time or so as he paced the cell into which they had been thrown unceremoniously not ten minutes previously, "This is very, very -"

"Bad, yes we understand," Kate snapped at the rambling scientist, "Shut up."

"Well you're the super soldier, do something about it," McKay fussed, "I mean…" he trailed off at the look of pure malice that Kate flashed him, "Right, I'll just be over here," the physicist retreated to the farthest corner of the cell.

"Thank you," Kate sighed and stepped up to the bar-like grid that blocked their cell from the corridor. Examination had yielded that the opening control was on the opposite wall and unless they found something to throw that could precisely pierce the bio-mechanical release for their cell, someone would have to release them. Since that was unlikely Kate began to limber up her arms and legs for the uncomfortable procedure that she was about to execute.

Stepping up to the grid-like barrier she found the largest opening and proceeded to stick her head and one shoulder through the hole.

"That won't work," Ronon grunted, amazed at the girl's stupidity.

Kate said nothing, refusing to acknowledge the missive as she brought her other arm up and cracked it once, popping her shoulder out of its socket so that she could squeeze it through the hole. A twist and another pop this one from her hip and she was through, standing on the other side of the barrier looking smugly back at the now slack jawed Setedan, the wide eyed Teyla and the sputtering, indignant McKay.

"Nice," Ronon managed after Kate had hit the trigger release for the door and they were able to join her in the ever present mist filled hallway.

"Yes," Teyla said as she carefully regarded the woman in front of her, "Very impressive. I have never seen anyone do such a thing."

Kate shrugged. "One of many tricks I've learned," she said trying at sounding modest when really it had been downright painful but necessary nonetheless.

"Well what now?" McKay asked, weary of just standing around in the middle of the mist covered hallway where any passing wraith could see them and sound an alarm.

"Ronon and Teyla are gonna go find John," Kate supplied the plan, not really caring if anyone liked it or not, "You and I," she rounded on McKay, "Are going to go find out what this place is."

"What?" McKay demanded, frowning, "Why?"

Kate sighed. "Because if there are this many wraith guarding this one facility it's my guess that there is something of importance here and what is important to the wraith -"

"Is valuable to us," McKay concluded, "Alright, fine lets go."

Teyla and Ronon nodded their luck to Kate and Rodney before taking off in the direction in which the throne room might be in while an unhappy McKay followed Kate around a corner and down a dark corridor.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" McKay demanded as he followed Kate along, glancing worriedly down at his hand held and wondering when she'd gotten so good at maneuvering around a base that she'd never been to before.

Kate didn't answer and instead pulled them both into a shadowy alcove. "Shhh," she commanded and placed a hand over McKay's mouth as a precaution because she really didn't trust the scientist not to ask 'why?'.

McKay started as her gloved hand covered his mouth and his eyes widened in anger before his ears picked up in the marching footsteps of an approaching patrol. Curiously, McKay wondered how she'd known before remembering that she had super hearing. The footsteps passed and her hand dropped away from his face as she cautiously stepped out into the hallways and looked around.

Once she was sure that there were no other patrols coming, Kate waved McKay into place behind her and continued their search for a terminal of some kind from which to extract information. They found one two corridors over off to the left in a small room that looked like and reminded Kate of Sam's lab back at the SGC.

"Here," she whispered to the following scientist as she ducked inside and took immediate position by the door while McKay took out his portable tablet and began to plug and unplug wires into the wraith styled computer. "Got anything yet?" she asked as she heard the muted beeps coming from his handheld which told her he'd found something.

"This doesn't make any sense," McKay muttered in confusion as he read the jumbled mass of glyphs which he supposed were numbers as he began the program that would translate the wraith script into Ancient which was more readable.

Kate glanced over her shoulder and instantly noted that the physicist looked more than slightly confused. She sighed, while continuing to keep a vigil would be best Kate recognized the dire need to find out what secrets this base had and why it was of such importance to the wraith. With a groan in place of curse because nothing was ever simple, Kate reached her hand into a small alcove besides the door and pulled one of many organic wires. The door to the small room closed and she moved to stand behind McKay, peering over his shoulder to read the screen.

"What is that?" asked the soldier as McKay continued to tap at his screen in growing frustration.

McKay grunted. "It's math, weird complicated math. It's all calculations but they don't seem to go anywhere," he glared down at his unyielding screen, "It's just a bunch of numbers clumped together."

Kate narrowed her eyes and searched for a pattern as she highly doubted that the information they were viewing was exactly what McKay said it was. "Give me that," she demanded impatiently as she snatched the tablet from him the moment the numbers began to make sense.

McKay sniffed. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" he demanded as he watched her minimize the data screen and open DOS where she promptly began imputing variables and lines of code that, he realized, were the beginnings of a conversion program like the one they used to automatically translate Ancient script into English for the computers back on base.

"You were right," Kate muttered as he continued to input lines of code into the tablet that would, when completed, allow them to actually read what was being displayed.

"I'm always right," McKay said automatically as she handed him back the tablet and he looked down, "Wait, what did you do?"

Kate snorted in muted amusement. "These are calculations, but they aren't looping. I see the pattern."

McKay was confused which actually happened a fair bit more often then he let on. "Huh?" he questioned as he continued to stare down at the tablet and the lines of writing that now made a hell of a lot more sense even if they were still complicated as all hell, "Then why can't I understand them?"

"Because they were using base twelve math instead of base ten," Kate explained to him as she pointed to the tablet and then to the terminal with the original data stream still displayed on its organic interface, "I just wrote a program that will translate the base twelve into base two, which the tablet will read and then automatically transpose into -"

"Base 10," for the first time in his life McKay was actually impressed with someone else's work, "How did you know that? I have trouble getting most of my science team to comprehend normal math let alone another base form!"

Kate gave him a smug smile as she handed his tablet back to him. "Military paid for me to get a degree in applied computer technology when I got re-stationed at the SGC," she paused and took a good look at his stupefied face, committing it to memory, "That and I have a background in espionage which nowadays is almost all about computers; I'm good at what I do."

"Apparently so," the scientist answered both to her declaration and to the now perfectly readable calculations and conversations that he was reading, "Whatever these calculations are for they're for something way bigger than anything I've ever seen before. The compounds are way complex, I've never seen anything like this."

Kate leaned over him, frowning as she recognized something that she had not noticed before when she had simply been trying to make the numbers understandable. "I have," she said grimly as her eyes scanned the myriad of numbers and unsolved x-es, "These are the calculations for ZPM construction."

McKay's heart did a back flip in joy before plummeting to his toes in absolute horror and dread. "What!?!" he exclaimed, terrified "But if the wraith learn how to make ZedPM's -"

"Then we lose every technological advantage we have," Kate concluded as she again took the tablet from him, this time his numb fingers relinquished it willingly, her eyes scanning the equations with both appreciation and contempt, "A year ago me and my team back at the SGC stumbled across a lab where the Ancients first created ZPM's. These are almost the exact calculations as those we found still up on the drawing board at the ancient facility."

A ray of hope broke through the dark clouds above McKay's head. "Almost?"

Kate nodded as she scrolled down the page. "The power projection is different, just slightly less then what an actual ZPM puts out. In order to power a ZPM, a converter had to be able to draw energy from subspace which - according to these equations - the wraith can't access, so-"

McKay snapped his fingers as he caught on in true McKay fashion. "So they would have to find another source from which to draw energy."

"Exactly," Kate replied and tilted the tablet so that he could see it better, completely forgetting that this was supposed to be the side of McKay that nobody liked, pleased that somebody could actually understand what she was saying, "Look at these. The calculations aren't completed yet but from what I can figure they were going to substitute an artificial subspace window with the outgoing energy of an active wormhole and then looping the whole thing back it it's source."

McKay's eyes lit up with the possibilities of what could be achieved if these equations were actually completed and then field tested. "Incredible," he muttered and then looked back towards Kate to see that she apparently thought so too, "If this works they'll have an efficient, long lasting power source that is indefinitely rechargeable."

"Yes," Kate said grimly before suddenly thinking of something, "And if they can to it, so can we," she finished and then handed the tablet back to McKay, "Is there any way you can convert the tablet to a mass storage device so that we can download all of this," she waved at the waist high wraith terminal and then to his tiny handheld computer, "into that?"

McKay nodded as he took the device and begin inputting code as she had done not moments before only his programming was way more complicated. "Yeah," he told her, his tongue sticking out from between his teeth in concentration, "Just give me a minute to get everything set up and there," he completed the program and handed her the tablet proudly.

Kate grinned at him. "Good, now put that tablet somewhere safe while I set a charge so we can blow this place up as soon as we get clear," she moved around the scientist and proceeded to place a large block of C4 into the base of the terminal in a place where it could not easily be seen and then removed. Jerry rigging the timer so that it detonated only when she pushed the button she made sure she had said kill switch in a safe place before grabbing McKay by the vest and dragging him forwards.

"Come on lets go," she commanded and then reached into the previously decimated cavity that contained the door release, mashing the destroyed wires together she was able to succeed in opening the door. Slipping through, she trusted McKay to follow. Six steps down the hallways they ran into a very pissed off, if slightly surprised to see them, wraith.

"Crap," McKay squeaked as he stumbled to raise his gun. He had never been so good with the whole 'keep your gun ready at all times thing' and he was thinking at that exact moment that he should maybe listen to Sheppard a bit more.

Kate didn't hesitate but took one step forwards, leery of the blaster that the wraith was about to raise as she reached out her hands and with a quick twist of her hand on either side of his head, snapped his neck. The body hit the ground and disappeared beneath the almost knee high sea of mist. Turning, she grabbed the shocked looking scientist and proceeded down the hall at an increased pace of rapid movement.

They paused in an alcove not far from their original starting position near the brig. Turning to Rodney, Kate pulled out a life signs detector and turned it on. "Here," she handed it to him, "I need you to find Ronon and Teyla. Don't get caught and stay out of sight as much as possible, use the shadows they hide movement."

McKay looked at her. "What are you going to do?"

Kate checked the corridor. "I'm going after the queen; if I can kill her then maybe it'll create enough of a ruckus that we can all get out of here alive."

McKay nodded and then swallowed. "Okay."

Kate smiled reassuringly at him. "You'll do fine Rodney," she assured him and saw him calm down considerably at her usage of his name, "I have every faith in you."

"Yeah," McKay breathed deeply before taking a deep breath and blowing it out. He stayed silent as Kate slipped off and watched as she disappeared around the corner like a, well, like a wraith. She moved like a damned shadow and McKay suddenly knew that if she was really as strong and powerful as she was intelligent then Atlantis really couldn't afford to choose anyone but her. Praying that Sheppard would also see her value if they ever got out of this; McKay took another breath, checked the dots on the life signs detector, and started off down the hallway.

~xXx~

Outside the throne room, Teyla and Ronon remained crouched down behind a particularly large growth that happened to be growing out of the floor. Teyla, who had the most knowledge of wraith, had never actually understood why there were stumps such as this throughout a hive but then she had never thought to ask any of the wraith with whom Atlantis occasionally worked with. In other words, she didn't think Todd would even answer.

"So are we gonna get Sheppard or what?" Ronon asked and all thoughts of strange growths fled her mind as she glanced over at her companion.

"I believe we should wait for the others as per Kate's instruction," Teyla said gently, "If we do not then there is no guarantee that we will all escape together."

Ronon shrugged. "So?" he asked, "All I care about it you, Sheppard and McKay. Let her get out on her own."

Teyla's eyes narrowed at his callousness. "Kate is responsible for freeing us from the cell and if not for her then we would most likely still be trapped there."

"McKay would have thought of something," Ronon dismissed her acceptance of the girl, not willing to trust her yet despite the fact that Teyla was right.

Teyla sighed. "You do not know that, Ronon," she shook her head, "You may not like or trust her but I do. There is no mistake that she is a formidable warrior else she would not have been able to so expertly free herself through the barrier."

Ronon glared at her. "So far all I've seen is she's flexible and likes to give orders, that's all. And until I see something else I'm not gonna trust her now, let's go get Sheppard."

Knowing that she had just been out voiced, Teyla stood and crept silently besides Ronon as they neared the throne room. A few feet closer but still enough in the shadows to remain unseen and they could clearly see that John was being forced to kneel in the center of the room as the queen circled him. Teyla's eyes narrowed, this queen was dressed differently than the others in that she was wearing what almost looked like armor.

"She looks ready for battle," Teyla hissed aside to Ronon, "I do not understand, the queens do not fight but leave that to their commanders and drones."

"First time for everything," Ronon grunted as he reset his gun from stun to kill, "One three. One, two-"

"Teyla, Ronon what do you think you are doing?"

The Athosian and the Setedan both turned to find a slightly flustered and clearing unhappy McKay standing behind them holding a life signs detector and sporting a frown deep enough to curdle milk.

"Rodney?" Teyla asked as they were forced to backtrack into an alcove off the main corridor but still within sight of both Sheppard and the circling queen, "What are you doing here and where is Kate?"

McKay sniffed and ignored Teyla while he glared over at Ronon. "Kate told you to wait for us," he accused, "Which you clearly weren't going to do."

Ronon grunted. "Since when do you defend Kate? I thought you said she was too dangerous."

McKay shifted his weight to his other food and swallowed, about to do something that he didn't do often; admit he was wrong. "Yes well circumstances change and I was wrong."

Ronon's eyebrows shot up. "You were wrong?" he questioned in surprise.

Teyla, too, was slightly taken aback by Rodney's admission. "What has happened to make you withdraw your opinion Rodney?" she asked.

McKay looked at them and squared his shoulders. "She's smart okay, she was able to keep up with me in a conversation and she was able to tell when another base form of math was being used before I was. I mean, I would have figured it out eventually and I'm still smarter than her but she's not _stupid_ -"

Ronon cut him off before his brain could explode. "Alright we get it, she's smart," he sighed, "So where is she?"

McKay frowned at being interrupted but explained anyways. "She's going after the queen," he told them, "Which I'm assuming means she'd in there somewhere waiting for the opportune moment."

Teyla looked at him and then glanced into the room. "I can see nothing."

"Well of course you can't the woman is a damned ghost," McKay admonished, "Watching her move is like watching a shadow."

"She's still not there," Ronon said as he too squinted into the room, "Look, we obviously can't count on her so we need a distraction for getting Sheppard."

McKay, who had kept his eyes fixed on the throne room smiled slightly as he saw Kate materialize as if out of nowhere and begin to slink up behind the queen soundlessly. "You mean like that?" he asked and pointed.

Ronon and Teyla turned, the former's mouth opening wide. "Where did she-"

"Shadow," McKay reminded him as the three of them settled down to watch the action unfold, two of the three with reserved opinions.

Inside the room, John's knees were getting cold as he continued to be forced to kneel. The queen above him, who was uglier than most queens he'd met, continued to circle him as she made repeated jabs at him with her mind. Having gone through this once or twice John was rather proud of how much mental ability he'd been able to learn and he was rather pleased with how long he'd been able to stave off her attempts to get him to talk thus far.

Even if the effort was costing him every ounce of control he had to keep it that way. A hiss from above him let him know that the Queen was growing tired of his resistance and that one of two things was about to happen. Either she was going to try verbally breaking him down or she was going to feed off of him and personally John figured that he should be expecting the latter.

"Tell me your purpose here, John Sheppard," the Queen demanded as she creased her prowling and stood threateningly over the kneeling human whom she had to admit, had managed to resist her longer then she would have thought possible.

John grimaced. "No purpose really," he said, telling her the truth even though he was fully aware that there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that she'd take his word for it, "We were just passing through before you all grabbed us."

The queen hissed once more in frustration before trailing a finger down the human's face and forcing him to look up at her. "Your mind is strong for a human. You have long been able to resist me."

John pretended embarrassment. "Aw, sucks you queens always say that."

The wraith queen snarled and slapped him, turning his head away from her with force. "Do not resist me!" she commanded with both her mind and her voice, willing her victim to do as he was told.

"Ouch," John said through gritted teeth as he looked up at the now incensed queen, "That hurt."

The queen growled, angry that she had allowed a human male to get the better of her. "I will show you the meaning of the word pain, John Sheppard," her voice echoed in its dark sincerity as she raised her feeding hand to draw his precious life from him, "There is no one to save you."

"Wanna bet?"

John's eyebrows shot up as he peered around the queen, who had turned, to see Kate standing there. He gulped and suddenly felt almost sorry for the queen as the look in her face was pure murder.

"You, female," the queen sneered, spitting like and angry helsa cat, "You think to challenge me?"

Kate smirked. "Yeah actually I do," she mocked and then ducked as the wraith made a swipe at her, "John, go now!"

While reluctant to leave her alone, John didn't need to be told twice and he scrambled backwards before promptly running into Ronon. "Hey buddy," he said as he continued to retreat before noticing that the large Pegasus native as staring fixedly at whatever was happening behind him. Deciding the hell with it, John turned back towards the throne room and felt his mouth go slack.

Kate had the queen in a headlock and was slowly bleeding the air from her lungs as the wraith grabbed frantically at her captor's arms. Eventually though the queen stilled and then fell limp, Kate releasing the body and standing over it looking down on what she had done.

"Whoa," Ronon muttered, completely at a loss for words until he saw a drone and another commander enter the room, "Kate!" he yelled, shocked at the level of concern in his voice.

Kate turned at the call of her name and promptly got hit with a blast of energy fire. Her body coiled in on itself in order to absorb the blast before she pulled her own gun, a lovely little handheld plasma X666 given to her by the ever enigmatic Ba'al, aimed and fired. One shot and she was looking at a dead drone with it's head blown off.

A hiss behind her let her know that she had yet more advisories to defeat before she could escape and so she pivoted left, narrowly avoiding a second wraith energy blast as she holstered her gun while simultaneously drawing a dagger form one of her many sheaths. Straightening she faced the wraith, a commander this time, took one step forwards and slashed. Black-red blood spurted outwards from the gash at the creature's neck as he grabbed for his throat.

"Holy shit," John exclaimed as a blood spattered Kate turned towards them.

"Colonel!" Teyla exclaimed and John turned just in time to see another commander striding towards them. None of them even had time to blink before an already bloody blade came sailing through the air, passing right between his and Ronon's heads, before embedding itself between the eyes of the no longer advancing wraith.

"Nice aim," Ronon granted as Kate came to join them in the hallway, having to admit that she apparently was worth something after all.

"Thanks," she muttered before turning and starting down the hallways towards the exit, "Let's go," she called, wishing very much for a bath as wraith blood apparently had the consistency of slightly watered syrup. The others followed mutely.

The rest of the escape was smooth sailing although Kate did get to kill another three wraith or so before they made it outside although Ronon helped (apparently he was unwilling to let her have all the fun). Moving quickly away from the gaping entrance of the facility Kate stopped some hundred meters away and pulled a box like controller from her belt and held it up.

"Remember the C4?" she asked McKay who nodded, grinning, as she smirked and pushed the button on the side of the remote. A loud boom followed by a slight tremble of the earth and the facility was nothing more then a crater.

Ronon smiled at her, his opinion of her decided and finalized after what he'd seen her do. He may not trust her completely yet, but he liked her enough to realize the value in keeping her. "Can we keep her?" he asked Sheppard, trying to ignore Teyla's smirk.

John, far from completely understanding Ronon's one eighty, grinned as they began to walk back towards the gate. "Well," he drawled, "I don't know…"

Ronon tried another tactic. "McKay says she's smart."

This time John really was flabbergasted. "He what!?!" John demanded; Rodney never called anyone else smart except on occasion Todd.

McKay looked slightly miffed. "Why is it that nobody believes me capable of recognizing the intelligence of others?"

Teyla snorted lightly. "Because you are not."

"Am too, it just doesn't happen often," McKay defended himself loudly, "It's rare that I meet someone who, while still inferior to my genius intellect, can actually keep up with what I say."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she questioned, "What about Sam?"

"General Carter?" McKay asked and, at Kate's nod, snorted, "Well I suppose that she's of moderate intelligence."

Kate gave him a look that told him she wanted to slap him. "Moderate?" she glanced over the scientist, "Someone really needs to pop your ego."

McKay gave her a quelling look while the others snorted in suppressed laugher. "There is nothing wrong with my ego."

"Other then it's as big as your head," Ronon supplied and tossed both Teyla and Sheppard a grin.

Kate sighed. "It's alright Rodney, it takes all types of fish to make a sea and I have the feeling that you keep things interesting if somewhat tedious."

Rodney looked at her. "You like me," he stated whole heartily surprised as he normally repulsed most people upon first meeting them.

"I can stand you," Kate replied and rolled her eyes, "There is a difference."

Ronon blinked and Teyla laughed. "Seriously," the Setedan asked his commanding officer, "Can we keep her?"

John had to laugh at the looks on his teammates faces as he started dialing the gate. Kate was just standing there giving him a shit eating grin that made him remember how she was when she was younger and both Ronon and Rodney were actually talking to her while Teyla listened. This was good, he decided as he led his team back through the gate, this was very good.

Atlantis was in an upheaval as Lorne and his marines along with the two non-missing NC's prepared to dial the address to which SAG-1 had traveled. When they hadn't returned from their training mission Woolsey had given them a curtsey hour before he'd started to panic. Now, three hours over due and the Atlantis leader was slightly the worse for wear as he nervously rung his hands.

He'd lost an NC26, never mind Colonel Sheppard and his team as they usually ended up skating by by the skin of their teeth and turning up some days later. The IOA was going to have his head.

"Incoming wormhole," Banks called and Woolsey nearly choked on his tongue as he raced towards the gate with much more speed then was dignified or proper, "It's Colonel Sheppard's IDC."

"Lower the shield," Woolsey yelped, his voice cracking as the marines, Lorne and the two remaining NC's gathered around to await the arrival of the wayward team. Woolsey waited until Sheppard had stepped all the way through before demanding, "What happened!" slightly louder and with more urgency then he was used to projecting.

John smirked at the measure of worry on his commander's face and the knowledge that the unflappable Woolsey had just become quite thoroughly flapped. "You know that uninhabited planet? Not so uninhabited."

Woolsey cleared his throat as McKay and Ronon came through the gate. "Oh?"

John nodded vigorously. "Wraith, lots of them."

Woolsey looked the man over and come to the conclusion that he was relatively unscathed for someone who had just run into and presumably escaped from quote 'lots' of wraith. "How did you escape?"

The last of the team came through and John turned and looked at Kate. "She did it."

Woolsey's head turned and he promptly felt bile begin to rise in his throat at the sight of her. Her face was splattered with what looked like reddish tar. "What the -"

Kate grimaced. "Wraith blood," she informed the balding man and took a step forwards, grinning inwardly as his face paled farther, "Apparently it has the viscosity of syrup. Doesn't taste as great though."

Woolsey felt himself go green. "You," he gulped back bile, "Rescued everyone?"

Before Kate could reply McKay did it for her.

"She was amazing," McKay began to rave, "She popped out her shoulder so that she could get out of the cell and then she wrote this program to convert base twelve math into two into ten in like five minutes…" he paused for a breath and then stopped at the look on Woolsey's face, "Why does everyone seem to think me incapable of defending someone else's intelligence? She's smart okay, we should keep her."

Woolsey did choke this time. Coughing as he tried to fully comprehend what he'd just been told he wasn't the only one that had been knocked off their rocker by this one. "She's what?" Woolsey asked again, not sure he'd heard right the first go around.

"She's smart," McKay repeated accepting the fact that nobody was ever going to believe him the first time he said this not even Kate, "She can understand like half of what I say and follow along, it's great."

"Well I," Woolsey trailed off, "Seriously?"

"Yes she has a brain, what a concept," Twelve confirmed from behind him. Personally he and Ninety-One were rather enjoying watching Woolsey make a total baboon of himself, it was actually entertaining.

Lorne, on the other hand, stood off to the side as he imagined that from the way Sheppard was grinning the plan had worked. Maybe a little better then intended but still.

Head still reeling from information overload Woolsey turned to his commanding military officer. "I take it you have reached a decision on whom you would like to retain then?"

John nodded. "Yes."

Woolsey sighed. "Very well, I'll make the arrangements," he turned to Kate, "Welcome to Atlantis permanently, if you'll please follow Colonel Sheppard and his team, I think they can show you were the showers are."

Pleased with the results of this mutual conclusion Kate bowed her head and took leave, following closely behind John, Teyla, McKay and Ronon as they headed towards the infirmary.

"You guys go on, I'll take Kate to the showers," John called as he dropped back with her and let Ronon and Teyla carry on.

"Very well," Teyla replied, "We shall meet you in the recreational room yes? It is movie night remember."

John nodded and waved them on ahead before beginning a more languid pace besides Kate.

"So," Kate started, "That was fun, you do that often?"

John shrugged. "All the time," he stopped and turned to her, "Katie…"

Kate silenced him with a look. "I know you and Lorne planned that. Maybe not down to details but I know you rigged the mission so that something would go wrong."

John winced. "You're not mad are you?"

Kate shook her head. "No, it was actually pretty clever of you; I'm just wondering when you and Lorne made the decision that I was the one you wanted to keep."

"Lorne came to me after you knocked Ronon out, told me about it," he looked at her. "Said he thought you were actually trying while the other guys were just sort of going through the motions."

Kate snorted. 'When the three of us got told that we were coming here not a one of us was happy about it," she glanced at him. "That changed the instant I saw you."

John grinned. "I feel special."

Kate smirked. "You should."

John pretended to look hurt. "Hey?" he demanded mockingly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kate sent him a one off shrug. 'Well, you always were a bit slow," she teased.

He glared at her. "Oh, really fair you making fun of me," he scolded her as they came to the transport and stepped inside. "Besides, you can't do that anymore, I'm your commanding officer."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Yeah, about that, don't expect me to listen to you."

John snickered and let her step off first when they'd reached the appropriate floor. Turning a corner he called back to her. "Didn't figure that would've changed," he sighed and waited for her to catch up with him before beginning again seriously. "Kate," she stopped and looked up at him. "What are we going to tell them?"

She frowned. "About what?"

John took a deep breath. "About us."

Kate looked at the floor. "I don't know."

They started walking again, this time John stayed silent until they reached the shower rooms. "Seriously, Kate," he began again, catching her arm and halting her. Together they stood outside the doors to the locker rooms just looking at each other until one of them spoke; it was lucky for them that there was no one else in the corridor.

"What are we going to do?" John asked softly, gently. this was a very sensitive subject and he didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

Kate looked up at him. "Nobody knows," she whispered. "Well, Jack might in fact that might be why he wanted me here so badly and insisted to the President that I needed to come," she shook her head. "But nobody else."

John nodded. "Same here," he informed her and then frowned. "Actually, my team and Jennifer know that I have a brother but they don't…" he looked down at her. "…they don't know about you."

Kate smiled. "Don't know you have a sister thirteen years younger than you that you practically raised because dad was too lazy and didn't give a damn?"

John sighed. "No."

Kate leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms. "It's alright John; I'm not mad because you didn't tell anyone about me. Families and siblings, they're all a liability in this business and we, you and me, can't afford to have them. That's why I'm either Seventy-Four or just Kate and not Major Kate Sheppard."

John looked at her. "Whoa, you're a major?" he frowned. "When did this happen?"

Kate shrugged. "When I got discharged from the project. That's what makes me think Jack knows; he had a false record made up to explain my rank and where and what I did while I was an NC. Since I'd originally joined the marines, that's the branch he made the record for."

John whistled, impressed. "So you're a major in the united States Marine Corps. I'm proud of you, Katie."

She smiled at him. "Me too, about you I mean. The family always said you wouldn't get anywhere and now look at you."

"Us black sheep did pretty good huh?" he teased her, sighing. "There is one problem though."

Kate frowned. "What?"

John cringed. "One of the problems with having all the world's genius' in the same city is that it's hard to keep secrets. Eventually they, my team and everyone else, is gonna figure it out."

Kate nodded. "Yeah, well, I'd stayed at the SGC any longer Daniel would probably have figured it out too; he was getting pretty close," she scowled. "I don't need everybody thinking that I only got this job because I'm Colonel Sheppard's baby sister but hopefully, by the time everyone's figured it out I'll have proven myself enough that that won't be the conclusion that everyone jumps too."

John looked at her apologetically. "Yeah, unfortunately I can see that happening so we'll keep things under wraps for now," he looked down. "It's gonna be hard though."

"We'll manage," Kate said.

"We'll have to," John agreed and then smiled, a grin spreading quickly over his face. "But, whenever the time comes to tell everybody; I can't wait to see the look on Ronon's face."

Kate gave him a curious look. "Why?"

John smirked. "Because he can't decide if he hates you or admires you 'cause you kicked his ass and saves our lives. Either way, some of the things he's been saying about you are pretty bad on both ends of the spectrum."

Kate snickered. "You mean something like 'she's a bitch' and 'I'd tap that'?"

John nodded. "Yeah, exactly like that."

Kate laughed. "Well then, whenever you do get around to telling him, I wanna be there to see it."

John smiled. "You can hold the camera."

Kate nodded. "Yes, I can hold the camera."

John looked at her. "Go," he told her, "Get a shower and then I'll have Lorne take you to your new room."

Kate bowed her head and then did as she was told.


	2. Introductions and Secrets

**A/N:** As promised, here is the first of several chapters that have been given an extensive makeover. For those of you who are reading this for the first time, ignore this message and continue onwards but for those of you who are re-reading this please let me know how you all like the changes. If there are any of you who would like to compare the two versions of this chapter side by side please let me know and I shall e-mail you a copy of the original. Otherwise, I sincerely hope to receive reviews for this installment regardless of whether or not you are a new reader or a returning one. Please let me know your thoughts as I dearly hearing from all of you. Until next time, read, review, and enjoy. Cheers!

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**Episode II - Introductions and Secrets**

After deciding that Kate would, in fact, be staying in Atlantis, the arduous task of transferring her belongings from Earth begun. Normally the addition of new personnel was scheduled around the Daedalus' bi-monthly supply drop but, because Atlantis wasn't due for a drop off for another three weeks, John convinced Woolsey to let them use the gate for the task. The colonel argued that going three weeks with no change of clothes and no toothbrush fell under the jurisdiction of cruel and unusual punishment and Woolsey caved under in record timing.

"Just be quick," he'd told both John and Kate as they'd waited by in the gate room while Atlantis dialed Earth.

The secret siblings had nodded and waited for Woolsey to incarcerate himself back in his office before John turned to Kate and told her he'd race her. This had led to both Sheppards leaping down the gate room steps two or three at a time and sprinting through the gate, startling the hell out of Siler on the other side and then continuing their race through the corridors of the SGC until they made it to her on base quarters. John won and after they'd packed the first couple of boxes full of the loose stuff like clothes and whatever other stuff was in her drawers, brother and sister walked back through the hallways - slowly this time - and headed towards what was to be Kate's new room leaving the hapless marines from Atlantis Seven that had been volun-told to help them to get the rest of the stuff.

Kate had to admit that her new quarters were a definite up-grade from those she'd lived in during her tenure at the SGC. The floor-to-ceiling bookcases that lined the walls, the seating arrangement tucked into a corner and the huge bathroom and closet were all pluses that she particularly liked. It was like having her own apartment rather than just a room with a bed and a dresser like she'd had back at the SGC. She and John had started to unpack and organize while the marines continuously brought them boxes and cases. Eventually, Major Lorne and Jennifer the doctor wandered down to check on them and got roped into staying to help. Thus it was that, two hours later, the gate was still open, Woolsey was getting anxious about the amount of power they were using and John, Kate, Lorne and Jennifer were having an unpacking party in Kate's new room.

"Where do you want me to put this?" Lorne asked, lifting up a high-powered rifle from one of many weapons cases that had been retrieved from Earth.

Kate looked up. "Just keep it in the box," she told him off handedly. "I figure you all can give me a separate storage room or something for my own personal armory."

John snorted. "What about things like this?" he asked, holding up a black handled, double bladed dagger.

Kate smiled. "That can go above my bed."

John frowned. "Above your…are you crazy?"

"I think we've established that, yes," she told him slyly as she took the blade from him and tossed it onto her bed. "It's also a genetic trait," she added, throwing him a look that only he caught; John shook his head and hid a grin. "Help me find my display board."

Lorne turned to her after he'd packed away the rifle. "Your what?"

"Is this it?" Jennifer asked, opening a large box and pointing at the black pegboard that lay nestled within it. The whole thing was about the width and diameter of a large coffee table and Lorne and John had to help her remove it from its packaging.

"This isn't going to fit above your bed," John observed as they stood the board upright and then rested from the exertion. He looked at Kate. "Where do you want it to go?"

Kate considered her options. "We could mount it above the couch."

John glanced over towards the wall his sister was now pointing at. "That could work. Here," he handed Jennifer the mounting equipment - a special type of glue they'd found in one of the labs when they'd first gotten to the city that could've held a car to the wall. "Go smear that all over the wall and Lorne and I will stick this thing to it."

Jennifer nodded and abandoned the box of Kate's civilian clothes she'd been unpacking and went to go help the guys. After spreading a good amount of the Ancient super-glue all over the appropriate stretch of wall, she stood back and let Lorne and the colonel hang the board into place and then stand back to admire their work.

"There," John looked proud of himself. He turned to Kate, "Now all you have to do is hang up all your pretty little knives, swords and other pointy, dangerous objects."

Kate smiled at him. "Thanks guys."

Lorne and John nodded and went back to helping her unpack.

"Hey Kate," Lorne called to her from over by a box of clothes. "Just a thought, but do you own anything that isn't military issued?"

Kate shrugged. "I've got a pair of jeans laying around here somewhere and I think I've got a couple of tee-shirts that don't say 'Semper Fi' or 'USMC' on them."

John shook his head. "You didn't get out much back on Earth did you?" he teased her knowing full well that after cutting all ties with their family and leaving her stupid fiancée at the alter his sister had pretty much dropped off the face of the earth.

Kate shook her head. "No, not really," she confirmed, sitting down on her bed and taking a box for herself to go through and empty. "I mean, there were a few times when I would go out with the team or when Vala would drag me off to go shopping but for the most part the only times I left the base was when I went off world."

Jennifer frowned. "Wow," she breathed, digging around in her box and pulling out the aforementioned pair of jeans. "Oh, look; I found the one thing you own that isn't part of a uniform."

Kate smirked and Jennifer tossed the jeans at her. Kate set them aside to be washed.

"Here you go ma'am," a marine announced as he and a partner entered the room carrying between them a large, wooden chest. They set it down carefully. "This is the last of it, Woolsey's really chopping at the bit to close down the gate. Says we're wasting ZPM power."

"Woolsey can stuff it," John said moodily, miffed as always that the man could care so little about the people he was supposed to be in charge of. He walked over to the chest as the two marines vacated the room and prodded it gently with his foot. "What's this thing?"

Kate looked up and had to forcefully bite back a smile. She knew that John knew perfectly well what the chest was and what was in it; she'd had it for as long as she could remember. It was her hope chest, having belonged originally to their grandmother on their mother's side, Kate kept all of her personal belongings and most valued treasures locked inside of it. "That's mine," she said defensibly, knowing that she had a part to play if her and John's secret was going to hold water for any length of time. "Don't open it."

Lorne looked over at it, curious. "What's in it?" he asked.

Kate walked over to it and immediately began pushing it towards the foot of her bed. "Stuff," she informed them. "Pictures of my family, a blanket that my sister-in-law made for me and some other things," she moved it into place and sat on it.

Jennifer looked up. "Does your family know what you do for a living?" she asked, curious. "My dad knows sort of what I do only he thinks I'm off in some distant country and not in another galaxy. Do any of your -"

"My second oldest brother has an idea of the kind of work I'm in," Kate explained, catching John's amused smirk out of the corner of her eye. "He's the only one I really care about, the rest of the family could drop dead and I wouldn't really care."

"Why not?" John asked, playing along like they'd both agreed to.

Kate shrugged. "They disowned me; proper, well-to-do, upper class young women don't grow up to be government weapons they grow up to be silly, spineless trophy wives to the rich and powerful."

Lorne raised an eyebrow. "So why do you care what your older brother thinks of you?"

Kate sighed. "Well, for starters he's thirteen years older than me, I was a surprise you see and by the time I was born my mother had no time for me and my father already had two sons and so saw no need for a daughter. J-my brother practically raised me, took care of me and taught me basically everything I know. He was a better parent then either of mine ever were."

Jennifer sent her a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry," she said gently.

Kate shrugged. "It's fine, I turned out alright despite everything."

"Or maybe because of everything," John suggested, trying not to make it look like he was asking her if he'd done right by her or not.

Kate nodded, keeping her face and eyes neutral as she looked at her big brother. "Yeah," she said slowly, "Maybe."

The moment of sibling bondage was interrupted by Lorne who had found a picture of something that he considered strange. "Ah, Kate," he called, twisting around to face her and holding up the framed photograph that he'd found. "Why are you dressed like a goa'uld?"

Kate grinned remembering when Cam had taken that picture. "Had to play dress up to go undercover."

John frowned and leaned over Lorne's shoulder to get a better look at the ornate if slightly uncomfortable looking gown that his sister had most likely been forced into wearing; Kate didn't do dresses. "Sounds like fun," he said sarcastically.

Kate shrugged. "It was alright; typical undercover job, nothing big. I was fine with it right up until Sam dropped the bomb that I'd be masquerading around as Ba'al's queen. After that I think I made it pretty clear just how much I was no longer fine with the assignment."

Lorne made a face. "Ugh, I hated him. He was without a doubt my least favorite snake-head."

"I keep forgetting that you worked at the SGC," Kate said, smirking at her fellow major.

"SG-13," Lorne looked proud.

Kate stifled a grin. "Weren't you the team that was always getting banned from doing things that involved fire?"

Lorne deflated and his cheeks stained a light pink. "Yeah that was us."

Kate shook her head. "Bunch of pyros."

"Banned?" John questioned, "Since when have SG teams been banned from doing things?"

Kate and Lorne traded looks with one another and snickered. Although their tenures at the SGC had been at different times the 'List' had been legendary throughout both their terms. It has started out as a joke during year one of the fledgling SGC's operation; just a piece of paper tacked up outside the infirmary that various people used to post up things that were better off not done off world. As the program grew so did the list until it was no longer a joke but a valuable and highly respected guide revolving entirely around those practices or idea's that the various SG teams were not allowed to take with them through the gate. The List was a staple at the SGC and Kate lamented that she'd miss it; maybe she and Lorne could get together sometime and come up with their own specialized list for Atlantis.

Turning to the ever baffled John, Kate explained. "SG-1 started it, just a list outside the infirmary that everyone added to kind of as a joke but after a while it got to be serious."

"Like number thirty-eight," Lorne snickered and then cleared his throat as he quoted verbatim, "The full, illustrated version of the Kama Sutra is not a suitable example of Earth art and culture."

John's eyes got big. "Someone took a Kama Sutra off world?" his mind boggled at the thought. "And got away with it?"

Kate shrugged. "The first time."

"Comics are banned," Lorne went on, "So are any condiments other then little packets of ketchup."

"And Candy," Kate reminded him. "I think you were actually still there when SG-10 started a civil war on PG2-X97 over a snickers bar."

Lorne laughed outright. "HA! I remember that."

John exchanged a glance between the two former SGC members. "As much fun as this all is," he began as he looked around at the weapon laden bed and various articles of clothing strewn all over the place, "Lunch is about to start and then you and me," he made a gesture between himself and Kate, "have a briefing to go to."

"Rain check?" Kate asked him as she held out her hand to help Jennifer stand up.

"Yeah sure," John replied as the group began to make their way up towards the mess hall. "Anyways so this planet we're going to…"

~xXx~

The briefing, as it turned out, didn't happen and John was thoroughly pissed about it as he stood, arms crossed, in the gate room to await the more then slightly unwelcome reason why he, his team and his sister would not be going to P3X -783. "You know," the colonel called as the tall, leather clad form of Todd the wraith approached him, "You keep dropping by unannounced so much you might as well just move in…"

"I sent a communication before arriving on the planet I used to gate here," Todd snorted, unamused by Sheppard's dry attempt at humor or by the way that the human seemed to be permanently annoyed with him.

John waved his hands around as if the truth of this fact were completely inconsequential. "That's not the point."

Todd quirked an eye ridge and regarded the human who was about four inches shorter than him. "Then what is?" he asked without humor.

John sighed in annoyance. "We do do other things besides work with you ya know," Todd gave him a look as if to convey his disbelief of such a statement. It grated on the already perilously thin set of nerves that John had set aside to be used specifically when dealing with the wraith. "All right fine, you're here now what do you want?"

The wraith looked the human over once and then decided to let his condescending attitude pass as there was nothing the wraith could do to affect Sheppard's mood. In the past year, since the city on which he was now standing had made a rather unexpected visit to the galaxy of its origin and then back again, Todd had farther developed his relationship with the human named John Sheppard and the inhabitants of the city. For example, he found himself visiting the city often enough to be allowed the freedom to walk about relatively unguarded and had even been given his own quarters within a little used portion of the standard crew apartments in the main tower. To date however, the wraith had yet to have found a way to completely understand the humans and in particularly Sheppard and so, as in cases such as this, he let their various tantrums slide.

"I have recently come into possession of the coordinates of what was once a Lantean research and development facility," he informed the human and noted that Sheppard's annoyance seemed to bleed away with the promise of what could possibly be found at such a location. "I believe it was once a ship yard."

John frowned. "You mean like a place where the Ancients built their ships?"

Todd nodded. "That is my theory yes," he scrutinized the human. "And where there are ships-"

"There are ZPM's," John shook his head. "It never creases to amaze me how many of those things you _think_ you need."

The wraith hissed. "They are a useful source of power."

"Yes, they are," John agreed and then thought of something. "Did you know that a whole bunch of wraith were trying to make their own?"

The wraith commander's eyes widened. "I did not."

John grunted. "Well we stole their calculations if you want to take a look at them while Woolsey thinks over your latest proposal," John began to walk towards Rodney's lab knowing that the wraith would follow. "When you called and our mission got cancelled Rodney and Kate both went back to trying to finish the equations," John shook his head. "It's funny watching the two of them argue."

The wraith said nothing and the rest of the journey was silent until they entered the by now familiar lab of the ever tediously annoying Dr. McKay. Todd looked around, McKay was bent double over a stack of papers and the wraith wondered over the fact that he did not believe he had ever seen the human scientist ever look that confused.

John noticed too. "What's up McKay?"

Rodney jumped, spilling coffee all over his keyboard. "Sheppard, don't do that!" the scientist rebuked, annoyed, as he began to mop up the mess. Seeing the figure standing besides the colonel, Rodney turned his irritated gaze towards the ever stoic and silent wraith, jerking his head downwards once in a forced acknowledgment. "Todd."

"Dr. McKay," the alien responded shortly in greeting. The wraith had long since given up trying to be cordial or polite with these humans as they always and without fail seemed to get anxious whenever he acted in a way that they called 'nice'. The general conclusion they seemed to reach whenever Todd presented himself to them in such a manner was that he was hiding something or otherwise planning to betray them and so the wraith had given up the attempts altogether and stuck to saying as little as possible. It made his interactions with the humans of Atlantis that much more tedious and if it were not for the fact that they were begrudgingly useful to him from time to time then the wraith wouldn't have bothered to deal with them at all.

"So how's it going, Rodney?" John asked as he glanced over the pages and pages of notes and calculations that were covered in the Canadian's unmistakable, if slightly unreadable, scrawl.

Rodney glared down at the current conundrum he was attempting to wrap his brain around. "It's not."

John frowned, suddenly realizing that it was too quiet here in Rodney's lab. He looked around. "Where's Kate, thought she was helping you?"

"She's off in lab three running the simulations I gave her," Rodney waved the question away and then paused to really look at the Colonel. "You know, I think she might actually understand more of what I say then I thought. Granted, of course, the math is way above her head and she could never replicate it but I honestly think that she gets the concept behind the problems if not the actual problems themselves."

"Wouldn't surprise me," John muttered. Like him, Kate was naturally good at math and he attributed that fact to her having spent a good chunk of her time before she'd started school in his room while he did his homework, looking over his shoulder and constantly asking questions. Thanks to him, Kate had had calculus down pat by the time she was in third grade and while Rodney might be operating under the assumption that Kate didn't understand the math so much as knew where it was going John knew different. Both he and his sister could talk circles around the entire science department when it came to mathematics; unfortunately their combined genius stopped at math. Ask them questions about how a hyperdrive worked and they'd both probably defer you to Rodney.

Todd, who had been listening to the exchange with half an ear as he usually did, keen only on picking up information that was pertinent and/or directly affected him, couldn't help the spark of curiosity that arose as Sheppard and McKay discussed this female. To his knowledge, and Todd prided himself on having a particularly good memory, he had never met any Atlantian by the name of Kate. His interest in her however, did not stem from the fact that she was an unknown to him because, quite frankly, the wraith hardly cared about the majority of humans that resided within the lost city, but moreover from the way in which she was being discussed.

Dr. McKay was as arrogant a human as Todd had ever had the unfortunate privilege to meet and reminded him a great deal of several Lanteans with whom he had been familiar before the outbreak of the war. Therefore, to hear him yield some of his insufferable self-importance and concede the fact that there was someone within the city that was able to level with him, if not completely then enough to be of note, was of intense curiosity to Todd the wraith. While annoying, he could not deny the fact that the rotund human was intelligent; enough so to be able to communicate and work with him efficiently in the field of mathematical and logical science. To be made aware of perhaps another human that processed this same superior intellect was of supreme interest to him; more so because she was female. The majority of Atlantis' analytical thinkers were male with the notable exception of Dr. Keller.

"Kate."

Todd was called from his thoughts by the sound of Sheppard's voice and, upon turning his gaze in the direction of the human's, the wraith narrowed his eyes at the woman that stood there. His eyes unintentionally locked with hers and he felt her bore her gaze into his own as if trying to assess whether or not he was a threat. The wraith found this odd as, recalling Sheppard and McKay's conversation, this female was supposed to be an intellectual. Few of Atlantis' scientists had the courage to look at him as fiercely as she was or even directly at all; it heightened his curiosity that much more.

John, upon noticing the way that his sister was regarding Todd, decided that an introduction might be in order before Kate decided that the wraith was a threat and did something about it like shoot him; Todd was almost never in a good mood after somebody shot him. "Ah, Kate," John called for his sister's attention and, not surprisingly, didn't get it; her eyes stayed locked on Todd's. "This is -"

"I know who he is," Kate interrupted flicking her eyes away from the golden orbs of the wraith's and giving her brother her attention.

John raised an eyebrow. "You do?" he asked, mildly curious over how, exactly, her mind had reached such a conclusion.

Besides the colonel, Todd found himself curious over the female's deduction of his identity as well.

Kate gave John a reproving look as if to convey how disappointed she was in his measurement of her intelligence. "Gee," she cut out sardonically, "so glad you think so very little of my reasoning skills."

John looked apologetic. "I'm sorry," he beseeched her, gesturing towards Todd. "It's just that you've never met him and I thought that maybe -"

"How many wraith do you habitually stand that close to without benefit of a weapon between you?" Kate interrupted, putting the tablet she'd been holding down and crossing her arms whilst she shot a dark look at her brother.

John backed down. "Alright, you have a point."

Kate smirked and picked up the tablet once more, crossing the room with it to sit at the workstation that Rodney had told her she could use. "I usually do."

John glared at her. "Yeah, yeah," he sighed. "Alright so since you already know who he is, Todd," he turned to the wraith who was now regarding his sister very intently. The wraith looked up, "This is Kate; she's new."

Todd lifted one brow ridge and eyed Sheppard gallingly. "I summarized as much, Sheppard," he admonished the human. "Your need to state the obvious is, as always, incommodious."

John glared at him; behind him Kate snickered. He rounded on her. "You think that's funny do you?" he asked, irked that she'd laugh at anything that Todd said. The wraith's sense of humor being what is was they tried not to encourage him if they could help it; John would never forget the story Sam had told him about the time Todd had offered to shake her hand.

His sister shrugged. "Well it's true," she informed him. "You do tend to overstate the obvious more oft then not."

John had to fight the urge to stick his tongue out at her because he knew full well that she was teasing him. "Yes, well, sometimes you need to overstate things," he looked over her, her head was resting on her hand and she was watching him. Off to the side, Todd was watching her and John got the impression that the alien had no idea what to make of her. A sudden thought popped into his head.

"So Kate," she lifted one eyebrow at him and waited for him to continue. "Why don't you show Todd the stuff we confiscated from the wraith that were trying to make their own ZPM's while I go run his latest gig past Woolsey."

His sister shrugged and turned her attention back to her monitors, quickly closing out the programs she'd been working on and pulling up the original file that they'd downloaded from the wraith's research facility. John left promptly afterwards and the wraith, Todd, didn't move. Kate, without taking her eyes off her monitor, called out, "Ya know, it's kinda hard to see from way over there."

Not used to being spoken to so directly or so informally for that matter, Todd did not immediately realize that the female was speaking to him until she looked at him and gave him the same raised eyebrow look that she had delivered to Sheppard. Slowly he began to make his way towards her, curious as to when she would tell him to crease his advance. The humans he sometimes worked with did not at all like him getting anywhere near their persons and consistently stopped him from approaching whenever he got within five feet of them. When she did not command him to stop, however, Todd came closer still until he was standing directly behind her; the leather of his battle coat brushing gently against her back.

"You're not going to eat me are you?" Kate asked dryly, unable to stop herself; the opportunity was just too perfect.

Todd snorted, aware that she was attempting humor and that, unlike Sheppard, her particular brand was dark enough for him to find slightly amusing. "No."

Kate smirked. "Good," she commented, daring a glance upwards at the imposing figure peering over her shoulder. He was tall, she'd give him that and larger at the shoulder and chest then the other wraith she'd seen thus far during her stay in Atlantis. All in all, as far as wraith go, her brother's ally was by far the most intimidating individual she'd ever seen as well as the most frightening. Just having him standing so close to her was taking all her willpower not to move away from him or ask him to step back a bit; the aura of violence and power that the predator wore was overwhelming.

Todd noted her appraisal of him and, very much aware of just how intimidating he could be, felt a small granule of respect begin to build within him for the female. She was wary, guarded and he could sense that she was afraid of him in a very basic way that was normal considering his status as a predator and hers as, in any other circumstance, his intended prey. What increased his curiosity surrounding her and deepened the esteem he so far had developed for her was that, despite this, she did not attempt to move away and instead had allowed his person to be so very near to her own. Most humans he knew, even Sheppard, couldn't be bothered to so overcome their cautions of him and he applauded the female for her fortifications.

He also decided to comment on them. "You are not afraid of me?" he queried, curious as to what her answer would be. Would she profess false bravo and insist that she was not or would she be honest with him and concede that she was in fact wary of him to a degree? Experience had taught him to never expect the whole truth from his human allies but something in her actions thus far in their very short acquaintance made him consider the possibility that her answer might yet surprise him.

It did.

"Yes," Kate said candidly, twisting around on her stool so that she could look up at the wraith that was currently towering over her. "You're probably the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life."

Todd felt both of his brow ridges lift upwards in surprise; he had expected some honesty from her, he had not expected this much of a disclosure. "Am I?" he inquired, suffering his surprise and shoving it to the back of his mind, refusing to allow it to show through to his expression. Instead, he smirked and tilted his head to one side whilst continuing to look down on her. "And what about me is so terrifying for you? My appearance perhaps?"

Kate shook her head. "No, it's not that."

Todd hissed. "Then?"

Kate considered what all she could say and how she could say it so that he would understand. "It's your presence," she decided upon before sighing and turning back around to look at her computer screen. "You're like violence incarnate."

Todd had not expected _that_ response anymore then he had her truthful one previously. He had expected her answer to have something to do with the relationship between his species and hers, he had not expected her perception of him to be so accurate or to contain such depth. Violence had been his purpose since his birth and throughout all his millennia long life, violence had been his only legacy. That the female would have been able to know this, to see it under the carefully constructed mask he wore whenever he was around and in the presence of his human allies bothered him slightly.

Kate watched the wraith's facial expressions by way of the reflection on her monitor screen. It was obvious to her eye if not so to anyone else's that she'd unnerved him with her answer. She had no doubt as to the kind of response he'd expected her to give and she could see his worry over what she _had_ told him in his eyes if not in the lexis of his face. The wraith was very good at wearing a mask and not allowing his emotions through; she very much doubted that anyone other than herself who had been trained extensively to see these things would have noticed at all.

"Don't worry," she informed the alien, smirking just slightly at the frown that came to his features as soon as she spoke. "I won't tell."

Todd pinned his gaze on her head and ardently wished that she would turn so that he might see her face. She did and he was rewarded with both a smirk and a pair of dancing eyes that clearly found some amusement in what she had just told him. Todd didn't see it. "What do you mean?"

Kate snickered, her smirk festering as she crossed her arms and leaned back against the worktable behind her. "Well," she started, gazing up at the predator and locking her eyes onto his. "Just a theory, but I'm guessing that you probably don't want John or anyone else to know how dangerous you really are or what kind of power you really have in the world of the wraith."

Todd stared at her. "And your theory of this is based on?"

Kate shrugged. "Observation. You seemed to be a bit thrown by my answer and I've got a pretty good idea of what you probably expected me to say. Add that to all the stuff I've read about you and I get that you've probably been holding back on us quite a bit and for a long time."

Her conclusions were for the most part correct and Todd didn't know how else to handle the situation then to discover her full meaning in her statement that she would not tell and what she planned to do with the information. "And what do you plan on doing with this..observation of yours?"

Kate rolled her shoulders. "Nothing," the wraith shot her an incredulous look. "I figure you've got your reasons for not wanting us to know what all you can do and how dangerous you can really be. One of which, I'm sure, is that you're afraid that if we were to know we'd be less likely to work with you so often and that, if that were to happen, you'd lose out on something big. So, you play pretend and humanize yourself whenever you're around us to put us at ease and make us forget about what and who you are," she paused and coyly eyed the creature that was now looking at her with an unreadable expression that she wasn't even going to bother trying to decipher. "How close did I get?"

Todd considered not responding to her at all but then, that would be denying the fact that he was currently in awe of the female seated so casually in front of him. "Very," he said, deciding to give her the same courtesy that she had given to him. He peered at her. "I wonder at your ability to discern so much of my intentions after so little of a time spent in my company."

Kate grinned and turned back around so that her back was once more to the wraith and she could all but feel his eyes boring into the back of her head. "I'm smarter then I look."

Todd decided that that statement was very much true and pushed the information along with their entire conversation to the back of his mind as he focused his attention on why he had come over to her in the first place. Leaning down, he lowered himself so that he could see the monitors more clearly and, in so doing, brought his head very close to hers; his feeding hand now rested on the desk besides hers, bracing his weight as he peered over her shoulder. Much as before, the female did not move nor make any attempt to add to the space between them. Instead, the only evidence she gave in acknowledgment of his advance was in her breathing which hitched slightly as he brought his face down into close proximity to hers before returning to normal in the next breath.

His regard for her rose incrementally. "What are these?" he asked, his eyes following the lines of code, narrowing in on several spots where a more efficient equation could be used to supplement an over complicated one.

Kate's uncomfortableness with being so close to a very dangerous individual faded slightly as her mind refocused on the matter at hand; it was still there but, with the return to business, she chose to force it into the back of her mind. "These are the equations that we downloaded from the wraith research facility that we hit last week," she informed him, typing a command into the computer via command prompt that translated the base ten equations into their base twelve counterparts. "We had to transmute the base in order for the calculations to make sense so this, what you're seeing now, is the file in its original unaltered form."

Todd nodded and allowed his eyes to sweep the screen, darting back and forth quickly before he asked, "And you understand this?"

Kate shrugged. "Mostly. It's a bit hard to follow in this base because my brain's wired on base ten which I've used all my life but, if I slow myself down and force myself to really read all the lines then, yeah, it's pretty straightforward."

Todd turned his head to the side so that he might look at the woman in profile. He could see that there was understanding in her eyes as her own gaze swept over the lines of equations highlighted on the screen before her. He was now fairly certain that her intelligence was above average for most humans and that in and of itself made her noteworthy; further revision of her might prove to be worthwhile.

Footsteps drew Todd from his thoughts and the wraith and the woman looked up in time to see Sheppard returning this time dressed in a wardrobe more suitable for combat.

He looked at Todd, frowning at how close the wraith was to his sister and he wondered briefly why the hell Kate hadn't backed away from him. He shook it off however and figured that Kate, being the super-soldier that she was, was mostly likely the only person on the whole base that wasn't terrified of Todd and so didn't feel threatened by him at all. It was still creepy though and he made a mental note to talk with her about it later all while he fixed the wraith with a look that silently commanded him to stand up and back off. Todd complied and John, now satisfied and much less creepified, proceed to tell the wraith what Woolsey had said regarding his lasted gimmick. "Woolsey's decided to give your latest flyby idea a go so," he tossed Kate an earwig which she caught smoothly and then put into her ear. "Kate, go suit up and meet us in the gate room in five."

Kate nodded and got up, the wraith stepping back so that she could stand, and made off towards her quarters to change out of her black BDU's and into her battle suit.

Rodney looked up from his computer. "Sheppard -"

"You're staying here," John interrupted him already knowing that his friend would want nothing to do with ZPM hunting when he was going over the equations on how to make your own.

Rodney nodded thankfully and went back to work while Sheppard and the wraith left him alone in his lab.

Falling into step behind the human, Todd followed him to the gate room and was met by both the Athosian and Major Lorne the latter of which greeted Sheppard as he and the colonel made their entrance.

"Who we waiting on?" Lorne asked his commanding officer as soon as he saw him.

"Kate," John answered. "Figured she'd like to get out and about some more."

"And Ronon is currently in the infirmary with a cold," Teyla added, smiling gently at how it had taken two days of persuasion to get her fellow Pegasusian into the infirmary to get the help he needed.

John nodded, grinning also. "Yeah, that too."

Experience having taught him that humans were either intelligent and lacking of physical prowess or warriors with only common acumen, Todd turned towards Sheppard. "For what reason need we bring the female?" he asked, curious as to what purpose her accompaniment of them could possibly serve.

Lorne snorted. "You mean other then the fact that she's the deadliest person on the base?"

Todd's eyes narrowed inwardly wondering if her observations and clear understanding of him were born not out of the reasoning that was typically inherent in those who practiced science in its many forms but rather out of the battle bronzed intellect of a seasoned warrior. He found the possibility highly unlikely but decided to inquire upon it anyway. "Is she not a scientist?"

John shook his head. "Nope, Kate's a soldier."

"I feel as though 'warrior' might be a more appropriate way to describe Kate and her skill set," Teyla input contemplatively.

Lorne was quick to agree. He hadn't actually _been_ on the mission that had landed Kate a permanent spot in Atlantis but he _had_ heard about it, everyone had, and because of it he knew that what he'd seen her do for her tests was nothing compared to what she _could_ do. "Yeah," he agreed with Teyla and, turning towards Todd, fixed the wraith with a ponderous look. "You know, she might even be able to kick _your_ ass."

Todd very much doubted it. As the female had said, he was violence and even among wraith there were few that could equal him on the battle field; there was a reason he was so feared by his own kind. Even if what the humans said was true and the woman was a warrior rather than a scientist, a fact that he was still not so certain of, then in reality she was most likely on the same level of tactful expertise as the Setedan who, he would admit, was more battle savvy then most humans but who could still not compare to him. The former runner and he had sparred only once and it had been a decidedly short engagement; he had rendered the human defenseless in a matter of minutes. Were he and the female to enter into a similar practice, Todd doubted that she would last any longer against him then the runner had.

Decided in his opinion of her battle skills, Todd turned as the sound of a purposeful set of footfalls reached his ears. Looking up he felt his eyes widen fractionally as they fell on the female around whom his most recent thoughts had revolved; a begrudging voice in the back of his mind announcing to him that he might need to reevaluate his opinion of her combat skills. Todd was not used to, nor had he ever, described a human as being menacing but yet, that was exactly the appropriate word to describe the woman now walking towards he and the others down the steps of the Atlantis gateroom.

Her uniform consisted of a material that fit close to her body, conforming to every dip and curve. It was padded with a thicker material, much like his own battle-coat, in certain places that warranted a greater level of protection such as her chest, shoulders, the outsides of her thighs and her hips. She wore bracers on her forearms and about her hips was slung a weapons belt of some kind that carried an unusual and foreign array of munitions that were unknown to him. Her step told him that she had more weapons secreted about her person that he could not see and the set of her face was one of perfect blankness. The sudden realization stuck him that, dressed as she was and knowing what he did about her intelligence, while he had never before found any sexual attraction in human females beyond the most basic of observations that were unavoidable given his gender, for some reason that he could not fathom he found exception in her. The thought was disconcerting to say the least and Todd the very confused wraith was not at all happy about it.

He also, had no idea of what action or inaction to do in regards it.

"Looking good there Kate," Lorne called to her as she joined them. "Ah," he pointed at her face, "What's with the sunglasses?"

Kate gave him a flirtatious little smirk. "That's for me to know and for you to maybe find out; if you're nice."

"Right," John said loudly before Lorne could make another comment and before his sister could reward the major with a suggestive answer. "Let's get this over with."

John went through the gate first followed by Teyla then Lorne and then Kate and Todd. What they found on the other side was anything but pleasant.

"Well," John muttered as he squinted his eyes against the torrent of rain he and his team had walked into, the gate closing behind him as he looked around. "Something tells me we should have called ahead first, you know, checked the weather."

Lorne nodded. "I can't see a thing."

"Nor I," Teyla agreed as she hugged herself against the wet, glad that despite the downpour the temperature was actually quite moderate.

Kate scanned the horizon. "There's a river about a hundred meters south of here off to the left and what looks like a path following along it's east bank," She turned towards her brother, raising her voice over the din of the angry clouds that thundered overhead. "Near as I can tell it leads upwards to higher ground."

John blinked at her which caused water to fall into his eyes and he shook his head to clear them. "You can see all that?" he demanded, his confusion making his voice sound irritable. "You're wearing sunglasses!"

Kate smirked. "Magnified infrared NVG's," she explained and, at the look of total confusion on her brother's face, she tried again. "There're two tiny cameras on either side of my glasses that project whatever they see directly onto the glass in front of my eyes like a miniature HUD. Both cameras are designed to operate on minimal amounts of light and reflect the images back to me in green night vision magnified to ten times their original dimensions."

John's brain felt overloaded and he was pretty sure his eyes had crossed themselves somewhere in the middle of her explanation. "So, you can see in the dark?"

Kate's smirk festered. "Yes, I can see in the dark."

"Good to know," he replied and then turned to Todd the very unhappy looking wraith, biting back the urge to begin chanting 'I'm melting, I'm melting' while dancing around the drenched alien in circles. "So, you good with her plan?"

Todd grunted and in place of an answer began to walk in the direction that the female had indicated in her initial survey. The woman fell into step behind him and the others followed suit, the light from their flashlights inadequate to the task in which they had been placed; the rays of artificial light barely reaching two feet in front of each of them. Todd had been in situations like this before and in them the humans had had to rely on whoever had the more advanced vision or hearing which, until very recently, had been him. The female had denied him his usefulness and the wraith honestly didn't know how to handle the fact that, save for his superior strength and agility which may or may not be utilized on this particular mission, he had just been made obsolete.

His mind was still contemplating this turn of events when one of his heavy boots caught in the waterlogged ground. Todd stumbled, his mind cursing the mockery Sheppard would make of this, only to be caught halfway down by an unusually strong grip on his upper arm. He didn't get a chance to see his savior until he was again standing upright. Turning he met the blank face of the female.

Releasing him and stepping back out of his personal space, she said nothing and instead turned from him and continued onwards leaving him where he stood. As she continued on their path, it occurred to him that she didn't expect him to express gratitude for her act as Sheppard would have. The lack of expectation confused him because it did not coincide with the usual behaviors be had come to anticipate receiving from the humans of Atlantis. That and her alarming ability to not only catch him and prevent him from falling but to also pull him to his feet while still remaining steady herself made his already present curiosity concerning her proliferate almost exponentially.

"Todd?"

The wraith turned and found Major Lorne eyeing him curiously. "Yes?"

Lorne looked over the wraith who had been standing still while staring at Kate's figure through the rain with the most peculiar expression on his face for about a minute now. "Everything alright?"

Todd grunted and continued walking. "The female is unique."

Lorne fell into step besides him, glancing backwards to make sure that the colonel and Teyla were still doing okay. Seeing that they were, he turned his attention back to Todd. "Yes she is," he agreed, wiping a hand over his eyes and squinting them so that he could see ahead of them to where Kate was forging the way. "She's a super solider."

Todd eyed the human. "Oh?"

Lorne nodded. "Yeah. She was a part of a government initiative back on Earth called the NC26 project and she's had her DNA tinkered with so that she's stronger and faster than your average human," he looked over at the wraith trudging along next to him. "You know how the colonel insisted that you learn how to use our guns and when he tested you all your shots hit the exact same place on the target?"

"I recall that, yes," Todd replied, thinking back to that day and the look on Sheppard's face. A smug ghost of a smile spread over his lips. "For what reason do you mention it?"

Lorne huffed. "Kate did the same thing on her firearms exam."

This information peaked the wraith's interest in the woman to new heights as he considered that which he had learned of her abilities most recently. There was no denying the fact that she was intriguing in more ways than one. Quite possibly, Todd had just met his true equal among the humans of Atlantis and the prospect that there might be a human within their ranks that could compete with him physically as well as mentally truly fascinated him.

Ahead of them, Kate turned back once she'd reached the top of the hill they'd been climbing for the past half hour and espied Todd the waterlogged wraith and Major Lorne some ten paces behind her while her brother and Teyla fought the mud several more steps back. She sighed, at the rate they were going they weren't going to make it anywhere fast and so she took the time to survey the land around her. Spotting an alternative route off to her right she waited patiently for the others to catch up with her.

Lorne looked up at Kate who was standing still and facing them with an expression on her face that clearly expressed her annoyance with their slowness. "What's up?" he called out, he and Todd reaching her moments later.

Kate gestured around her. "This isn't getting us anywhere fast," she reasoned and then turned towards John and Teyla who had just joined them. "We need a new plan."

John blinked rain out of his eyes and eyed her. "Like what?"

Kate pointed to the solution she'd found. "Looks like a cave mouth but it's too symmetrical to be natural. It was dug; could lead somewhere."

John squinted through the haze and falling water and didn't see it. "I'll take your word for it," he started forwards. "Anything's better then walking around in this mess."

Teyla nodded. "I agree. Even if it does not lead somewhere then we can at least wait out the storm in safety."

That settled, the group took off once more this time with John and Teyla in the lead and Todd and Kate taking up the rear. Their journey was silent and as soon as they entered the unnatural grotto they began to look around, pointing their flashlights into every crevice that they could find until, up ahead, John's light hit something that refracted the light back to them.

"What's that?" Lorne asked as he too pointed his P-90 at it. Combined the lights were just strong enough to be able to make out what it was in the gloom.

"It's a door," John announced, going towards it and examining it, the others following behind. "Like a hatch."

Teyla frowned as she approached the spot where john stood. "It appears to bears a similar design to the doors in the lower levels of Atlantis."

Lorne joined them. "Well," he said, "That's a pretty good sign that it's Ancient then."

John nodded in agreement, running his hands over the door and frowning. "There's no latch."

His sister peered over his shoulder and then elbowed him in the arm and pointed to a sort of circular pad on the wall beside the door. It looked like a key pad and in the center of the circle were eight slots where it looked like certain numbers went. "It's a combination lock," Kate said from directly behind him and John tended to agree with her.

"Looks like it," he examined the device and then turned around to look at everyone. "These slots must be where the numbers go, there're eight so it's an eight digit combo."

Lorne frowned. "Well that sucks," he said crossly.

Todd, the only one of the five of them not clustered about the door, raised a brow ridge. "Oh?" he questioned the major. "And why is that?"

Lorne turned to him, gesturing at the lock as he did. "Well, let's see, there are thirty-six numbers on the damned thing. Do you know how many combinations that is?"

Todd eyed the major. "Do you?"

Lorne looked taken aback. "What? I - no," he squinted at the wraith. "Do you know how many -"

"One trillion, two hundred and twenty billion, ninety-six million, nine hundred and eight thousand, eight hundred," John and Kate chorused in perfect synchronicity which earned them odd looks from the others. "What?" John asked, fringing innocence.

Lorne shook his head. "That was creepy," the major said, waving his hand between the colonel and Kate. "You both said that at exactly the same time."

Kate shrugged. "Chalk it up to good timing and get over it," she turned back to the lock and studied it. "Okay, so we know it's an eight digit code and that…" she trailed off, a light bulb going off in her head as a smile broke out over her face.

John stared at her. "What is it?"

Kate turned to him. "What else do we know of that's round and has thirty-six symbols on it?"

"The stargates," Teyla answered, looking first to Kate and then to the lock. "The code is a gate address."

Kate nodded. "What's the one eight symbol address that the Ancients could be sure that the wraith didn't know?"

John felt his own face break out into a smile. "Earth," he said and then moved past his sister to key in the appropriate numbers corresponding with the glyphs on a gate. When all eight slots were filled, he stood back as the hatch hissed and then opened, revealing a long, narrow, dimly lit passageway that stretched onwards into the gloom. "Well," he said, as he peered inwards, "I guess we go this way." He started forwards, his team and Todd following. "Nice job, by the way," he called back to Kate over his shoulder.

Kate smirked. "Yes, well, I do have some experience dealing with the paranoia of the Ancients."

John chuckled. "Sounds like you don't like them," he commented.

Kate made a face. "Not particularly, no."

Teyla turned to her. "Why not?" she asked.

Kate frowned and hesitated. "I'm not going to offend anybody if I answer honestly am I?"

Lorne snickered. "Not really," he assured her. "Believe me, we all got over our awe of the Ancients a while ago. Pretty much everyone in Atlantis has almost died at least once because of something the Ancients left behind."

Kate grinned and felt immensely better knowing that the people in Atlantis didn't think that the Ancients hung the moon. She'd been worried that, living in the city of the Lanteans, everyone would think more highly of them then she did. "Well, that's nice to know," she said, sounding relieved.

Up ahead, John called for everyone to come to a halt as he came to a split in the hallway. There were two identical corridors leading off in opposite directions and after John had peered down both of them and found no immediate threats, he turned back to his team. "Alright," he called out, "Me, Teyla and Lorne are gonna go this way," he looked at Kate and pointed down the other corridor with his flashlight. "You and Todd are gonna go that way. Radio if you find anything."

Kate nodded and started down the left-hand hallway, Todd following her. They'd been walking for about five minutes when Kate, after glancing at the wraith walking silently along beside her, asked, "A Penny for your thoughts," the wraith's eyes narrowed in confusion and so she clarified. "A penny, it's a type of - you know what? Never mind. It means, what are you thinking?"

Todd exhaled sharply and cast a fleeting look sideways at the human traveling alongside him. "What makes you believe that I am currently contemplating anything?"

Kate shrugged. "Oh I don't know," she shot a look up at his profile, he was staring straight ahead, avoiding eye contact with her, "It might be that pensive look you've got plastered onto your face."

The wraith harrumphed and managed to sound somewhat annoyed in the process. "I am a curious creature by nature as well as design and wear such an expression often."

The female beside him snickered. "That doesn't surprise me."

Todd quirked a brow ridge and looked down on her. "Oh?" he asked, admittedly intrigued by her comment. He wondered at the reasoning behind it.

Kate sighed. "I've had the fortunate and sometimes unfortunate privilege of meeting a great many people from many different species, cultures and origins on hundreds of different planets and in three different galaxies and you know what I've found? That certain groups of people have certain traits that are inherent in them and scientists, those that quest for knowledge and understanding, like yourself, are consistently and congruently curious without fail," she looked at him once more out of the corner of her eye, "I see no reason why you would be any different."

Her reasoning was sound and curiously flawless for a human but that did not mean that Todd was any more inclined to answer her. He had learned early on during his acquaintance with the humans of Atlantis to keep his thoughts to himself as they were most generally ignored even when requested. "While your conclusions about me are correct," he told her, "I still find it odd that you would care what I think of at all."

Kate frowned. "Why wouldn't I?"

Todd answered bluntly. "The other Atlantians habitually ignore me when I express my thoughts and or opinions about a given situation."

"I'm not everyone else," she argued, annoyed that he would dismiss her individuality so easily.

Todd let out a soft hiss and attempted to explain. "You are human, and while your intelligence is something to be of note, you are no different than the rest of your kind."

Kate stopped walking and rounded on the wraith, glaring at him in irritation as she decided that if he was going to insult her then she was going to insult him right back. "Then I should just shoot you now and get it over with."

Todd, also, stopped walking and looked down on the clearly upset female before him. He frowned, confused as to why a statement of fact such as the one he had just made would elicit such a reaction from her. "What do you mean?" he questioned, pondering the reason for her sudden avowal.

Kate eyed him, turning her gaze onto his and boring her grey eyes into his golden one. "So far, every wraith I've ever met has either tried to kill me or eat me so, by your own reasoning, I should just kill you now and save myself the trouble later."

Todd let out an irritated growl. "My analogy does not apply to me," he hissed darkly.

"Why not?" Kate demanded hotly, refusing to back down.

Todd glared at her. "I am not all wraith."

Kate smirked, knowing that she'd won. "And I'm not all humans," she countered, throwing his own logic and terminology back into his face. The wraith blinked and she continued. "So, let's try this again. What are you thinking?"

Having his own logic turned around on him was not something that happened to Todd often, especially not when he was dealing with humans. That the female before him had managed to do so spoke greatly of her aptitude for intelligence and told him that her mind functioned as much on logic as did his. Logically, he knew that she was correct and that humans had as much capability for individuality as did the wraith and that like his own kind, just because not many of them expressed such differences openly, did not mean that they did not exist. The female had just proven that she was different than the others of her kind that he was used to dealing with and so, with this knowledge tucked away in the back of his mind to be contemplated upon at another time, Todd considered how to go about assuaging her curiosity concerning his thoughts and her wish to know what they consisted of.

A smile tugged at the very edge of his mouth as he recalled her second inquiry into the state of his mind. "You are not going to offer me another, what did you call it? Penny?" he queried, daring to tease her as he had never before done to another human; not even Sheppard.

Kate snorted and smirked, catching the mischievous glint in the predator's eyes. "After all the trouble I just went through, I think you should offer them up to me for free."

Her ability to converse with him so lightheartedly made Todd's lips twist upwards into a genuine grin. He decided to humor her with an answer. "I was contemplating your dislike of the Lanteans."

Letting out a short of half-snicker half-snort, Kate turned from the wraith and continued walking, her eyes darting about her surroundings even as she graced the alien with a reply. "And?"

Todd fell once more into an easy step besides her. "I know of Sheppard's reasons for disliking them," he looked to her, noting how her eyes were never still as they darted about, always watching, her body always ready. "What are yours?" he finished.

Kate let out a bark of laughter. "You want the list?"

Todd lifted one brow ridge in question. "There are many?"

"Oh, you have no idea," Kate informed him as she continued her survey, keeping her senses on alert as they traveled deeper into the complex. "I could probably give you a hundred different reasons why I can't stand the whole lot of them."

The wraith found himself intrigued by her for what had to be the tenth time or so since he had met her not three hours previously. "Perhaps," he began, turning with her as they came to a bend in the pathway they were travelling, "You could enlighten me as to the most prevalent ones?"

Kate took a deep breath and started to go through her list of reasons what she hated the ancients in her head, mentally picking out the biggest ones before she started talking. "Oh, well, let's see? They're arrogant; egotistical; they think they know everything and what's best for everybody even though, generally speaking, they don't know jack-diddly-squat; they're condescending; all told, they've made more doomsday devices then the Ori and the goa'uld put together and nearly all of them had disastrous results; they like to play God and they're terrible at it; they -"

Todd chuckled and cut her off with an amused wave of his hand. "I believe I asked only for the most ubiquitous ones," he gently chided her, not truly upset with her at all in any way.

Kate smirked. "Those were the most prevalent. I told you I had a list of like, a hundred. I only gave you six."

Todd continued to laugh softly, his chest rumbling, before another thought entered his mind. "Have you met many of them?" he inquired of her, wondering if she had been unfortunate enough to draw such a dislike from actual encounters with them or if her disdain was simply born of having to deal with what they had left behind.

Kate let out a sound that did a pretty good job of mimicking a wraith's annoyed snarl. "Several, way more than I ever wanted to. I shot the last one I got left alone with."

The wraith was now not only thoroughly engrossed by her but also greatly amused. "Oh?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah. It didn't do anything of course, what with behind ascended and all; the bastards are non-corporal so the bullet went right through him," she paused and let out a consented sigh. "But I still got pleasure out of shooting him, even if I didn't actually hurt him."

The confession made Todd decide that he liked her and, for a while they continued their journey in silence until the woman chose to speak once more.

"So," she began lightly, taking her eyes from the floor and walls in front of her and glancing upwards at the wraith, "…tell me about the wraith?"

Since Todd was not used to being asked such questions regularly or at all by any human, he did not know exactly how to answer her and so decided to ask a question himself. "What do you wish to know?"

Kate shrugged. "Anything really," she said. "There's not a whole lot we know about the wraith."

Her statement was accurate, the humans of Atlantis - indeed, humans in general - knew almost nothing about he and his kind whereas his understanding of humans and their various cultures and practices was fairly complete; those that inhabited his galaxy at least. Still, he doubted that she wanted to be regaled with tales of what wraith did in their off duty hours or with an outline of their social structure. Knowing that, he informed her, "The Atlantians process a vast amount of knowledge regarding our weapons capabilities and tactical practices. It is my understanding that your medical department even as a fairly accurate understanding of our feeding process and the effects it has on both us and the humans we feed from."

Kate sighed. "That's not exactly what I meant," she said heavily.

Todd frowned. "What, then, did you mean?"

Kate took a deep breath. "Don't get me wrong," she stared, trying to explain herself to him. She was pretty sure that nobody had ever asked him this kind of question before and so she understood his confusion on how to answer. "It's great that we know all of that stuff, but there's got to be more to the wraith then wars and cullings."

Then again, perhaps she did wish to know of such things. But, again, he was not so sure. He could not fathom a human wanting to become so intimately knowledgeable of a race whose main source of nourishment was their own. "In what other capacity would you wish to know of us?" he asked, wishing for her to be more specific.

Kate had to admit that his lack of compression for what she was asking him was kind of cute in a weird sort of way. "I was thinking about your culture more than anything else," she explained to him, holding back a smile at the look of utter bafflement that suddenly appeared on his face. "I mean, as a race, as a _people_, it's pretty safe to say we don't know a damned thing."

Her clarification of what she was, indeed, asking him to relate to her was such an astonishment that Todd stopped walking and froze, his eyes trained onto her whilst a look of what he was sure was bewilderment etched itself onto his facial features. "You would wish to know of us in this way?"

There was a certain level of uncertainty in the wraith's multi-toned voice that Kate found adorable although she'd never in a million years admit it to anyone. She was fairly certain that if she told anybody that she found a wraith, any wraith, to be in anyway endearing she'd get carted off to a mental institution somewhere faster then she could blink. "I asked, didn't I?

Todd had to employ a good deal of conscious effort into continuing to walk down the corridor. "I am…" he began, unsure of how best to convey his shock. He decided on honesty; a consistent theme in their conversations he noted. "Surprised."

Kate snickered and hid her grin. "Obviously."

"What do you wish to know?" Todd repeated in a somewhat mystified sounding voice, now very curious as to what she would ask him and how much he would tell her in reply.

Kate considered what all she could ask him. "Well, for starters, why…" she trailed off as an odd, familiar but-yet-not smell wafted through her nose as the two of them rounded a corner. She stopped and strained all her senses to their limits in order to see if she could pick up on anything else.

"What is it?" Todd inquired, straining his senses to possibly pick up on whatever it was that had alerted the human woman. He heard nothing, saw nothing and could sense nothing. He looked down on the female. "There is nothing -"

"There," Kate turned just slightly to her right and inhales. "The air smells metallic, like heated metal."

Todd blinked. "I was not aware your senses were so finely tuned," he observed having not thought when Major had informed him of her heightened abilities that her sense of smell would have been likewise augmented.

Kate nodded once and took a tentative step forwards, straining her memory as to where and why that particular scent seemed so familiar to her. "I'm just full of surprises," she whispered, taking another step and then another before finally determining that whatever it was that was in the air was not an immediate threat.

Todd watched her, his eyes raking over her tensed body and finding that when she was on alert like she was he could almost picture her as a stalking wraith; a female of his own species. In his time, before the wraith had taken to the stars in flight, there had been many female wraith that hunted and fought alongside the males. Kate, in her preparedness, her body tensed and coiled, reminded him of that time so long before now. The parallel enticed him and made him look longer on her figure then he had before, finding much there to stimulate him in a way that no female human had ever done so before in his millennia long life.

Coming out of her listening pose, Kate straightened her back and turned to Todd only to find him eyeing her strangely. It reminded her of the way the men in her life sometimes looked at her and she found it odd that a wraith might find her attractive in any way at all. "Like what you see?" she asked him, teasing him despite her better judgment that told her that doing such a thing was probably not a good idea.

Todd looked up, his contemplations falling to the side as he gazed into her eyes which danced merrily; daring him answer truthfully. He complied. "You are desirable."

Kate snickered. "Thanks," she turned away from him and started off down the hallway again, secretly wishing John was here to hear Todd the wraith tell her he thought she was hot. Her brother would probably have a heart attack.

Her flippant reply and subsequent dismissal made Todd smirk, pleased that she took his words at only face value. Sheppard, he was certain, would have taken the admission and then proceeded to overanalyze it in an attempt to wrest from it hidden meanings where there were none. Her candid reaction made him began to consider the possibility that this female might actually be able to earn his amity. It was a pleasurable thought; she truly was a fascinating and intriguing creature.

Several minutes later, which Kate and Todd passed in companionable silence, led them farther down the hallway and to a locked bulkhead door. Nearing it, Kate's eyes narrowed as she heard a particular tinkering sound emanating from beyond the bulkhead. Coming up to the large metal door, Kate pressed her hand to it and leaned forwards so that she could press her ear to it and listen. The metallic smell was stronger now and, as she listened, she began to get a very bad feeling about what was on the other side.

"A peculiar noise," Todd commented as he stood back and allowed Kate to listen at the door.

Kate nodded. "It sounds like something that I very much hope it's not."

Todd cocked his head to one side. "And what might that be, this thing that you fear?"

Kate opened her mouth to respond but was cut off as something on the other side of the bulkhead hit the door with a loud thud. Stepping back, Kate pulled her energy blaster from its holster on her left hip and held it at the ready. She didn't have to wait long, several seconds ticked by before a hole appeared in the bulkhead through which a metallic spider looking thing crawled out.

"Shit!" Kate yelled and fired at the replicator. She hit her mark and the mechanical bug burst apart, replicator blocks showering down all over the place.

"What is that?" Todd asked as another of the spidery looking creatures immerged from the hole the previous one had made.

Kate snarled and shot another one. "A replicator," she growled, the bugs now pouring out of the hole at an alarming rate. She turned towards the wraith. "Go, run!"

Todd did as he was told and retreated back down the way they had previously come. "That is not a replicator," he called back to her as they ran. The hallway was too narrow for them to run side by side and so he was in the lead whilst Kate sometimes turned back to shoot behind them.

Kate hissed angrily and fired another shot over her shoulder hearing the satisfying sound of raining replicator blocks that let her know that she'd hit her mark. "You've probably never seen this version of them before," she informed the alien before grinding to a halt and grabbing his arm. Todd looked at her and she pointed up; there was a vent of some kind in the ceiling which looked to be their only way out.

Taking aim, she blew a hole in the panel big enough to fit them both through and then turned expectantly to the wraith who didn't hesitate to hold out a hand for her to step into. Lifting her foot, Kate steadied herself by holding onto Todd's shoulders as he lifted her upwards until she hosted herself into the vent and then reached down to help him climb in. Pulling Todd up proved to be somewhat difficult but she managed and once he was besides her, they began to crawl along the enclosed space until they came to a wall vent. Kate kicked it open and they both fell out, her narrowly avoiding being landed on by Todd the much-larger-than-she-was wraith. Getting up and brushing themselves off they took two steps forwards and then promptly ran into a human like being wearing an armored suit.

"Ah crap," Kate muttered and besides her out of the corner of her eye, she saw Todd's eyes narrow.

~xXx~

John Sheppard didn't like to think about Todd the wraith except for when he had to. Now wasn't one of those times but, the colonel couldn't shake the wraith from his mind no matter how hard he tried and ended up giving up on the endeavor all together. The fact of the matter was that seeing Todd meet and interact with his sister had brought a flurry of thoughts to his head that he had never considered before. The first thought was that, as amusing as Todd's reaction to finding out that Kate was a warrior and not a scientist had been, it presented an opportunity that was too good to pass up. Todd was a mystery to them, that John would freely admit, and he and his people had no idea what was going on inside the wraith's mind more than half the time not that they ever really wanted to but, given how much they saw of him as of late and how much they had grown to depend on the wraith in the past year, knowing what was going on inside of his head might be a good idea.

Kate could do that or, at least, John had a decent idea that she could given enough time. Todd had been confused by her, surprised and blindsided all of which, John was sure, had made him very, very curious. Todd was worse than a cat when it came to curiosity and the colonel was pretty sure the alien would go out of his way in attempts to understand Kate if for no other reason than she was something of a novelty to him. John knew full well what Todd thought of humans and how little respect he had for most of them, even he and the other Atlantians. He also knew just what Todd's opinion of their combat skills was and that the wraith was convinced that humans could either be smart and have no clue which way to point a gun or how to use a knife or be a good shot and be a complete moron. His sister had more common sense then practically everybody, had always been too dammed observant for her own good, had an almost genius IQ and knew how to use it and was as effective and skilled at dealing out death and making war as Todd and the rest of the wraith were. All together, John was very convinced that she'd be just of enough of a channeling to Todd that the wraith might actually end up spending enough time with her trying to figure her out that Kate could, in turn, do the same thing to him. It would be nice, John thought, to be able to anticipate what Todd would or would not do and why he might be doing something at all for a change. After all, it would seem as though the wraith had them all figured out ages ago; John knew that it'd take the wraith a hell of a lot longer to be able to puzzle out Kate.

Especially if John kept pairing them up together to go searching through abandoned, Ancient, underground facilities.

"So Colonel."

John snapped out of his thoughts and looked around towards his second in command. "Yes?"

Lorne eyed him. "Is there any particular reason you paired Kate up with Todd or are you just trying to piss him off?"

John frowned not quite sure why his XO would think he was trying to make Todd angry when in fact, he spent a good portion of his time trying _not_ to make Todd mad; the wraith was scary when he was pissed off and an outright asshole. The whole debacle with the Attero device was proof enough of that not to mention the time Todd had tried to fed off him before he 'd realized that he couldn't thanks to the gene therapy. John wasn't going to forget _that_ attempt on his life anytime soon and it was part of the reason why he always kept the wraith at arm's length and fought very hard against actually become friends with the alien. "Huh?"

Lorne shot him a look. "Todd doesn't like us, remember, but he's got a history with you.'

John's frown deepened. "Yeah, so?"

Lone sighed heavily. "So, he's less likely to try and eat you if you say the wrong thing or do something that he doesn't like. He hasn't know Kate that long and so he wouldn't have the same scruples with her that he does with you and I don't know if you've realized this or not but Kate had the tendency to speak her mind. What if he asks her something and then doesn't like the answer she gives him?"

John hadn't thought of that possibility when he'd ordered Kate to go with Todd but, upon reflection, Lorne had a valid concern and he should have thought about it. He knew better than anyone that his sister was rather passionate about her opinions and beliefs and how readily she spoke her mind and told people the truth of what she actually thought. Telling Todd the wraith the truth was almost never a good idea and, suddenly, John panicked. "Shit."

Lorne nodded. "Yeah, shit."

"I hadn't thought of that," John bemoaned now seriously worried. While his idea about getting Kate to figure out their alien ally still had merit, it might have been better if he'd waited to implement it until after they'd gotten to know each other a bit better and he'd had a talk with her about what she did or did not say around him. John swallowed hard. "Cross your fingers and hope that they don't get into an argument."

Lorne silently agree whilst Teyla, in turn, contemplated the situation. "Perhaps he will appreciate someone being honest with him for a change," she said and, ahead of her, both Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne stopped walking and turned back to look at her. "You cannot know how he will react."

Lorne snorted. "Badly. He doesn't like us and in general think the whole lot of us are idiots."

"And what if Kate where to challenge this view of us to him?" Teyla questioned, quite sure that she had a better understanding of Todd's disposition then either of the two men did. Her time as his queen had taught her that there was more to him then they thought and that he was as complicated an individual as any human. Teyla was sure that he had the opinion of humans that he did because he had never been given the opportunity to know one and be shown differently. If Kate could do that, if she could show him how intelligent humans could be by both challenging his standing opinion of them and by being honest with him - to a degree of course - then maybe his view of her species would improve.

John thought about it. "I don't know what he'd do," he smirked, a mental image of his sister rounding on him and giving him a piece of her mind popping into his head. "I'd pay to see it though."

Lorne wasn't so sure that it would be quite the show the colonel seemed to think it'd be and opened his mouth to say as much when he stopped and paused to listen. "What's that noise?" he asked, taking a quick glance around at his surroundings. "Sounds like…tinkling."

John agreed. "Yeah, it's weird," they rounded a corner and saw their flashlights land on what appeared to be a large bulkhead door identical to the jumper bay doors in Atlantis. "Looks like we found the hanger," he said, approaching the sealed entrance. He turned to Lorne. "The sound's coming from the other side."

Teyla eyed the door. "Should we open it?" she queried, hesitant. "Should we not first find out what is making that sound?"

John clipped his P-90 to his vest before walking over to the door and starting to look for a way to open. "We came for ZPM's," he stated as he found what he was looking for and gestured for Lorne to come help him with it. "If we hurry we can find them, hide most of them, give Todd one and then come back for the rest later."

Lorne grunted as he and the colonel pulled on the massive door release. "Don't like the idea of Todd having as many ZPM's as he wants?" he asked, grunting again with the strain even as the door slid open a fraction.

John shook his head. "Hell no, that he even has one scares me but you and I both know that it's better to know how many he does have then to refuse to help him and have him go out and find them all on his own. Then we'd really be SOL."

Lorne snickered and gave one great tug before standing back and looking at the space they'd managed to make between the door and the wall. It was big enough to fit though and the major pointed his flashlight through it and discovered that it was pitch black on the other side. "How lovely," he said sarcastically.

Teyla approached them. "The sound is louder wit the door open," she commented, listening and, like Lorne, aiming her flashlight through the opened door. "I still believe we should proceed with caution."

On any normal day, one where Todd the greedy wraith wasn't along for the ride, john would have agreed but, at the moment, he was more afraid of Todd getting his hands on one too many ZPM's then he was of whatever was making that very odd clanking sound. "It can't be anything that bad or we'd be dead already," he responded and stepped through the crack he and Lorne had made. "Come on, let's get this over with."

Lorne and, reluctantly, Teyla followed him and, once they were on the other side, began to look around for a light switch. "found it!" Lorne announced and, going over to it and witching it on, walked back to the colonel and Teyla as the overhead lights came on.

The three of them stared. They were indeed in the hanger of the facility but, they were not alone. On the contrary, the three Aurora class ships parked in front of them were swarming with activity as a mass of crawling, tinkering metallic looking bugs crawled in, our and over them. The bugs froze when the last of the lights loudly turned on and, as one, turned and looked at Lorne, Sheppard and Teyla before letting out a collective and high pitched roar of noise that was deafening and made all three of them cringe.

"You were saying?" Lorne shouted as he and his teammates all opened fire, shattering the bugs that were closest to them before turning on their heels and retreating post haste from the replicator infested room.

John called back over his shoulder. "Alright so I was wrong!" he flew around a corner and turned back to shoot vainly behind him at the advancing insects which were on the walls, the floor and the ceiling as they came quickly towards he and his team members. "RUN!"

Neither Teyla nor Lorne needed to be told twice and, with the utmost speed, the three of them sprinted through the hallways twisting first left and then right and then left again until they were all thoroughly lost but not really in the position to care over much. The sounds of the tinkering insects could still be heard behind them and, as they rounded another corner and come upon another door, all three of them hit it and forced it open before clamoring through it and, without bothering to look around, turned to shut it and lock it tightly.

On the other side, the replicators could be heard already busily trying to fight their way through the heavy metal bulkhead. Nervously, John and his two teammates backed away from it and turned around only to come face to face with four specimens of being all of whom were armed and all of whom were wearing painfully familiar suits of armor.

"Ah fuck," John growled as he eyed the four individuals that, as soon as they saw them, wordlessly started in on them and surrounded them."We are so screwed."

Teyla and Lorne both silently agreed with him.

~xXx~

Not quite sure what to do, Kate and Todd stayed stock still as the armored figure examined them. Neither of them could see its eyes but it's head moved slowly back and forth across the both of them before settling on Kate and stilling.

"Greetings Major Sheppard."

Kate blinked at the armored person and felt her eyes go wide. "What did you call me?" she demanded incredulously, peering at the thing and wondering how the hell it had known her full name. On her right, she could just make out Todd the wraith eyeing her oddly. She turned her attention back to the man in armor.

It's head moved to the side in what could almost be considered puzzlement. "You are Katherine Sheppard are you not?" his head moved back to vertical and he took a step towards her. "Sister to -"

Kate cut him off quickly, not at all pleased with this person blurting out her family tree on some alien planet in another galaxy. "Yes, yes," she glared at it. "How do you know that?"

The person moved just slightly and positioned himself at rest, extracting himself from the suit he wore. When he finally stepped around his armor to look up at the woman she glared down at him.

"Loki," Kate spat, her eyes narrowing at the little grey asgard. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't shoot you?"

The troublesome asgard blinked at her. "Your kind frowns upon the annihilation of life needlessly, Major Sheppard," he blinked again. "Shooting me would be unwise."

Kate scowled. "Oh," she looked down on the naked grey alien and crossed her arms, "after everything you've done to me I think you'll find I don't give a damn about the SGC's code of ethics."

"I did not do anything to you untoward -"

"You kidnapped me and ran experiments on me!" Kate yelled at him, bearing down on the miniature life form, an angry expression on her face.

Loki didn't look in the least bit sorry. "I had to," he told her. "The gene inherent in the descendants of the Ancients is particularly strong in both you and your bother. Had he been available to me I would have taken him to study but he was not."

Kate hissed. "You shouldn't have taken anyone at all. We're not lab rats."

The asgard stared blankly upwards. "Be that as it may," he stepped back and re-assimilated himself into his armor, his voice deepening. "It is in the past. What are you doing here and why are you in the questionable company of a wraith?"

The reminder that there was someone else that had witnessed their conversation other than her and Loki made Kate turn her head to the right and cautiously glance over Todd. His face was blank and he didn't look at all like he cared whether or not her identity in relation to John had been revealed or not. Kate sighed and looked back at Loki, she wasn't going to take his expression for face value though. Somehow she had a sneaky suspicion that any appreciation of her he might have had had flown out the window with the knowledge that she was related to John Sheppard.

"We came looking for the ship yard that was here," Kate replied, moving just slightly so that she was between Todd and the asgard whom, from the way he'd said wraith, she didn't trust not to shoot him. Atlantis needed him alive and she intended to keep him that way.

Loki cocked his head to one side. "And your choice in company?"

Kate hesitated on that one. "He's a…friend."

"Of your brother's?" the armored Loki inquired and Kate begrudgingly nodded.

"Yes," she ground out, "he's a friend of my brother's."

Satisfied, the asgard let down his guard and turned towards Kate. "Come," he ordered her, gesturing for her and the wraith to follow him. "We must meet with the others."

Kate raised an eyebrow but fell into step behind him, Todd following along silently. "Others?"

Loki inclined his head. "I am not here alone. We too came to inspect the shipyard. It can be assumed that we came looking for the same things."

"ZPM's," Kate reasoned.

"Yes."

She scowled, wishing feverishly that the asgard she was following had had more of a backbone and had decided to die alongside all the rest of his kind. It would have saved her and a lot of other people a ton of trouble because, without the other asgard to keep him in line, Loki had been doing experiments left and right on at least half the personnel at the SGC. She really wanted to just shoot him.

"You are Sheppard's sister."

Kate was pulled from her contemplations of murder and looked sidelong at the wraith walking along side her. "Yeah," she said softly, still not happy that he'd been told. She'd have liked to have built a rapport with him before he found out her blood tie to a man she knew he had little to no respect for but such was life; she'd be lucky if he was ever nice to her again.

Todd eyed her, taking note of the tone of voice she used in her confirmation. "You bemoan this fact?" he asked, surprised. Most humans thrived on their connections with others of their kind. That she would shun hers intrigued him just like so many things about her had done thus far in their acquaintance.

Kate sighed. "Well yeah, a little," she looked at him, turning her eyes back to front under the pressure of his gaze. "I didn't know John was in Atlantis until after I got here and after that we agreed to keep our relationship a secret."

Todd lifted one eye-ridge and peered at her as they continued to walk towards wherever it was that their armored escort was leading them. "For what reason?"

Kate found it odd that he seemed more inquisitive then reproachful and decided to humor him. "The main reason would probably be that we didn't want anyone getting the idea that I only got the post here because I'm John's baby sister," she paused and contemplated how best to tell him the rest. "The other big reason would probably have to be that I'm just so used to being NC26-74 that I've forgotten how to be Kate Sheppard. Seeing John when I got to Atlantis was as big a shock for me as I'm sure him seeing me all dressed up to kill was for him. Neither one of us are exactly open when it comes to our personal lives."

The wraith nodded, understanding her hesitation to a degree. "You consider your tie to Sheppard to be a liability?" he asked.

"A liability, a distraction, collateral I can't afford…" Kate trailed off and took a deep breath. "Having family around underfoot in our line of work doesn't do well most of the time. John feels the same way about me."

Todd considered this. "And you did not wish for me to unearth this fact because?" he inquired knowing somehow instinctively that she had not wanted for him to know of her genetic relation to Sheppard for a different reason than that of her reason for keeping the secret from others.

Kate made a gargling sound in the back of her throat and thought about what she could tell him. "I didn't want you to judge me solely on the fact that John and I have the same blood."

Todd turned towards her, looking over her face in the semi-darkness of the Lantean compound's corridor. "And you believe that I would do so why?"

Kate snorted. "Let's face it, you don't strike me as someone who views humans as individuals unless we give you a reason too. Knowing that I'm John's sister takes away from my individuality and lumps me in with everyone else in Atlantis that you despise."

Her logic surprised him and, upon reflection, proved flawless accept for one defect. "Your conclusion would be correct if perhaps we had met under different circumstances and this revelation had been made apparent to me," he informed her. "As it stands, your intelligence sets you apart from the majority of Atlantis' occupants and your considerable combat skills make you worthy of note. Combined, I believe I can be persuaded to overlook your unfortunate genealogical connection to the colonel."

Kate didn't know what to say. "Thanks, I think," she glanced at him before asking, "That was a compliment wasn't it?"

Todd inclined his head. "It was. You have proven to be quite unique, Katherine Sheppard. I believe that it would prove difficult indeed to think of you in the same vein as I do the rest of humanity."

Under normal circumstances Kate would've taken the opportunity to tell him that she hated to be called Katherine but something about the way he accentuated her name made her change her mind. She kept her mouth shut and the both of them fell into companionable silence as Loki led them onwards, farther and farther into the compound that she and her team had found completely by accident. Voices up ahead alerted her and Todd and put them both on alert, nether one sure of what situation they'd find themselves in next.

Turning another corner, Kate and Todd were led into a large room in the center of which stood four more armored asgard and John, Teyla and Lorne. The latter looked up as they entered and, as their teammates eyes met theirs, the leader of the asgard turned, saw Todd and took aim.

Several things happened at once. John yelled, Loki called out a resounding 'no' and Kate moved quickly and got between Todd and the asgard's line of fire. A loud bang filled the enclosed space and Kate winced as a searing hot pain hit her in the shoulder and settled into her joint. The nanite composite that her suit was made up of, however, did its job and absorbed the majority of the energy blast so that, when it was all over, she was still standing and the only damage that had been done was that her shoulder was now throbbing painfully.

"KATE!"

Kate shook off the pain and looked up into her brother's face which had gone stark white, his eyes wide. Behind her, Todd was likewise reeling from the aftermath of her putting herself into harms way in order to protect him. Sheppard would never have done it nor would any of the other Atlantians. His verdict to think of her as separate from the other Atlantians took a firm root in his mind as having been the correct decision.

John, now thoroughly pissed off at the little grey aliens inside those suits who had not only killed an untold number of people with their obsession with the attero device but had just shot his sister, broke free of the circle of remaining asgard and tackled the one that had shot Kate. Admittedly, it was not his best idea and it hurt to collide with something made of that much metal but he got over it and proceeded to punch the thing in the jaw. Ignoring the pain that was now washing through his fist, wrist and straight up through his arm, John kept going while the other asgard looked on confusedly; not at all sure of what to do.

"Colonel!"

"John!"

Lorne and Teyla's shouts went ignored and Kate knew that she'd have to do something drastic to get John to stop. She hadn't seen him this mad since he'd confronted Travers after she'd walked out on him on their wedding day. Her former fiancé had come to demand answers from her for leaving him and John had, without preamble, jumped him just like he'd done to the unfortunate asgard.

"Jonathan Patrick Sheppard!" Kate screamed which had the desired affect and caused her brother to stop his assault on the metal incased asgard and look up.

"He shot you!" John offered by way of explanation and saw his sister shake her head and give him a look that reminded him entirely too much of the one their mother pinned him with when he used to misbehave as a kid. He got up. "Not to mention the other things they've done," he waved over the armored aliens and then looked at Todd. "Hey Todd, remember the attero device?" when he had the wraith's attention, he pointed down at the asgard he'd just assaulted who had not yet gotten up off the floor, "They're the ones that turned it on."

If looks could kill, the five asgard would've been dead and buried ten times over by the glare that Todd the very unhappy wraith shot them. "Is that so?" he asked, his voice deadly in its calmness and all six of the asgard took nervous steps backwards.

John nodded. "Yeah, that's so," he looked at Kate. "You okay?"

Kate inclined her head. "I'm fine; super solider remember."

"Right," John sighed and looked around, making a face as the pain in his arm that came from slugging a metal object made its presence known. "So," he winced and prodded his wrist to check for broken bones, "What's the plan. This place is swarming with replicators."

"I believe that we can forgo the collection of zero point modules in favor of retreat," Todd voiced, some of his considerable anger having faded.

John shot him a look. "Well gee, it's nice to know that we have your permission to run for our lives."

Todd scowled at him; Katherine intervened.

"Enough, both of you," she chided the two males, turning back to Loki when they'd both fallen silent. "We can't leave until we get rid of the replicators. This galaxy already has enough problems, it doesn't need anymore and if we can stop them here then it's one less thing we have to worry about."

Loki nodded. "Agreed. We shall have to implode the planet."

"Implode the…" Lorne stared at him. "Are you crazy? That'd kill us!"

"It will not," Loki explained. "There is another smaller hanger on the west side of the complex that has not yet been infiltrated by the replicators. Inside are various gate ships which you may use to return to Atlantis whilst we use another to also get away from this world."

"Be that as it may," Teyla looked around. "How do you propose we blow up the planet?"

Loki turned to Kate. "I believe that large scale destruction is your area of expertise Major Sheppard."

Kate shot him a death glare while John opened and closed his mouth twice before forgoing the desire to comment.

Lorne didn't. "Major…" he looked at her and then back at his commanding officer, vaguely wondering if he'd head right or if what the little grey menace had said was a figment of his imagination. "What!"

Teyla's expression mirrored Major Lorne's outburst but while the major screeched his confusion, the Athosian woman held her tongue and simply took to eyeing the both of them ponderously.

Kate sighed. She could've lived with Todd knowing about her and John but she hadn't figured on their secret coming out quite so soon to everyone else. But, since the cat was out of the bag thanks to Loki the tactless ass-gard, she supposed that telling them the truth now rather than later was probably the best choice. Sending the asgard another glare potent enough to curdle milk, she looked squarely at John. "You wanna explain or should I?"

John took a deep breath and turned towards the two members of his team. "Meet Major Kate Sheppard," he gestured weakly at Kate. "My sister."

The both of them stared back at him, silently working out what they'd just been told in their heads. Lorne recovered first. "Well, that explains a lot," he looked at Kate and studied her before noticing that Todd, who was still hovering around behind her looking mildly shocked, didn't look in the least bit surprised. "You don't look surprised," he commented to the wraith.

"I was already aware," Todd informed the human.

"Loki has no sense of tact," Kate explained and then sighed. "Right, so, like you said explosions are my deal. I say we blow the complex's power source. When we got here I noticed that there were fishers where steam rose out of the ground. I think it's safe to say that there's a fair bit of geothermic energy under us so if we blow the main power source it ought to take out the whole planet."

The asgard nodded. "A possible conclusion," they looked around. "We are agreed then?"

John looked around, got nods from his people and Todd, and then bowed his head at the asgard. "Yeah, we agree."

"Good," Loki turned to Kate. "I will take you to the engineering room."

Kate nodded and turned towards John. "Go prep the getaway car huh?"

He nodded. "Yeah, be careful."

Kate promised she would and walked off, Todd following her. "You don't have to come," she told him as they entered the labyrinth of passageways once more.

Todd inclined his head. "I do not, however; I do not wish to spend any more time than necessary in the company of Sheppard."

"Prefer me to him do you?" she teased him lightheartedly, not really expecting him to answer.

"I do."

The thought that Todd the wraith, whom her brother considered his because of their history, preferred her over John made Kate laugh. Todd shot her a bemused look that let her know he found the humor in the situation as well and together they followed Loki down to the power room. When they got there they looked around and immediately located the power source. As Kate had expected, it consisted of four fully charged ZPM's.

"Real shame we can't take these," she muttered as she removed a panel at the base of the ZPM hub and set to work arming several small explosive charges that she pulled out of a pouch at her hip and quickly wiring them to the crystals inside the hub. Finished, she stood and looked at both Todd and Loki. "It's done."

They nodded and turned to go only to have the approaching sound of replicators stop them. "We must hurry," Todd announced and quickly retreated back the way they'd come. Katherine followed him and they met the wave of metal insects halfway back making it necessary to swerve down a conjoining hallway. Loki ran along behind them and soon they were all but sprinting at breakneck speeds along the passageways towards the smaller hanger bay. They made it just as the entire complex was overrun with replicators and, as Loki veered off to join the other asgard in their escape vehicle, Todd spotted the Atlantian's jumper at the end of the flight ramp. The replicators closing in behind them the first explosion sounded from deep in the belly of the compound as Todd jumped and landed in the back of the jumper.

Katherine landed on top of him and before he could really asses their situation she'd rolled off of him and moved to the front of the gate ship, pushing Sheppard out of the pilot's seat when she got there.

"Hey!" John yelped, startled at how strong his sister was as she grabbed him and hauled him to his feet, effectively shoving him to one side. He knew she was strong but being on the receiving end of it was something all together different then reading about it in her files.

Kate sat down and took over the controls. "I fly faster than you," she informed him, putting the petal down so to speak and sending the craft speeding off towards the gate.

"Do not," John argued halfheartedly. The jumper was now reaching speeds similar to one of Todd's darts; he hadn't known that a jumper _could_ go that fast.

"Do so," Kate shot back. "Dial the gate," she commanded her brother as she maneuvered them in for decent. John did as he was told and activated the gate, sending his IDC thorough as he did and then bracing for impact. The rest of the explosion caught them just as they got within range and shot them through the open wormhole at an accelerated speed.

John yelped. "Stop!"

Kate pulled on the breaks. "I can't!" she cried, before taking emergency action and shutting the engines down in an attempt to slow them. The plan worked somewhat decently and the jumper dropped out of flight and landed with a thud and a resounding crash on the gateroom floor before beginning to skid; Atlantis personnel diving out of the way left and right and sideways. In a vain attempt to assert some manner of control, Kate turned the craft to the right which did slow them down some but it was nowhere near enough.

Lorne's eyes widened as he saw the direction they were going. "Oh crap!" he managed to mutter before their jumper slid through the wall and plummeted downwards towards the ocean.

Kate engaged the shield and they all braced for impact as they, and the ship they were in, plummeted from the top of the control tower towards the ocean below.

~xXx~

"As much fun as that was, let's not do it again anytime soon."

Situated on various beds inside the Atlantis infirmary, Teyla, John, Kate and even Todd all nodded in agreement with Major Lorne's statement.

After their jumper had crashed through the wall in the gate room creating a new window and had sank, the five of them had had to wait around for about an hour in a leaking ship for somebody to come and fish them out. It was at this time that they had all learned that wraith and salt water do not mix well and if Todd had been in a bad mood earlier while he walked around in the rain, it was nothing compared to the mood he was in after being partially submerged in ocean water for over thirty minutes. By the time they'd been un-sunk and escorted to the infirmary, Todd the wraith had had to be almost carried by both Lorne and Kate much to his dismay and constant protests that he was fine. Eventually Kate had rounded on him and told him to shut up or she'd stun him and, much to everyone's surprise, he'd immediately gone quite and stopped complaining.

Upon depositing the irritated wraith onto a bed in the infirmary everyone had stepped back and let Jennifer work on Todd while various other nurses worked on them. After they'd been patched up and commanded to all lay back and rest, they'd inquired after Todd. Come to find out he was dehydrated - like all the water had been sucked out of his body in one go - and according to Jennifer he said his skin itched but he wouldn't let her do anything about it. All she'd managed to talk him into was taking off his battle-coat and leather robe and letting her put an IV into his arm and even then she'd had to threaten him in order to get him to comply.

John, Kate, Lorne and Teyla had all found the situation hilariously funny. It also made them feel good to not be the only ones that had been roped into staying in the infirmary for an extended period of time. Normally Todd just left after missions he worked with them on, it was nice to know that he wasn't as invincible as he liked to think or, at least, not as invincible as they were sure he'd like _them_ to think. It was actually a comfort to know really, strangely, and it made them all feel loads better about working with him constantly knowing now that he could get hurt just as easily as them.

Jennifer came back in and looked around at them all. "Alright, I've just come back from speaking with Woolsey; you're all free to go."

John, Kate, Lorne and Teyla all got happily off their beds. When Todd tried to sit up however; Jennifer rounded on him and pinned him down with a look that froze him in his tracks. "Not you, you're staying until that IV's done. We can't have you collapsing before you get back to your hive."

Todd snarled. "I am perfectly capable -"

"Don't make me make Kate hold you down," Jennifer threatened.

Kate held up her hands. "Hey," she called out, "leave me out of this."

Todd shot her a grateful look which made John's face break out into a wide grin.

"Yeah, ya know," her brother turned to her and Kate grimaced, preparing herself for whatever was about to come out of his mouth next. "You could always sit on him."

Kate glared at him. "Oh that's real mature."

John shrugged. "Maybe not, but it'd be funny."

Kate shook her head. "How's about you sit on him, see how funny it is then."

Todd growled. "Sheppard I will -"

"Okay, okay," John surrendered. "I -"

"There you are," Rodney announced loudly as he came barreling into the infirmary followed by Ronon who stilled looked a little under the weather. "How long does it take to get cleared to go?"

John pointed around at Teyla, Lorne and Kate. "We're free to leave," he pointed at the now brooding Todd. "He's not."

Rodney looked at the wraith. "What's wrong with you?"

Ronon looked suddenly pleased that there might be something wrong with Todd.

Todd hissed. "I am being detained against my will."

"Kate's gonna sit on him if he tries to run," John grinned.

His sister glared at him. "I am not," she punched him in the arm, the same arm that he'd used to beat up the asgard. "Liar."

John stuck his tongue out at her. "Spoilt sport."

"Asshole."

"Kill joy."

"Would it kill you to act your age for once in your life?" Kate asked, crossing her arms and shooting a mocking glare towards her brother.

John made a sound of dismissal and smirked at her. "Where's the fun in that?" he asked.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Well gee," she said, shifting her weight to her left hip whilst renewing the glare she was sending towards him, "What with you being the commanding military officer and all I figured you'd be serious at least half the time."

John waved it all off. "Like I said," he countered, "Where'd be the fun in -"

"Has anyone ever told you that you two argue like brother and sister?" Rodney inquired, crossing his arms and eyeing Kate and the colonel whom, he had noticed, had freely bantered back and forth like this more than once since she'd gotten here.

A round of snorts echoed around the room emitting from everybody that had gone on the failed ZMP hunting mission including Todd the bedridden wraith. "What'd I miss?" Rodney questioned, looking around at the grins on everyone's faces and the almost identical sparkle in both Kate and Sheppard's eyes.

Kate looked over at John. "Think we should just put everyone out of their misery?"

John nodded. "Might as well."

Rodney looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

Kate turned to him and smiled. "Hi, my name's Kate Sheppard," she leaned on John's shoulder and proceeded to kiss her brother on the cheek before turning back to Rodney. "Nice to meet you."

The Canadian astrophysicist stared at her, his left eye twitching. "You…you're…" he fought for something to say before blurting out in typical McKay fashion, "You're his sister!"

Kate and John offered the man identical grins.

Rodney threw up his hands. "This is terrible; there's two of you!"

John frowned. "Hey!" he glared at his fourth teammate. "What's wrong with that?"

Rodney gave him a look. "This galaxy can barely handle one of you now there's two! The both of you have single handedly doomed the Pegasus."

Surprisingly, it was Todd that came to their defense or rather, he came to Kate's. "I rather think not, Dr. McKay," the wraith said and every single eye in the whole infirmary turned on him. "Katherine is unique of her brother. It would be a mistake for you to assume that they, because they share a bloodline, possess the same qualities and capabilities."

Everyone stared at him.

"Did you just defend my sister?" John asked, floored.

Todd inclined his head. "I did. She is deserving."

John's eyebrows threatened to disappear into his messy hair. "What's wrong with you?" he sputtered which only earned him a look of annoyance from the alien.

"Why do you assume there is something wrong with me?" Todd demanded, irked and suddenly reminded of why it was that he usually said as little as possible when in Sheppard's company. He did not like having to explain everything single thing that he said twelve times in order for the human to accept it.

John was at a loss as to what to say.

"You don't like us," Ronon supplied for Sheppard, his eyes turning to the wraith's.

"I appreciate Katherine," Todd replied flatly and stood, pulling the IV out of his arm despite Dr. Keller's protests and reaching for his clothes.

"Why -" John started only to have his sister cut him off.

Kate rounded on her brother. "You ever heard the term 'take what's given to you at face value'?"

John nodded. "Yeah but -"

Kate shook her head. "No buts. He likes me, he doesn't like you, he probably hates Ronon and he only barely tolerates everyone else. Period, paragraph end of story. Drop it."

John shut up. Todd looked smug. Everyone else snickered.

Kate took a deep breath. "Right, well, seeing as the cat's out of the bag and all we," she looked at her brother, "should probably go talk to Woolsey."

John looked at the floor. "Probably a good idea."

Kate nodded. "Let's go," she grabbed her brother by the arm and proceeded to drag him out of the infirmary.

When they were gone, the remaining persons all shook their heads in wonder.

"I am much surprised that we did not notice before," Teyla observed after a few moments of silence. "They do bare a resemblance to the other."

Lorne agreed. "Yeah, they do."

"He raised her," Jennifer said softly recalling what Kate had told them while they'd helped her unpack about her older brother; they now knew that was John. "He's thirteen years older than her."

A round of nods went around the room and Todd considered this new information knowing from the horrible thing that humans called birthday parties - Sheppard had tricked him into going to his last one much to the wraith's chagrin - that the male to whom he had given the gift of life was thirty-seven years old. This would make Katherine twenty-four and very young, even for a human. He smiled to himself, for one so young she was remarkably well versed and aged beyond her years. Yes, he decided, she would make an admirable ally within the city of Atlantis.

Rodney huffed. "I stand by what I said," he looked around. "The Pegasus is doomed."

Lorne snorted. "Yeah, probably," he looked at the now fully dressed Todd. "Come on," he gestured for the wraith to follow him. "I'll take you to the gate. You're probably itching to get out of here by now."

Todd nodded and followed the major out thinking about how he very much looked forwards to working with Katherine again.

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**A/N:** Like I said up top and as I've said many times, reviews are the only way fanfiction writers get paid so, take pity on me, and click the little rectangular button and let me know your thoughts. I will anticipate hearing from you on baited breath and with crossed fingers and toes. Until then, I hope you all liked it and cheers!


	3. Where the Wild Things Are

**A/N:** After much consideration (and many failed attempts) I decided that pretty much nothing out of the original episode 3 could be salvaged. I therefore hope that none of you are too disappointed with my revisions as I really, really (times, like, a zillion) like this version better. As always, read, enjoy and then tell me what you all think. I do so love to hear from you all. Cheers!

* * *

**Episode III: Where the Wild Things Are**

Major Evan Lorne prided himself on being able to read people, to understand them. It was a gift that'd served him well in his early years and had saved his life more than once since he'd joined the stargate program. It didn't matter who the person was or where they came from, Lorne was pretty apt at figuring out why they did what they did, what they wanted and how, in the appropriate circumstance, that affected him.

Kate stumped him.

"But why?" the flabbergasted major asked the enigmatic woman who was currently sitting across from him, her feet propped up on what had become their usual table inside the mess hall.

Kate shrugged. "Didn't want it," she explained, not quite sure what about her statement was so confusing. About a week ago - after the shock of finding out who her next of kin was - Woolsey had offered her the chance to become the second in command of Atlantis and commanding officer of her own reconnaissance team. Kate had refused both offers and had thought that the matter was closed. Woolsey however, apparently had the memory of an elephant and he'd mentioned her unwillingness to shoulder more responsibility at the staff meeting that they'd all gone to this morning. Thus it was that Major Lorne, whose job she'd have been stealing if she'd had said yes, was currently grilling her on why she hadn't.

Lorne blinked at her. "You didn't want…" he sputtered, "But why not?"

Kate sighed and figured that a simple explanation wouldn't get her fellow major to leave her alone. Lorne, she'd learned, was tenacious and liked to think that he was good at figuring people out and he was, so long as they were normal people. Kate's motivations were skewed by her experiences being a government controlled assassin as well as the fact that she was the commanding military officer of the whole damned base's baby sister neither of which she really wanted to open up and talk about but, seeing as Lorne wasn't likely to be letting this go anytime soon, Kate decided that she could probably trust him not to go blabbing about her reasons to everyone and their mother. In the short time that she'd been here she'd learned that exactly three people were loyal enough to actually keep a secret and take it with them to their grave: Dr. Jennifer Keller, Teyla and Major Evan Lorne.

"Because I didn't come here looking for extra responsibility," she explained, eyeing Evan from across the table and swinging her feet down, scooting closer to him and leaning in towards him. "I got orders here to do a job: help minimize casualties as a result of increased aggression by the wraith. I can't do that if I'm up till God only knows when in the morning planning the duty schedule for the next month or trying to make sense of mission reports that were written by non-military personnel with bad grammar and even worse spelling before they go ahead to John and Woolsey."

Lorne looked her over and had to concede that she had a point; several, actually. But, still, he wasn't convinced that that was everything. "Uhuh," he said, studying her from his vantage point directly across from her, "Is that all?"

Kate shifted in her chair under the intensity of the look Lorne had pinned her with. He was practically demanding her, with his eyes, to spill her guts and, although she'd never admit it, she was tempted to do it. In the past month since she'd arrived here, Lorne was one of the few people other than Dr. Keller who actually took the time to seek her out and make sure that she was adjusting to everything. Two weeks ago, after everyone had learned about her and John, Lorne and Jennifer were the only two people in the entire city who hadn't started to treat her differently because of her change in status. They'd continued to treat her the same and so, Kate was tempted to tell Lorne everything just because he reminded her so much of Daniel whom had been her best and truest confidant for nearly four years. She had a funny feeling that Lorne would prove to be just as good a friend if she trusted him and gave him the chance.

"No," she said slowly, easing back into her chair and getting comfortable. "That's not all."

Lorne grinned and leaned forwards, trying to show the woman who could be just as infuriatingly guarded as her brother that she could trust him; whatever she said to him would stay between them until the day he died or the day she released him from his silence. "I'm all ears," he told her and he was, he really was.

Kate took a deep, great breath, exhaled dramatically, and focused her gaze intently on the man across from her who was offering her the proverbial olive branch of friendship. "It's John."

Lorne understood instantly her reluctance to accept any position of power that placed her on an equal or near equal plane with the colonel. "You don't want anyone thinking that you only got the position because you're his sister," the major reasoned and watched her nod slowly, embarrassedly.

"Everyone already thinks that the only reason I'm the one that got to stay here is because I'm related to John," Kate continued to explain, scowling. "It's like, everyone was already wary of me before they knew because I'm so different, because I can do things that normal people can't and now…" she sighed and trailed off, unable to finish her sentence under the weight of what it meant and what people had been saying to her since the whole brother/sister reveal had gone down.

Lorne got her meaning but decided to finish her thought for her anyway just to confirm that they were indeed on the same wavelength here. "But now, everyone has even more reason to not like you."

Kate snorted. "Not like me? I think hate, deride and disdain would be better words for the innumerable buckets of love that I seem to be getting nowadays."

Lorne felt sorry for her. Tough as nails and mean she may be but she still had it rough. The colonel seemed to have taken the ignore-it-and-it-will-go-away approach to the whole mess but Lorne knew better. The people in Atlantis wouldn't start to see Kate for Kate and not for a government contracted, genetically altered super soldier, former member of SG-1 and Colonel John Sheppard's baby sister until somebody gave them a reason to. The major thought that he might be able to be the one to do that and, with that in mind, changed the subject.

"So," he said, peering at the unhappy looking young woman who, at the moment, didn't look like she could've hurt a fly. "Since you turned down Woolsey's offer to steal my job and my office, I took the liberty of asking our bespectacled director if I could have you put on my team as my XO."

Kate's head snapped up. "You what?" she asked, floored. "You want me on your team? Why?"

Lorne shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "I like you," he said bluntly which was wholeheartedly true, he did like her; a lot.

Kate stared at him. "I'm…"

Lorne very nearly burst out laughing at the look on her face. "There are other reasons," he told her, still struggling not to burst into manic giggles like Cadman did whenever she was in Atlantis. "None of which I'll bore you with at the moment. Just know that I like you and I'm probably the only one that the colonel would feel comfortable with giving you orders."

Kate frowned slightly. "Because I'm his sister?"

Lorne shook his head. "No, because you're a damned super solider. I have it on good authority that most of the other team leaders would probably have you do everything if you were put on their teams while they sat back, ate popcorn and watched the show. Me, on the other hand, I'll only have you do the stuff that we normally have to resort to asking Todd to do: the heavy lifting and the saving us when we get captured, the threatening people who are trying to kill us. Other than that, I fully expect you to be a normal, albeit really strong, member of my team."

Kate could've kissed him. "I think I love you," she said seriously although, from the twinkle in Lorne's eyes, she knew that he knew she was kidding; at least partially. She knew now, given everything that they'd covered in the past twenty minutes that, given time, she could love him just as much as she'd loved Daniel.

Lorne smirked. "Why thank you," he looked at her. "So, you good now?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah, I'm good now."

Lorne smiled. "Good."

~xXx~

The wraith that had come to be known as Todd by the human population currently inhabiting the formerly lost city of Atlantis was in his quarters examining an interesting set of maps pilfered from the archives of a recently conquered rival hive, when his psyche prickled with the encroaching awareness of another.

"_Yes?" _the ancient wraith whispered with his mind, granting whoever it was that wished to converse with him permission to speak to him in this way. Normally, wraith just inserted their mental communications into the minds of others without first acquiring the consent of the intended recipient. With him, however, his underlings knew better then to invade his privacy in this manner. The last wraith to have communed with him without first securing his sanction had ended up dead; killed by the sheer power of the elder wraith's mind which Todd had unleashed on him as punishment for his transgression.

"_We have reached the coordinates, Commander," _came the placid and monotone mental voice of his second in command, a young scientist of higher than average intelligence whom he had heard the humans call 'Kenny'.

"_Good,"_ Todd replied as he readied to depart from his quarters, stowing the maps he'd been studying away to review upon his return. _"Prepare my transport."_

"_A dart is standing by in the upper forward most bay, Commander," _came the curt and precise reply and Todd, not for the first time, had to mentally commend his much younger second for his ability to anticipate his needs. It was rare indeed that Todd had to actually issue an order to the youngling as, generally, Kenny seemed to know exactly what was required of him before ever Todd had to voice it. He had been fortunate in his selection of a second and, Todd thought back to how Kenny had come to be in his service as he made his way to the aforementioned dart bay and climbing into the awaiting craft.

Initiating engines and checking all systems, the wraith commander pulled expertly away from the dock and sped out of the open doors, plotting an easy coarse to the planet below. In the last three years the city that he had previously helped to sink had become a frequent destination for his hive as he and the humans furthered their - at times - tentative alliance. As in many instances previous to this one, Todd had come at the behest of Sheppard not fully aware of why he was being called. He knew, however, that the human's trust and confidence in him being what it was, that he would not have called unless whatever they were doing somehow involved the wraith or something that they required his help with. His human allies, Sheppard in particular, never contacted him unless they felt they had no other choice and so it was that, with this thought in the back of his mind, he oft times consented to come to their aid without fully being briefed on why or what he would be doing.

The planet neared and Todd set his controls for a low orbit that would bring him into the city form the west side. Naturally he allowed his craft to circle the city once or twice, assessing the situation even if he didn't need to if only out of habit before he landed easily on the end of the east pier. Disengaging his ship's functions, he opened the roof and stepped down, surprised to see, not Sheppard as he had expected, but rather the human's own second in command, Major Lorne awaiting him.

"Todd."

The wraith walked up to him. "Major," he peered down at the human and let out a hiss of air through his nose. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your contacting me?"

Lorne looked at the wraith briefly before turning on his heel and beginning to walk back to the city. Todd followed and, only once they were safely in Atlantis and headed up to the control room did he decide to answer the wraith. "We received intelligence from some of our trading partners about a planet that they trade with where dozens of young girls have gone missing. From the descriptions, and from several more reports, we have reason to believe that the disappearances have something to do with Michael." The major paused and glanced at the alien walking silently alongside him. "My team got slated to go check it out along with Atlantis Six. My new second in command thought that you might be as interested to know what Michael's been up to as much as we are."

Todd hissed. "Your second would be correct," he said as they neared the transporter, boarded it, and soon found themselves in the hallway just outside the control and gate rooms. The wraith's interest, his own particularly, in the doings of the Abomination were great as what he did so often affected them either directly or indirectly. Normally, however, he and the rest of his kind were forced to hear of that one's doings from reports gathered by their followers or in some other secondhand way. The humans of Atlantis who dealt most with him did not often invite he or any other wraith along for the journey whenever they went to investigate a reported sighting of the one they called Michael. It was a surprise to him that they would think to include him now.

With this in mind, he turned and looked askew at the human, a frown coming over his features. "I am surprised that your second would think to consider the wraith's interest in this undertaking," he said and watched as the major, curiously, smirked. He wondered why.

Lorne grinned. "Yes, well, let's just say that she tends to think outside the box," he damn near cackled at the look of bewilderment that suddenly appeared on Todd's face for the briefest of moments before his mask was replaced. He decided to throw the wraith another curve ball. "Besides," he continued as they finally entered the gate room, "She likes you."

"She?" he inquired, knowing of no female human within Atlantis that could accurately be described as 'liking' him. He froze, very nearly missing a step as he followed the human down into the gate room, his mind working furiously as he remembered that there was one human within the lost city that seemed to be more inclined towards him than any other: Katherine. The genuine grin that appeared on his face at the thought of possibly working alongside the female who was, unfortunately, the sister of Colonel John Sheppard was not one that the wraith tried nor bothered to conceal.

Not that he could have if he had tried.

Lorne watched him, watched his figure out that Kate had been the one that suggested they call him and ask him to tag along and watched as the wraith smiled, actually smiled, when the proverbial light bulb went off in his head. He frowned. Somehow, a smiling Todd looked even more creepy then a scowling one did. The major shivered.

"Alright, who did it?"

Lorne and Todd both turned around and eyed the colonel as he walked towards them, coming from the control room. He stopped just in front of the wraith and pointed at him, looking accusatorily at Lorne. "Who made him happy?"

Todd scowled, the elated feeling now gone. "Is my pleasure so terrible a thing, Sheppard?" he inquired angrily, glowering at the human.

John looked at him. "Yes," he said. "As a matter of fact it is. Nothing we do should make you smile; it's just fundamentally wrong. Next thing you know you'll start being nice to us and actually meaning it which means that we'll have to start being nice to you and I really don't want to do that."

Lorne snickered; watching the colonel and Todd verbally spar was almost always entertaining. Honestly, they both tried so hard to hate each other that it was funny.

Todd was unamused. "I hardly think, Sheppard, that there is any threat of me ever being 'nice' to you."

Lorne continued to guffaw while John opened his mouth to retort.

"What about me?"

As one, all three males turned and looked up, six pairs of eyes landing on Kate as she made her way towards them. She was dressed in the same way that she had been when Todd had first met her in her special NC26 suit with weapons secured all over her the only difference between then and now being the highly amused smiled that was playing at the corners of her mouth as she came to a stop just shy of Todd. John frowned, why was it that Kate found it absolutely necessary to get _that_ close to the wraith? Didn't being that close to him bother her?

"So?" she asked, looking up at the wraith with a slightly teasing grin. "What about me? Is there any threat of you being nice to me?"

John scoffed. "There'd better not b -"

"There could be," Todd said, speaking over the protesting colonel whose opinion of the matter he neither cared for nor wanted to hear. His entire attention was focused fixatedly on the woman now in his company whom he was not opposed to seeing once more. In fact, although he would never admit it aloud, he was actually quite pleased to see her again if only because another encounter with her would provide him the chance to study her so that he might assuage more of the many curiosities and intrigues he had revolving around her.

Kate smiled and, behind her, her brother made some sort of odd half-gargle half-chocking noise which she chose to ignore. "That's nice to know," she replied, offering the alien a lighthearted smile before turning back to look at John and Lorne both of whom were staring at her oddly; John more prominently then her fellow major. "Yes?"

John blinked several times rapidly and pointed alternating between his sister and Todd the now very creepily happy wraith. "Did you.." he looked at Lorne. "Did that really just happen? Are they," more gesturing, "Joking with one another? Like friends?"

Lorne felt sorry for his commanding officer. "I think so, Sir."

John rounded on his sister. "You're not allowed to be his friend," he jerked his head in Todd's direction which made the wraith snarl and cross his arms; he did not enjoy being spoken of as though he was not standing so very near.

Kate glared at her brother. "John, think about what you just said for a minute," she chastened. "We're not friends, we haven't _known_ each other long enough to _be_ friends and even if we were, I highly doubt that I'd ever be his. He could be mine as we humans are actually rather cavalier when it comes to whom we consider to be our friends but I somehow get the impression that the wraith don't throw that word around as much as we do."

John blinked at her; to her left, Todd looked down on her in contemplation. The fact that she instinctively knew that it would be much more difficult for her to earn his amity then it would be for him to earn hers made him that much more willing to concede to her his concord. The elder wraith had already decided upon his first introduction to her that she had the potential to one day earn his affinity but, then again, so did Sheppard. Her acceptance of circumstances that would have normally gone unnoticed or unconsidered by the majority of her race made her potential turn from a latent possibility to a highly probable eventuality. In just a few words Katherine had secured her standing as a companion of his not as an 'if' but as a 'when'.

"I hear that I have you to thank concerning my participation in this…endeavor," Todd commented, his thoughts swirling to a conclusion as his focus retreated from the future to the present. He looked down on her. "You have my thanks, for your consideration."

Kate smiled and opened her mouth; John interrupted her.

"Did you just say 'thank you'?" the colonel demanded of the wraith, his entire sense of equilibrium disappearing in an instant. Todd didn't say thank you and it was the general consensus of nearly everyone in Atlantis that he didn't know how. That he had and that he had said it to Kate had John's mind reeling.

Todd snarled. "I am capable of expressing gratitude, Sheppard, hard though I am sure you find it to believe."

John scowled. "Then why don't you, more often I mean?"

The wraith glared at him. "You do not deserve it."

"And my sister does!" the baffled and slightly offended military leader yelped.

Todd hissed and drew himself up to his full height. "Katherine extended the invitation for accompaniment to me out of nothing more than goodwill. You, on the other hand, never ask for my presence in your doings unless my being here gains you something that you would otherwise be unable to glean if you were to embark alone," he turned his gaze from the male human onto the female who had stayed, surprisingly, resolutely by his side. "Katherine's consideration for my interests in synchronicity to your own is commendable and so, yes, she deserves a concession of gratitude were you, colonel, do not."

Kate eyed the wraith in awe before looking at her brother who looked very properly chastened; he also looked rather confused and Kate decided to save him before he and Todd got into another argument. "Listen," she said, stepping forwards and putting herself in-between the two males before either of them could open their mouths to speak. "That's nice and all but, we've got a planet to explore so, unless you're coming with us," she eyed her brother who had the good sense to look slightly sheepish, "I suggest you skedaddle." She turned and looked at Lorne. "Ready when you are boss."

Lorne grinned at her. While the conversation had been enlightening in more ways than one, the major was less surprised about what had happened then the colonel seemed to be. As Sheppard retreated, the leader of Atlantis Two, turned and gave chuck the gate technician the go-ahead to dial the gate and then turned towards it as it began to spin. "Right then," he announced. "Move out."

As first the major and then Katherine walked through the gate, Todd followed and, once he was on the other side, turned to Katherine. "Were are the other members of this expedition? Major Lorne said that there would be others."

Kate glanced up at him as he fell into step beside her. "There are," she informed him, treading quietly through the forest they'd walked into. "Lorne told them to go ahead and scout out a good place to set up base camp when I suggested that we call you. He made me wait with him since inviting you along was my idea so they're all waiting for us about a half mile this way."

Todd nodded. "Ahh," he glanced down on her once more. "I must thank you, Katherine, levity aside, for your consideration of me during your preparations," he sighed. "It is not something that happens often in my dealings with you and yours of Atlantis."

Kate bowed her head. "I know," she said, looking straight ahead as she felt the wraith's eyes once more slide onto her. "That's partially why I suggested it."

Todd cocked his head to one side and studied her. "Oh?"

Kate began again this time, a note of seriousness in her voice. "I've read just about every file we have on you since the last time I saw you and, from everything that I've read and everything that I observed, my brother's an idiot and Woolsey isn't much better."

Her statement, while amusing, made Todd curious. "How do you mean?" he inquired, not quite sure he understood her meaning or her reasoning.

Kate shrugged. "You're a valuable resource that we're failing to take full advantage of," she stepped over a fallen log and continued. "You're older then dirt, have probably seen and done literally everything and have an untold number of assets at your disposal that you could be persuaded to share if maybe we were all a little bit nicer to you. Maybe if we start treating you like an actual ally instead of someone who's just begrudgingly useful, we both might actually get somewhere."

What surprised Todd the most was her logic and how flawless it was if entirely human. It had potential but very little probability of ever coming to fruition. Still, her reasoning skills and analytical method of thinking were close enough to his own that he found himself pleased with her mental prowess. "An interesting thought," he commented, inclining his head as, ahead of them, Major Lorne glanced back at them as if to make sure that they were still following him. "You would show kindness and consideration to me in the hopes that I would return the favor."

Kate looked up at him. "Would you?"

The wraith considered what to tell her. "To you, yes, but I am not so certain that my goodwill could ever be extended to the others of your kind."

Kate stopped walking and glared at him. "My kind?" she snorted and crossed her arms as the wraith, like her, stopped walking and turned to her a look of curiousness affixed to his face. She snorted. "No, that doesn't sound condescending at all."

Todd looked down at her, confused as to why she was upset. "What would you have me say?" he queried, his left brow-ridge raised in question. "You are unique of the humans I have acquainted myself with. Very few think as you and, therefore, my answer stands."

Kate let out a noise of derision from the back of her throat and continued to glare at the big green alien in front of her. "How would you know?" she demanded, taking one step towards him. "I mean," she continued when it looked like he might ask her to elaborate, "How do you know that I'm so different? Have you ever actually taken the time to get to know any other human? You don't even know me _that_ well, what makes you think that I'm the only one that thinks the way I do?"

Todd's eyes narrowed. "I do not, not for certain, but I know from experience that you humans have much about you that lacks sustenance and character. Even Sheppard -"

"John's a lot more complicated then you give him credit for, him and everyone else," she took another step towards him so that there was now very little distance between the both of them. "Has it ever occurred to you that what you know about humans is wrong? Has it ever occurred to you that if you took the time to actually get to know us we might surprise you? I surprised you and I can promise you that I'm not really all that special. Lorne agrees with me about how we treat you. He backed my suggestion to call you and defended my point of view to not only my brother but Woolsey as well. Bet you didn't know that."

Todd blinked at her. No, he hadn't known that but that didn't stop him from resenting her for the way in which she was challenging him. He was sure that no other human would be so bold and there were very few wraith that would be so bold either. He was suddenly annoyed with her. "That is not the point," he said, a snarl coloring his tone and his temper flared. "The point is -"

"The point is that you have it in your head that you're better than us and that you know everything. Well you don't know everything and while you might be smarter than us it's not really our fault. Humans don't live as long as wraith and so we don't have the _opertunity_ to learn as much as you do and that's also part of the reason why we sometimes act the way we do. The fact that you live longer, can do more, know more and have decades to do something while we, on the other hand, only have years, if that, is not our fault and doesn't make you better than us. You can't hold our own biological shortcomings against us anymore then we can hold yours against you so get off your pedestal and come back down to earth. We're different, I get that, but we're also alike in a lot of ways, probably more than either you or I know so why don't you concentrate on that and stop being such a arrogant asshole. It might help your chances of more people than just me being nicer to you and it might, just maybe, teach you something. Try it, I dare you."

Katherine's rant came to a close and Todd found that he could do nothing but stare. It had been nearly twelve thousand years since anyone had spoken to him in such a manner and for good reason. Todd was not known, even amongst his own kind, for being lenient nor kind. Few spoke their mind to him especially if their mind concerned him for fear of what the consequences of such honestly would bring them. Katherine, in contrast, did not have that same fear of him that had been instilled in so many wraith from birth and Todd found that he was rather glad for it. If she had then she would not have said what she had and he would not, now, be in awe of the fact that she was right.

He would also not be suffering from the almost euphoric feeling of having been spoken to so brashly by a female. Amongst wraith, even the queens feared him and so rarely if ever were honest with him. Katherine had not only been candid, she had been impassioned by what she had been saying and, as he looked at her, he found himself to be most appreciative of this startling quality of hers; in that moment, she so reminded him of a female wraith, one form his own time, that he had to carefully remind himself that she was neither, was human and that Sheppard would kill him if he showed any interest in her at all no matter how minute.

Katherine's eyes flashed angrily and she turned away from him, stalking off in the direction that they had originally been going before they had both stopped suddenly and engaged in this unexpected and surprising conversation. As she walked away from him, her back rigid, her head held high and her hands clenched indignantly into fists at her side, Todd found that he was very glad that Sheppard was not currently here as, in that moment, Katherine appeared to him as very desirable indeed.

"Come again?"

Todd inhaled sharply inwards and turned, spotting a bewildered and highly confused Major Lorne stranding near to him, a shocked expression on his face. It occurred to him that he might of spoken his last thought out loud which would account for the human's bafflement. He steadied his eyed with that of the major's. "Yes?"

Major Lorne, who had doubled back as soon as he'd heard raised voices coming from behind him, had come back to Todd and Kate only to find the latter standing nearly toe to toe with the alien apparently giving him what for. Now, generally speaking, giving Todd a dressing down was a bad idea and Lorne had teetered on whether or not to interrupt his recently appointed XO before she got herself eaten when he'd stopped to actually listen to what she had been telling him. Upon hearing her argument, Lorne had decided that, good idea or not, Todd needed to hear what she was saying and so he'd let her go on and had stood patiently off to the side waiting for her to finish so that they could be on their merry way. What he had _not_ expected was for Todd, once Kate had been done and had walked away, to stare after her with an unreadable expression on his face and then to mutter, under his breath, that he found Kate to be 'very desirable'. _That_ comment coming from Todd had very nearly given him a heart attack and the flabbergasted major had been so shocked that he'd turned and asked the wraith to repeat himself. Said wraith didn't look in the least bit embarrassed to have been overheard - Lorne was fairly certain that he had not meant to actually say that last part out loud - and just proceeded to stand there haughtily.

Lorne felt sick. "Why…why would you…you think she's hot!"

Todd, who normally didn't understand half of the human's idioms, was unfortunately familiar with this one and so he answered the major in the affirmative. "I find her visually stimulating, yes," he explained, wholly unashamed to be forced to share his opinion of Katherine with another. It was, after all, true and not something that he could be bothered with trying to deny or conceal; there was simply no point. He would not, however, be eliminating Sheppard with his sexual opinion of his sister any time soon and, in the back of his mind, he doubted very much that Lorne would be either. Therefore, it was safe to answer honestly. "As I said, she is desirable."

Lorne felt like somebody had punched him very hard in the stomach, or possibly racked him. "But…but how, why…can wraith do that with humans!"

The instant he said it, Lorne wished he could take it back but, unfortunately, it looked like Todd would be educating him wither he liked it or not. "You think we cannot?" Todd asked, curious. He would have thought that, given how long the humans of Atlantis had been residents in these stars, they would have heard some whisper by now if not the many stories in their various forms of what all relations male wraith had with female humans. That it appeared that they hadn't made Todd decided not to tell them and to do everything in his power to keep such knowledge from them; such an enlightenment would only increase their hatred for he and his kind and while Todd himself abhorred most of the practices his brothers allowed themselves to indulge in, he doubted very much that his dislike would be enough to absolve him of the sins of his brethren.

Lorne's eyes threatened to bug out of his head. "You can?" he asked, his morbid curiosity running away from him before he could rein it in, sit on it and tell it to shut the hell up. Fortunately for him, Todd didn't look very inclined to elaborate or, really, to say anything to either confirm or deny the accusation at all. Instead, the wraith just started walking and left Lorne standing there contemplating a great many disturbing possibilities that he had never had any cause to think about before. Shaking himself out of his stupor, Lorne trailed behind the wraith until he finally caught up with both he and Kate whom were waiting, patiently, for him at the edge of the camp.

"What's wrong with you?" Kate asked Lorne, taking in the greenish hue his face had turned. "You look sick."

"I think I might be," Lorne muttered before forcing himself to regain his equilibrium as Strauss started to jog over to them to greet them.

"Major Lorne," the captain saluted the major before turning towards the woman. "Weapon X."

Of all the things that Kate had been called in the past three weeks or so, 'Weapon X' was one of the mildest but it was still enough to piss her off. "I've got a rank you know," she stated darkly, scowling at the captain who was shorter then her, balding and seemed to be of undeterminable age. "You should try using it."

Strauss snickered. "Oh, that's right, you're a major," he glared at her. "Did the colonel get that for you to?"

The hair on the back of Kate's neck bristled and her hands balled into fists but before she could say anything in her defense, Lorne did it for her.

"Captain, that's enough!" Lorne interrupted before the man could finish saying something that he wouldn't have been able to take back. He looked at the man squarely and watched the hatred he obviously had for Kate multiply. "You will address Major Sheppard by her rank or her name and nothing else. She outranks you and she outranked you before she came to Atlantis so, if I were you, I'd watch your mouth. Need I remind you that she's about ten times stronger than you are so, if she punches you like you deserve and for which I'm sure I could find a reason to wave any and all disciplinary action for, it'll be more than just your jaw she breaks," he looked at the man and resisted the urge to deck him himself. "You're dismissed. Go."

Strauss saluted his major before shooting one more hateful glare at the girl before trotting off back to camp. Lorne sighed as soon as he was gone and turned to Kate. "Sorry," he told her. Won't happen again."

Kate nodded. "Thanks Lorne," she said meaningfully. "You didn't have to -"

"Yes I did," he interrupted her. "You got this position because of what you did, of what you can do not because you're the colonel's sister and I'll be damned if I take Sheppard's approach to this and just ignore it in the hopes that it'll all go away," he looked at her as the three of them walked towards the center of the base camp. "Have you actually told your brother any of the things they've all been saying about you being your back?"

Kate shook her head. "No, he doesn't need to worry. He -"

"He needs to know," Lorne interrupted her again, fixing her with a look of deadly seriousness. "It'll never stop if you don't tell -"

"So I'll tell you, but not John," Kate cut him off. "Lorne, if we get John involved in defending my reputation then it'll only add to the animosity. I can take it, trust me, I've been called worse things than Weapon X. I once got called a whore by my own mother when I was twenty. Trust me, I'll be fine."

Lorne stared at her. "Your mother called you a whore?" his mouth dropped open and he stopped walking, they were where they needed to be anyway. "Why?"

Kate shrugged. "I don't want to talk about it but she did so, believe me when I say that I'm used to being called names. I'll be fine."

Lorne was inclined to believe her but that didn't mean he was happy about it. "Sweeps!" he yelled, calling over the CO of Atlantis Six whose team had been assigned to help his investigate the possibility that Michael was in operation somewhere on this planet. His fellow Major came over to them and Lorne affixed him with a commanding look. "Report."

Sweeps saluted the major and, after having been warned by Strauss of the kind of mood Lorne was in, offered the same gesture to the girl before he looked back at his CO. "All's quiet Sir, we've had no sign of Michael or any of the usual kinds of things that he leaves behind. However, we have sent teams, two each, one to the north and one to the south, to talk to the locals; see if we can get a better idea of what kinds of things are going on here."

Lorne inclined his head. "Good, very good. And the camp?"

"It's all set Sir," Sweeps informed him. "There's a table set up over there," he pointed off to the left, "to eat at and the tents have all been erected only," he paused and shifted uncomfortably. "There's a problem Sir."

Lorne eyed him, one eyebrow raised. "What kind of problem?" he asked.

Sweeps glanced at Todd. "Nobody wants to sleep with him," he returned his gaze to Lorne. "The men all refuse Sir."

Lorne let out an exasperated sigh. "He's not going to eat anybody," he said tersely. "It's not like he had plans to make whoever bunks with him into a midnight snack."

Again, Sweeps shifted nervously only this time, he pointedly avoided looking at the wraith whom, had he bothered to sneak a peak, was wearing a smirk that betrayed his amusement with the human's uncomfortableness. "I know that Sir," the major continued, his palms starting to sweat. "But, still, no-nobody w-wants t-to -"

"Oh for heaven's sake," Kate cried out in frustration. The men plus Todd looked at her. "I'll sleep with him."

Maybe it was the fact that Lorne now knew that there was a possibility that she actually could or maybe it had something to do with the fact that he knew for certain that Todd in the very least found her nice to look at, for whatever the reason the major's mind leapt to the other meaning of that phrase rather than the context he knew she meant it in and felt his face blanche. "I…umm, I-if you really want t-to I guess you can, if you -"

Kate blinked at him. "What's wrong with you?" she asked, both confused and curious. "What'd I say?"

Lorne swallowed hard and tried to let go of his apprehension because he knew that she hadn't meant it like that. "You..you said you'd sleep with him," he said and then tried to turn the whole thing into a joke. "I think the colonel might take offense at that."

"Huh?" Kate asked confusedly before, suddenly, she understood. "Lorne!" she yelped, thwacking her CO on the arm in annoyance. "That is _so_ not what I meant!"

Lorne snickered, Sweeps tuned a odd shade of pink and Todd looked at the both of them in confusion. "I do not understand," he said, puzzled. "What other denotation could possibly be derived from -"

"I'll explain on the way," Kate said, taking two steps towards the tents but then stopping when Todd didn't immediately follow her. Sighing, she turned back around and reached out, grabbed the wraith by the arm and began to pull him along after her.

Todd started as soon as he felt her hand clamp down on his forearm and he stared down at her appendage when, after he had begun to walk along behind her, she did not release him. The Atlantians never touched him unless they had to and even then, as soon as the need was met, they let go. Katherine did not, not until they had stopped outside of an unoccupied tent. Todd was just able to begin to feel the warmth of her fingers through his leathers when she finally did remove her touch from his arm, step back from him and duck into the temporary dwelling. Still somewhat stunned, Todd followed and soon found himself alone with her in a semi secluded environment. Eyeing one of the cots that had already been erected within the enclosure, he sat upon the foot of the left one and took to eyeing her.

"Now, will you what other connotation your statement had?"

Kate snorted and plopped down on her own cot, crossed her legs and turned to face the curious wraith. "I don't know," she said, shrugging noncommittally. "Are you going to stop being an asshole like we discussed?"

The wraith inclined his head, any objection he had in agreeing to try her little dare giving way to his curiosity. "I will give consideration to your suggestions," he allotted her before fixing her with a piercing look. "Now, will you explain to me what -"

"Sex," Kate stated, cutting the alien off and watching as his eyes widened and his expression changed from one of curiousness to intensity. "Sleeping with someone is one of many ways we earth humans have of expressing the act of mating," she smirked at the look currently sitting on the wraith's face; she could tell that her answer had definitely _not _been the one he'd been expecting. "And Lorne's right, John'd probably have a heart attack not to mention he'd try and kill you if we were to…do that."

Todd was rather in the position to agree with her but, rather the voice his opinion, choose to remain silent.

Kate shrugged and uncrossed her legs, laying back on her cot and looking up at the ceiling of the tent. "Can wraith even do that with humans?" she asked.

Todd did not miss the humor in the fact that Katherine was the second human to ask that same question of him today. Unlike Lorne however, whose curiosity had come only after having heard him make a comment regarding his appreciation of Katherine's aesthetic qualities, he was interested as to why _she_ would wish to know. So, he answered in the same manner that he had done so to Major Lorne. "You think that we cannot?"

Kate turned over onto her side and propped her head up on her elbow. "I don't know," she said, looking at him. "I mean, it's obvious that the wraith have gender or, at least, that you did at some point. The queens have breasts and you _look _male but that doesn't necessarily mean that you have all the same functioning parts as us humans do. It could be that you simply have those characteristics because evolution hasn't removed them yet, kind of like our tailbones. We have them, but we don't need them."

It was the natural response for almost all males to be affronted when accused of not having, as she had put it, all the proper functioning parts but, in hindsight, Todd could understand her argument. She did not know because nobody and told her and while he did not so much want his human allies to know of this possibility of carnal relations between their two species, he somehow got the feeling that Katherine would not be so horrified by the prospect as any of the others would be. He considered then, what the consequences would be if he told her the truth.

"Never mind."

Todd looked up and narrowed his eyes at the female reclining on the makeshift bed across from him. "You no longer with to know?" he asked, confused as to why she would withdraw her inquiry.

Kate looked at him. "It's not that," she said with a peculiar gleam in her eye. "It's just that I don't need you to tell me. I already know."

Todd was puzzled. "But I did not say -"

Kate laughed. "Your back got all stiff when I said that just because you look male you might not be. I'd say that that's a pretty good indication that you are and that, that being the case, wraith and humans are compatible enough in the mechanics department," she eyed him amusedly. "I'm right aren't I?"

Todd nodded slowly, again, in awe of her observational skills and her power to interrupt the nuances of his body language correctly and with such death. "You are."

Kate smiled and sat back up, looking across at her tent mate. "I'm hungry," she announced, standing. "Care to join me?"

Todd looked up at her. "I do not require the need to eat," he informed her, curious as to why she would want him to go with her whilst she consumed a meal.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm aware," she strayed towards the tent flap but paused to look back at the wraith. "So, you coming or not?"

Todd blinked at her and chocked his head to one side, not at all sure of what he was being asked to do.

Kate let out a sigh. "Oh, never mind," she ducked out of the tent and headed towards the table Sweeps had talked about. "See if I'm ever courteous to you again."

For a few moments after her departure, Todd's vision remained fixed on the point of her leave taking. After a few moments however, he became aware of what it was that she had been trying to ask of him. His presence, Katherine wished for him to join her so that they may have continued their rapport. Knowing this, Todd got up and followed her, coming to her side just as she was spooning what he assumed was food onto her plate. He eyed the concoction, Sheppard had called them mashed potatoes.

"Decided to come did you?" Kate asked whirly as she speared a bit of Salisbury steak, or at least something that was _supposed_ to be Salisbury steak, with her fork and put it on her plate. Grabbing a drink from the cooler they'd brought with them, she turned and walked over to the table without bothering to make sure that Todd was following her. He did anyway and took the seat across from her which caused the only other two people sitting at the table to promptly vacate the premises, grab their food and make a run for the opposite side of the camp. Kate snickered and picked up her fork. "I wonder who they're running from, you or me?"

Todd eyed her. She was behaving more cordially towards him than any other Atlantian ever had and he could not, as of yet, figure out why. She had said that they should make an effort to be kinder to him but he did not think that in her suggestion, she had meant the sort of civility that she was currently offering him. It was pleasant however unexpected and, after a few moments of watching her consume her meal, he conceded to answer her. "You I think."

Kate chuckled. "Yeah, probably," she swallowed and looked at Todd who looked much too large for the table he was currently sharing with her. "Blood-chillingly scary and badass though you may be, you're still more familiar to them then I am," she frowned. "I honestly think they hate you less since I got stationed here."

Todd peered at her. "Why do they dislike you so much?" he asked. "I would have thought, with your relationship to Sheppard, their regard of you would be much improved from their regard of me."

Kate sighed. "You'd think but no, it's actually the opposite," she looked at him and put own her fork, reaching for the Gatorade that she'd grabbed and opening it, taking a drink before she continued. "See, because I'm John's sister they all think that I only got the position here because I'm john's sister. They didn't like me before because I was different, less human then they are and now they really don't like me."

Todd frowned. "Less human?" he eyed her. "You appear wholly human to me."

Kate gazed at him. "Lorne told you that I'm a super soldier right? That I'm faster and stronger and more agile than your average human?"

The wraith nodded. "He did, but I do not see -"

"Well I wasn't born that way, I was _made_ that way," she explained. "My DNA's been tinkered with, been spliced in with other stuff and my whole genetic makeup's been altered. I'm like a hybrid although not a hybrid of a human and any one thing in specific. I've got lots of extra little genetic codes swimming around in my blood: cat, dog, reptile not to mention all the stuff taken from various alien species that we've come into contact with back in the Milky Way. Then there's all the extra metals. I've got more naquadah in my blood then the damned stargate not to mention a shit ton of iron and this weird metal called Tearisium. I'm not sure why the guys that came up with the NC26 project decided that we all needed that one but it's there along with a bunch of other stuff that I _don't_ know about so yeah, it's safe to say that me and all the other NC26's are all a little less human then everyone else.

Todd blinked at her. He had not thought, when Major Lorne had first explained her uniqueness to him, that so much had been done to alter her. Now, however, he understood her statement and felt a sort of kinship towards her begin to build in his abdomen. "You have been…hated simply for being what you are," he stated, his eyes dropping from her face to the table that stood between them. "I…know how you must feel."

Kate looked at him ponderously. "Because of how we treat you?" she asked, wondering if this was where his sense of understanding that he shared with her came from. "Most of us hate you simply for being a wraith, not necessarily because you're done anything."

Todd nodded. "Yes, in the beginning, my species is what you Atlantians derived your hatred of me from but, I have since done things that have replaced that," he looked at her. "My understanding comes from interactions with my own kind. I am…from a different time then the majority of them. I think differently and feel differently about many things. It is….difficult."

"I'll bet," Kate acknowledged, frowning. "What do you mean, you're from a different time?"

Todd opened his mouth to answer her but then closed it, thinking of another question to ask of her before he offered her a response to her own. "Do you still have the desire to know of the wraith? Of our culture and history?"

Kate nodded eagerly. "Very much, yes."

Todd smiled at her enthusiasm. "I am old, even to my kind. When I was birthed, we had not yet taken to the stars in flight nor even thought of leaving the ground."

Kate was silent, held in rapt awe. "Really?" she considered this and then asked, "So, is that what makes you different? You remember a way of life that no longer exists?"

Once again , her ability to correctly interrupt his meanings, this time in his words, pleased him. "Yes," he inclined his head. "I have been told, more than once, that I am a relic of what has long since been gone, buried and turned to dust."

"Are there any others?" Kate asked, leaning towards him, enthralled. "Like you?"

Todd nodded slowly. "A few although, most of us have been slaughtered by the queens to ensure that we do not rise up and usurp their power. Still, there are some of us left that still fight to return the wraith to what we once were."

Kate let out a breath and opened her mouth, preparing to ask another question when the chair next to her moved and she broke her gaze away from Todd. Turning, she saw Lorne sit down next to her. "Lorne?"

Lorne eyed her. "What's the matter?" he asked, tossing her a grin. "You didn't think that you were the only one brave enough to sit with him," he jerked his head towards Todd, "Did you?"

Kate grinned whirly at him. "Actually, you know I think I did," she sat back in her chair. "So, what brings you over here? You trying to piss someone off?"

Lorne waggled his eyebrows. "Is it working?" he asked, nodding over to his left where he knew Sweeps, Strauss and several others were standing grouped by the food line.

Kate glanced that a ways and then looked back at Lorne. "Oh yes, swimmingly."

Lorne snickered. "Good," she scooted in his chair, picked up his fork and then looked up at Todd the wraith. "So, how are you?"

Todd stared at him while, across from him, Katherine burst out laughing. Her laughter was an enjoyable sound and, spurred on my her mirth, Todd glanced up at the scowling group of humans before lowering his head and proceeding to answer the major with as much candor as he possibly could.

~xXx~

It was night and sleep was something that eluded Todd as he lay, his eyes cast skywards, in the tent that he shared with Katherine. She was slumbering or, at least, she assumed she was. Her breathing had slowed and her chest rose and fell in a rhythmic way that only ever occurred when one was in deep slumber. Todd could not help occasionally turning his head so that he could watch her, study her whilst she lay reclined, her body ever ready and poised to take action should she need to. Even in sleep, Katherine's body was tensed, taut and perfectly still save for the steady breaths she took. She lay on her back, her arms and ankles crossed, eyes closed and eyelids still. She did not dream and even her face still retained some of the deadly coldness that she wore in her wakeful state. Truly, watching her, was a marvel to behold.

The youngest of Todd's sisters had been, in many ways, more like a daughter to him then a sister as by the time of her birth neither his motem nor his sire had any interest in raising her. Once, when she had been frightened and had awoken from sleep by a nightterror, she had gone to him and asked to sleep with him so that she might feel safe. Todd had let her and had, for the first time in his life, allowed himself to sleep whilst in the presence of another. In the morning, Neeira had told him that in slumber, he had been much as Katherine was now; always ready, always tense. Prepared for battle even whilst unconscious. Todd was quickly discovering that, the longer he knew her, the more he watched her and the more he studied her, Katherine had many similarities with him, was in tune with him and was so wholly like him that with each passing moment that he spent in her company her potential for greatness where he was concerned grew and increased exponentially.

She was fascinating.

She was also awake. Sometime in the middle of his latest contemplation of her, Katherine had woken and he, as absorbed as he was, had not noticed the minute change in her breathing until he had looked at her and saw her looking back. Unabashed to have been caught, Todd pulled his eyes from her person and returned them skywards, settling back and laying his hands on his stomach.

Kate, too, looked upwards. "I could feel you watching me," she said softly, explaining how she had come to wake up.

Todd hissed. "My apologies," he offered, having not meant for his reflection of her to cause her to waken.

Kate shrugged and closed her eyes briefly for one moment before opening them again and continuing to stare at the obscenely boring ceiling. She would've much rathered been looking at Todd like he'd been looking at her; trying to figure her out. "It's fine," she assured him, not wanting him to feel guilty for waking her. Kate was a light sleeper, she always had been and now, since having been trained as a human weapon, she was even more easily awakened then she had been before. It wasn't really his fault and she wanted him to know that.

Todd let out another hiss and opened his mouth to respond, to offer more sentiments of regret, only to fall silent and listen. There was something moving about outside, something coming towards them. Sitting up, he turned to look at Katherine and saw that she was already upright, her head cocked to the side as she strained her ears to listen for the same rustling sound that he had heard. "What do you suspect…"

"Nothing good," Kate whispered in reply, taking her leave of her cot and silently slipping out of the tent. Around her, the camp slumbered, completely unaware that there was something coming, several somethings she realized as, without the muffling qualities of the tent and it's walls, she could hear many more sounds coming to her from all directions.

Todd was at her side in an instant, as alert as she and as prepared. "We are surrounded," he communicated to her, his multi-toned voice barely audible for fear that their speaking would draw attention to them both. He looked to his left and eyed the female who was currently standing perfectly still in the darkness, the twin moons overhead illuminating her and clocking her with an aura of deadliness that very nearly matched his own. "Have you a weapon?"

Kate snickered. "I am a weapon," she informed the wraith, glancing towards him. In the dark, his eyes glowed a kind of electric, ice blue. _Must be nice_, she thought to herself, to have built in night vision. "And so are you."

A truer statement had not been said about him in a long time and Todd nodded his agreement with her slowly and quickly before the both of them turned their backs to one another and began to prowl towards the center of the camp, distancing themselves from the tents and the humans that still slept within them. They had reached the table and opened sided tent that housed their equipment and food before Todd caught a flash of movement off to his right. Reaching out, he grabbed Katherine and pulled her around to his side, angling his body in the direction that the movement had come from. From besides him, the female looked quizzically up at him.

"What is it?"

Todd's eyes narrowed. "I thought I saw -"

An ear slitting screech echoed out through the night stillness and Todd had just enough time to push Katherine to the side before he was attacked by a creature that he could only barely see and that was very nearly twice his size. The wraith fell backwards, twisted to the side and hefted himself to his knees, his feeding hand held up and ready. The creature rushed him again but did not get the chance to reach him. Two shots of a kind of greenish energy fired from what he assumed was one of the many strange weapons Katherine always had on her person flashed brightly in the darkness and brought the charging creature to the ground where is skid to a stop, dead, inches from him.

Todd rose to his feet and looked towards Katherine who stood over the downed beast with her weapon still pointed at it. As he looked at her, she lifted her eyes from her kill and locked them to his as , around them, shouts rang out and then, suddenly, the entire camp was flooded with bright artificial illumination. The sudden onslaught of light stung Todd's eyes for the briefest of moments before his visual organs readjusted themselves and he dropped his gaze from that of Katherine's to the creature that lay dead between them.

Major Lorne joined them. "What the hell is that thing!" he asked, staring at it. He'd just been rudely awakened by a loud scream only to come out of his tent and find Todd and Kate fighting with some sort of mutant beasty in the dark. He'd yelled at Strauss whom he was rooming with to go and turn on the spotlights and, once they were on, he'd trotted over here to see what the hell had just attacked them. Now, looking down at it, all he could say was that it was ugly, had way too many teeth and looked like something you'd see in a horror movie.

Kate prodded the creature with her toe and then crouched down to get a better look at it. She grimaced; it smelt horrible. "It looks like a cross between a wraith and a xenomorph."

Lorne frowned. "A what?"

Kate stood up but kept her gaze on the dead creature. "A xenomorph. You know, the aliens from 'Alien'. They're called -"

"Yeah yeah, whatever," Lorne waved his hands around in the air to shut her up and then glanced downwards. "Well, I think it's safe to say that this is what's been killing the locals."

Kate nodded. "Yep. Michel's been busy."

Todd growled. "What could he hope to gain from creating a creature such as this?" he asked. "What is it's purpose?"

"To kill people," Lorne said bluntly as thought it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I really don't think Michael has a reason for drumming up half of the beasties that he does. I think he just gets bored and then poof, whatever planet he's on ends up with a monster from a B rated horror movie."

"Alien wasn't a B rated horror movie," Kate defended, glancing askew at Lorne. "It was -"

"Katherine."

Kate looked at Todd and saw that the wraith was currently glancing all around him. Frowning and following the wraith's gaze, she turned and suddenly felt all the blood drain from her face. She had forgotten that Todd had said that they were surrounded and, with search lights now on and illuminating the entire clearing that their camp was in, she could see that that statement couldn't have been more true. From all sides, creatures that looked just like the ones that she'd killed were melting out of the shadows and coming towards them in waves; there were dozens of them.

"Well that's not good."

Lorne shook his head and took a step backwards. "I vote we run now," he said, turning around in preparation for his retreat only to stop when he saw that there were more of the beasts on the other side of the camp, coming towards them. Strauss, Sweeps, Laurence, Adams, Herrera and Marks were all backing slowing away from the tents towards Lorne, Kate and Todd's position. He gulped, Kate was right, this was so not good.

"Major Lorne," Strauss hailed as the two groups joined and became one, tight cluster in the center of the camp besides the one dead creature that Major Sheppard had killed. "What do we do?"

Lorne floundered. "Ah…" he looked from side to side as the monsters closed in on them. "I-I don't know. Kate," he turned to her. "Please tell me you have an idea!"

Kate nodded and pointed towards the ridge against which the row of tents had been backed up to. "We go that way, try and make it to higher ground. Find a defendable position and hold it. These things didn't show up until after dark so let's hope that it's not a coincident and that there's some correlation between them and sunlight; maybe a weakness we can exploit."

Todd hissed. "Katherine's plan id feasible, I suggest we implement it."

Strauss scowled. "Well, now that we've got your approval," he glared at the wraith before rounding on the women. "And just how the hell do you suggest that we get to higher ground little miss in charge?" he waved his arm around in indication of the situation they were in. "In case you haven't noticed, we're surrounded!"

Kate snarled at him. "So we break through the lines!" she growled, her teeth grinding together in irritation. "What would you normally do in a situation like this?"

Strauss leered. "This sort of thing doesn't usually happen to us," he said defensively. "Normally, the only team to have this sort of issue is Atlantis One."

Kate let out an exasperated sigh. "Well then statically, it's our turn so listen up. We've got to -"

"I'm not listening to you, you psycho bitch! You're going to get us all kil-"

Kate snapped but rather than take out her anger on the poor, stupid Strauss, she broke away from the tight circle that she'd been in and started straight at the nearest oncoming creature. Pulling out her energy pistol she fired two shots at it which dropped it before she holstered her gun and delivered a roundhouse kick to the next nearest monster's chest. It flew away from her and she went after it, ducking under its arm as it made a swipe for her and coming up close enough to it to shove a grenade down it's open mouth before moving on to the next one. Behind her, she heard a screech and then a resounding boom and she smirked in satisfaction as she took on her next adversary.

Katherine had downed four of the Abominations creations before Todd shook himself out of the stupor he'd come to be in upon seeing her for the first time in battle and went to lend his assistance. "I suggest that you employ Katherine's approach," he suggested to the humans as he broke away from their cluster and joined the female's fray.

Lorne didn't need to be told twice and, gripping his P-90 tightly, he joined the row. Kate had done a pretty good job of opening a hole for them to cut through and he'd be damned if he let her do it all by herself. It was just, he'd been so surprised to see her just go in like that that it'd taken a moment for the shock t wear off. Now that it had, Major Lorne fought tooth and nail to keep up with Kate and the wraith who were making the whole cutting a path to the ridge thing very easy. It wasn't long before they'd managed it and reached the crest of the hill. Lorne was the first to join them followed by Herrera, Marks, Sweeps and Strauss. Lorne looked at his men.

"Where's Laurence? Adams?"

Marks shook his head. "They didn't make it, sir."

Lorne pressed his lips together into a thin line. "We keep moving," he ordered, turning to look up at Kate who was on higher ground then he was. "Kate! See anything?"

Kate nodded. "I see a cave up the side of an embankment," she started towards it. "Come on."

Everyone scrambled towards the shelter she'd described and, once they were in it, Kate turned to Todd and the others. "Where are Adams and Laurence?"

Strauss glared at her. "Dead, no thank to -"

Kate growled and took a step towards the infuriating man. Reaching out she grabbed him by the throat and picked him up off the ground, slamming his back against the cave wall. Strauss grasped and scratched at her hands, trying to wiggle free. Kate's grip tightened and he stopped. She fixed her eyes on his. "Listen you," she said darkly. "If it weren't for me, you and the rest of us would still be back at camp probably dying horrible deaths so, I'm not going to tell you again, shut it and do what I say. It's my job to keep you all alive and I can't do that if you keep arguing with me."

With that, she dropped him and he fell into a heap on the ground, coughing and sputtering as he massaged his throat. Kate turned to walk away but a hateful, cruel voice stopped her.

"Cunt."

Kate froze and, out of the corner of her eye, she say Lorne, Marks and Sweeps eyes widen. They all knew that Strauss had finally gone too far and, after briefly catching Lorne's gaze, Kate also knew that she had his permission to do whatever she liked about it. Turning back to the still ground bound pathetic excuse for a man, she bore down on him. "What, exactly is your problem with me?" she demanded, needing to get to the bottom of this now and end it. "What did I do to you?"

Strauss snarled at her and leapt to his feet. "You're here that's what you did!" he snarled at her. "You think that you're all that. That you're better than the rest of us because you can do more. Since you signed up for -"

"I didn't sign up for anything I got drafted!" Kate screamed back at him. "I joined the marines and then, halfway through basic, I got pulled out of my training to go into some top secret project that I didn't even know the name of. All they told me was that I had potential based on my test scores and PT ability. That's all. Next thing I know I'm in the training camp from hell and then, after that, they inject me with this serum that made me into what I am today so don't you dare think that I wanted this. The United States government did this to me without my permission just like the SGC sent me here without asking me if I wanted to go. I didn't ask to come to Atlantis, I didn't ask to stay. I told John that I wanted to and I did everything in my power to show him and everyone else that I was the best for the job but I didn't ask them to pick me. They made that decision on their own so if you're so God damned pissed that I got stationed here take it up with Colonel Sheppard when we get back to Atlantis because IT'S NOT MY FAULT!"

Strauss blinked at her. "You called him Colonel Sheppard," he commented. "What? Trying to prove something by saying his rank and not his na -"

"So long as we're on duty John is my commanding officer and I will follow protocol and refer to him by his rank or by his last name," Kate interrupted the man with a growl before throwing her hands up in the air and hissing angrily. "You know, we didn't even want anyone to know. John and me, we decided to keep it a secret so that this wouldn't happen but Loki the tactless ass-gard let the cat out of the bag. We weren't planning on telling anybody until I'd been here long enough so that you would know that I'd gotten the job because of what I can do not who I'm related to."

Strauss was not convinced. "Yeah but -"

"But nothing, Captain, that's enough!" Lorne yelled, cutting off his protest and coming up to stand besides Kate. "When we get back to Atlantis that's it, you're done. I'll have your discharge papers ready for you as soon as I'm able so help me God!"

Strauss opened his mouth to retort, to possibly say something to save his career but he knew that it was done. The look on Lorne's face told him that he'd literally just screwed himself. Angrily, he clamped his mouth shut and glared at the woman that had just gotten him fired.

With Strauss finally silenced, Lorne turned towards Kate. "Now that that's over with," he started to make his way farther into the cave, "Shall we?"

Kate nodded jerkily and followed, the others taking up the procession with Strauss at the very back. For whatever reason, the creatures hadn't pursued them once they'd made it to the cave and Kate wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth by stopping to consider why. She was just going to take it and follow it to wherever it took them. Who knew, maybe there were some answers somewhere in this cave.

"It's creepy in here," Marks commented as they walked along. Everywhere he looked there were spider web looking things and the whole cave seemed to be breathing; more so then caves normally did. It was all very ominous.

Sweeps nodded. "Yeah, just a little." While he'd agreed with Strauss on many of the issues he had with Kate, hearing that she'd hadn't chosen to become a damned super solider had made some of his resentment towards her melt away. That and hearing that she hadn't wanted to come to Atlantis had made him reconsider that maybe, she wasn't the leach that he'd thought she was. Maybe she wasn't so bad.

They continued to walk until the tunnel they'd been following opened up into a cavern that looked very much like it had once been somebody's lab. "I think we found Michael's hangout," Kate stated as she walked farther into the room and began to take a look at some of the various things that were strewn across the many tables that littered the open space. "What was he doing in here?" she pondered aloud.

Todd came up behind her and peered over her shoulder at a glass jar in which, when Katherine shined her light onto it, was revealed to contain what looked very much like a fetus of some kind. He peered at it more closely and felt himself become sickened when he realized that it was the undeveloped corpse of a wraith that had been literally pulled too early from its motem's womb.

Kate turned and looked upwards at Todd who was wearing an expression of both remorse and disgust. "Horrible isn't it?"

Todd nodded slowly. "It is," he took a sharp breath inwards. "A child, any child is a gift and should not be made into something this…perverted."

His sentiment regarding this touched Kate and pulled at her heartstrings. She wondered briefly if he had any children as she turned her gaze back to the fetus in the jar.

"I do."

Kate's eyes snapped back to Todd's face and narrowed. "You're reading my thoughts?" she accused, not at all happy to have had somebody poking around in her mind without her permission.

Todd inclined his head. "I try not to, whenever I find myself in the company of you and yours of Atlantis but, you were projecting so loudly that I could not help but overhear," he looked at her. "I apologize."

Kate felt her anger at his intrusion bleed away. "Oh," she offered meekly and then, upon realizing what he had said previously, frowned in consideration. "You do?"

Having gone back to the earlier line of inquiry, Todd nodded. "Several although, I am not partial to most of them. My eldest however, he I care a great deal for."

For some reason, hearing Todd talk about caring for his oldest son made some of his overwhelming incongruousness fade. The information afforded her the knowledge that wraith did, apparently, have the ability to love and that they also seemed to have children and that those children were just as precious to them as they were to humans. The mutuality of that particular circumstance added a another level of depth to the wraith that only made Kate more interested about them then she had been before.

Truly, they fascinated her.

Todd could no longer hear her exact thoughts and, indeed, had felt a very strong mental wall go up as soon as Katherine understood that he had plucked her inquiry directly from her mine, but he could sense their context. He knew that she was curious, that her curiosities concerning he and his kin were almost as intricate and overwhelming as his of her. But where Katherine was intrigued by all wraith, his intrigue only concerned her. He didn't care about the rest of her race, although he would make a better effort to come to know them as she had so passionately suggested, his only driving force was to come to know as much about Katherine as he could. She was like a puzzle, an intricate lacing of knot works that wove together to form a labyrinthine maze of intricacies that, when summed together, became the woman that stood so very near to him pondering over the experiments that the Abomination had left behind. He would solve her eventually, would know her secrets and maybe, just maybe, he would reveal a part of himself to her as well. Compensation for the study that he would make of her.

As Todd continued to fallow along behind her at her back, Kate made her way deeper into the circular-ish cave taking in all that was around her. There were several more jars and other misshapen containers that contained a variety of things from organs to another fetus- this one being human and farther along in development then the wraith child had been. All of it made Kate sick and made her stomach reel in protest to what she was seeing.

"Hey, over here," Marks called out, and the others gathered around him as he flashed his light down a narrow tunnel that opened in the very back of the cave. "There's something down there."

Lorne peered into the crevice and sniffed, nearly choking on the putrid smell that came wafting towards him. "Sweeps, Strauss, Marks," he ordered. "Go check it out. Report back if you find anything."

Marks nodded and led the way as the three men disappeared into the rocky corridor. Lorne turned back around to look at Kate. "So," he asked, briefly shooting a look around the lab. "You hate Michael yet?"

Kate snarled. "I hated him just from what I've read about him," she said, scowling. "Having seen this, now I just wanna kill him."

Behind her, Todd snorted. "The feeling is mutual, I can assure you," he said tersely, crossing his arms. "This…this is beyond -"

"Major."

Lorne looked up and saw a very shaken Marks standing there. "Yes?"

Kevin Marks felt sick. "Major," he said. "There's something that you…something that you need to see."

Lorne frowned but knew that whatever it was it had to be bad if Marks was this shook up about it. "Okay," he said and turned to look at Kate only to have Marks speak up again.

"Major Sheppard should stay here," the young lieutenant said harshly, a glint of protectiveness forming in his eye.

Kate raised one eyebrow. "Why?" she asked dubiously.

Marks looked at her. "Because what's in there," he gestured towards the passage he'd just come out of, "What's in there shouldn't be seen by any woman."

For one short instant, Kate was indignant but then, when she looked more closely at the expression on Marks' face, she understood. Whatever they'd found was horrible and it involved women. He was trying to protect her, to shield her and while it was sweet, she'd seen bad things before. "It's fine," she told him, trying to reassure him that she wouldn't have nightmares after she saw whatever it was that had turned him such a sickly looking shade of green. "I promise you, whatever's in there, I've seen worse."

Marks made a face as if to say that he sincerely doubted it but otherwise, didn't try and stop her when she followed Lorne and Todd through the hole. On the other side, however, he heard not only Major Lorne gasp and choke back bile but he thought he heard the wraith make a similar sound as well. Stepping around the three new arrivals, Marks stood off to the side and pointed at the find that he and the others has discovered. "Told you it was bad," he said forlornly.

Kate couldn't help but to agree. In the second cave there were three cells that looked more like cages and in each one of them was a woman, stone cold and dead. Kate's eyes graced each of their faces and realized that not a single one of the three girls could be any older then she was and really, couldn't be very much older than twenty. It was a sorry sight and, to make matters worse, each one of them had died wearing an expression of pain so complete that the contortions of their faces made them all look like monsters themselves.

But there was more. Not only had the women died in agony, but they had died when the things that Michael had implanted into their bellies, into their wombs, had bitten and clawed and eaten their ways out. All three girls lay on their back with their knees up and spread in the position most commonly associated with labor and each one of their abdomens had been ripped apart by the beasts that had come out. Stepping a bit closer to the nearest cell, Kate looked down into the corpse and saw the girl's ribs and spine glaring up at her from the wreckage that had once been solid flesh.

Kate felt herself swallow, hard.

"You should not have to see this," Todd whispered, as a surge of protectiveness came over him and bade him step forwards, reach out and guide Katherine back from the bars of the cell she had stepped nearer to. She came away willingly and Todd turned so that he was able to shield her view of the devastation with his much larger body.

Kate let Todd pull her back and noticed the growl he made in the back of his throat as he put her behind him, blocking her view of the women in the cages. To her right, she heard Sweeps gasp and then empty his stomach into a corner. Kate felt very much like doing the same but she knew that she couldn't, she couldn't let this get to her. She had a job to do and she couldn't afford to let her own personal emotions distract her. They had to get back to the stargate and they had to do it alive; she needed to be at her best and so, she swallowed her disgust and moved around Todd, back up to the door of the first cell.

"Katherine," Todd beseeched her, trying to call her back to him. She ignored him and he had to applaud the fact that the sight before her had not rendered her inert. He could see her determination in her eyes, in the way she moved and knew that he needn't worry for her.

That, however, did not stop him.

"Katherine, please," he tried again, coming up to her back. "Come away. You do not need to -"

"I'm fine," she told the wraith, waving off both he and his concern for her which, when she thought about it, was endearing in a weird sort of way. Her eyes narrowed. "Looks like Michael hasn't given up on finding the perfect balance for making his hybrids," she turned from the cell and looked out at the room full of men and one very worried looking Todd the wraith. "He's he's trying for a more natural approach."

Sweeps shivered. "Natural?" he looked at her. "Nothing about any of this is natural."

Kate knew how he felt, honestly she did, but right now they needed to know what she had already figured out. "No," she said, glancing behind her at the girls before returning her gaze to Sweeps'. "It's not, but it looks like he was trying to make it that way. My guess is the next thing he'll try is to impregnate a woman using genetic material taken from some male wraith and then -"

"But that wouldn't work!" Marks yelped, sickened by the very thought of what Major Sheppard was discribing. "Humans and wraith can't do…_that_ naturally so what makes you think that artificial insemination would even be a viable op -"

"What makes you think that they can't?" Kate asked him feeling really bad that she had to rain on his parade. This was probably the reason why Todd hadn't told them that humans and wraith could do it together, he knew how everyone would react. Kate hated that she had to be the one to enlighten them.

Marks sputtered. "Because…because they can't!" he said, turning around to look desperately at Todd. "We know they can't. We've seen how you guys reproduce. You come out of pods and then get clon-"

"You have seen the means by which our drones are produced yes," Todd interrupted the babbling human whom he wished, for everyone's sake, could have remained ignorant of this. This was not how he had wanted his human allies to become aware of the sexual similarities between his species and theirs but, the time to end their ignorance concerning this particular intercity of wraith life was upon him and Todd cursed the stars for the circumstance they had presented him with. Katherine might have accepted the truth as nothing more than that, the truth and a biological fact but, he knew that the others would not.

They would see only horror in it.

A look of utter and complete revulsion came over Marks' face as he stared back, in shock, at the wraith. "W-what?"

Kate took pity on Todd for having been put into this awkward position and stepped forwards to shoulder the explanation. "Wraith and humans," she stared looking between the four men before fixing her eyes back onto Todd the wraith's. "They're compatible."

There was silence for several long minutes before Strauss, his voice pitched high in panic, turned towards Kate and demanded, "How the hell do you know!"

Kate rounded on him. "Common sense and observation," she explained with a snarl, still pissed at him for his verbal assault on her earlier. "Think about it. They've got gender, the queens have boobs and he's obviously a guy," she pointed at Todd. "It's really not that hard to put two and two together and get four."

Strauss leered at her. "Just because the wraith have gender doesn't mean that they have the same parts that we do," he glanced at Todd. "I bet you he just looks -"

When Katherine has suggested that he may simply appear to be male, Todd had known that she had not meant it in a condescending nor malicious way. The same could not be said for this human and Todd snarled loudly at having not only his gender but his ability to produce offspring called into question by one so odious as this. "I would not, if I were you, finish that sentence."

Strauss gulped and had the good sense to shut up.

Kate smirked. "There, you see," she said, gesturing at the very pissed off Todd the wraith. "You tried to question his sex and he got pissed. I'd say that's a pretty god indication that he's got the same baby making bits that you do."

Strauss glared at her. "So the wraith can have sex with one another. That still doesn't mean that he could do you if he wanted to."

"Captain!" Lorne yelled, horrified not for the first time by the things that came out of Strauss' mouth that were directed at Kate. Of course, some of his horror might have something to do with the fact that he knew that, if the opportunity ever came up, Todd probably wouldn't pass up the chance to 'do' Kate like Strauss had said. That knowledge made the idiot captain's comment all the more worse.

Todd turned to Katherine. "I assume that 'doing you' is another human way of implying sexual intercourse?" he asked, one eye-ridge raised in inquiry. She nodded and he snorted. "Why do you humans feel the need to have so many ways of saying the same thing?"

Kate shrugged. "Don't know. I didn't invent the language, I just speak it."

The wraith harrumphed and turned towards the irritating one called Strauss. "As for you doubt," he began, fully aware that there would no doubt be consequences for what he was about to say. "If the opportunity were to present itself and, if Katherine were willing, then I can assure you that it would be entirely possible for me to mate with her and, if contraception were not being used, possibly produce offspring."

All the color faded from Strauss' face as he turned as white as a sheet. Lorne, on the other hand, turned beat red. "But that's never going to happen right?" he asked, looking wildly between both Todd and Kate. "Right?"

Kate shrugged nonchalantly. "You never know. The future is an uncertainty."

Lorne yelped and began to stammer uncontrollably. Kate shook her head.

"Relax, Lorne," she told him, fixing him with a look. "That was supposed to be a joke."

"Well it wasn't funny!" the major screamed, not at all amused by her version of humor.

Todd, however was. "On the contrary," the wraith said. "I found her statement to be…very amusing."

Lorne rounded on him. "Oh yeah, you would!" he accused the wraith. "Could've you used another example? I've got imagines in my head from earlier and that little remark you just made isn't helping to make them go away."

Kate frowned. "What remark?" she asked, curious.

Lorne scowled. "Nothing, ever mind," he looked around and then sighed. "Can we go now? I'd like nothing more than to go back to Atlantis now and scrub the unwanted images out of my head of you two," he gestured between the wraith and the woman, "doing the horizontal limbo out of my head."

Kate snickered at the terminology, shot Todd a look that told him not to ask and then turned to look around the cave they'd wandered into. She spotted a fisher in the back wall and started towards it. Peering along it, she smiled when she saw daylight on the other side. "Hey, guys," she called, already starting to slide through. "I think I found a way out."

Wordlessly, the other followed her and, once they were through, found themselves on a rocking ridge that hung over the forest below. "I can see the gate from here," Marks commented, trying to lighten the mood from the conversation that they'd all just had. There were some things that he just didn't ever want to know and the fact that humans and wraith could have sex and make babies was one of them. He agreed with Major Lorne and just really wanted to go home.

"Thank god!" Sweeps cried in relief. "Let's go."

The way down was easy and, once they were back on the ground, all six of them were immediately on high alert. "Looks like you were right," Marks commented to Major Sheppard as they headed towards the gate. "I don't see those things anywhere."

Kate smiled tensely. "Yeah, lucky break," she ducked under a tree branch. "Don't get too many of those very -" she heard a sound off to her right and froze.

Behind her, everyone else stopped walking and got very still. "What is it?" Sweeps asked, his voice a carefully controlled whisper.

Kate shook her head in a silent command to be quite and looked over towards Todd. The wraith was as much on edge as she was. "Got anything?" she asked him, turning in a full circle in order to get a better sense of what was going on.

Todd hissed. "We are being hunted."

Strauss groaned. "Well isn't that just -"

"Shhhhhh!" Kate commanded him irritably. "You'll give away out position!"

The man glared at her. "Oh, like those monsters don't already know. They can -"

The telltale screech that seemed to accompany an attack by Michael's latest batch of pets pierced the air and set all of their nerves on edge. Together, they turned and looked behind them just as the first of their pursuers came into view.

"RUN!" Lorne yelled as he broke into a dead sprint towards the gate which was still a long ways off. He could hear the pounding of many pairs of feet behind him and he briefly glanced behind him to see what was going on. Kate and Todd were at the back of the pack and she had apparently given him a gun because they were both shooting backwards at the creatures that were closing in on their rear. Marks, Sweeps and Strauss were right behind him however, and seemed content to let the wraith and Kate take up the offense. Lorne was just as happy to let them do it as his men were and he turned back around and concentrated on getting to the gate in one piece.

Several heart pounding minutes later and the stargate slide into view around a bend in the path that Lorne was following and he pumped his feet harder so that he could get there. He collided with the DHD forcefully and didn't stop to think about how much it had hurt as he began to dial Atlantis as fast as was humanly possible. "Atlantis, this is Lorne, come in!" he yelled into his radio as soon as he'd established a wormhole. "We're coming in hot, I repeat we're coming in hot. Over!"

There was a pause and then his radio crackled and Colonel Sheppard replied, "We copy that, over. Me, Ronon and a team of marines are standing at the ready. Come on th-"

Sheppard hadn't even finished talking before Strauss, Marks and Sweeps ran through the open gate and materialized in the gateroom. They immediately dove behind the lines of marines that were situated around them, grabbed weapons and then turned right back around to await Lorne, Major Sheppard and Todd. Lorne came through first and practically screamed for a gun which he was given before he joined Sheppard and Ronon closest to the gate.

"Where's Kate? Todd?" John asked his second in command as he fought to catch his breath. Apparently they'd run to the gate.

"They're busy," Lorne said, gasping for air. "They -"

"HOLY SHIT!"

Lorne trailed off and John looked up just in time to see some sort of alien creature come through the gate, stop, look around and then charge at his line of marines. John gave the order to fire and his men complied, opening fire on the creature as another and another came through the gate.

"SHUT IT DOWN, SHUT IT DOWN!" Woolsey could be heard yelling up in the control room and John snarled and shouted back, "No, not yet! What about Kate and T -"

Chuck the gate technician, knew that in circumstances such as these it was best to listen to Colonel Sheppard rather then Woolsey and so he raised the shield rather then shut off the gate. Reaching for a radio, he called into it that the shield was up and to not try and come through even as several more of what he desperately hoped were the monsters and not Todd and Kate came through the gate and died upon slamming into the raised shield.

Back down in the gate room, John was busy shouting out orders as he and his men dealt with the veritable onslaught of Michael's latest inventions that had flooded the gate room. He didn't know what they were and he didn't care, he just wanted them dead and he fired off several more rounds before calling out for more ammo.

Lorne handed him another clip and then john went back t firing.

It was over in a matter of minutes. Coming out from behind the partition he'd been using as a cover, John looked around. The creatures were all dead, shot full of holes, the gate room was shot to hell and his marines looked both terrified and tired. Woolsey scrambled down towards him and glared at him.

"What are those things!" he asked, looking down at the nearest dead creature laying near them.

John shook his head. "I don't know," he looked up, suddenly remembering that neither Kate not Todd had come through with the other. He spun around towards the gate. It had disengaged but the shield was still raise around it. "Dial the gate!" he ordered, calling upwards to Chuck as he looked around him. "Lorne, Ronon, Marks, you're with me. We're going to -"

"You can't go, you have no idea what's waiting for you on the other side!" Woolsey protested, looking darkly at the colonel. "You could be walking into another ambush and -"

"Number one rule is that we don't leave our people behind!" John snapped at the balding man before looking back up towards Chuck. "Dial the damned gate!"

"Colonel," Woolsey argued, more sternly this time. "You can't -

John stepped up to him and glowered don on him. "Move!"

Woolsey shrank away from the colonel and let the military man pass. He and his selected team formed up behind him and waited while the gate was dialed before walking through.

~xXx~

"Katherine!"

Kate ducked when she heard Todd yell out her name and hit the ground as one of the creatures made an advance on her. Twisting around she somersaulted over onto her feet and swept her leg outwards, knocking the attacking creature's feet out from under him. Once it was on its back, Kate jumped it and plunged a knife that she'd pulled from her boot unto it's sternum. The creature screamed out and expired, it's head lulling to one side in a testament to her triumph. Clamoring off of it, Kate looked up and saw Todd not too far off battling his own creature and having a hard time of it. She started towards it only to falter when she heard her radio crackle.

"The shield is up! I repeat, the shield is up! Major Sheppard and Todd, do not attempt to come through!"

Kate spun around towards the stargate and saw that several of the monsters were going through it. With a snarl of rage, she turned around and fought her way towards Todd. When she was near enough to speak to him she called out. "They've got the shield up. We need to drive them towards the gate!"

Todd nodded his acquiescence of her plan and ducked, twisting about so that he came up behind the lines of creatures. Together, he and Katherine measured their defenses so that they steadily drove the onslaught of mutated experiments towards the engaged gate. Their tactics paid off and several of the creatures went through only to meet their deaths on the other side. They continued to push them backwards, using the situation to their advantage. Slowly, the tide turned and the steady stream of opponents dwindled. When the gate disengaged, there were precious few of the animals left. It did not take long for both Todd and Katherine to dispatch the last of them.

"Well," Kate said as Todd snapped the neck of the very last one of Michael's monsters. The heavy body felt to the ground at the wraith's feet and he stepped over it, coming towards her and holding out a hand to help her to her feet. "That was fun."

Todd hissed his amusement. "Oh yes, very," he glanced over the blood spattered female and released her hand dropping his back down to his side. "We should endeavor to such again sometime."

Kate let out a bark of laugher, her glee causing her body to shake before it subsided and she gasped for breath. She turned her eyes towards the wraith. "So," she asked him, turning her head to once side as she gestured out at the carnage that the two of them had wrought. "Impressed?"

Todd inclined his head. He was, he truly was. Katherine's skill at battle, her grace, had been hypnotizing. She had as much as flare for the destruction of life as did he; yet another similarity that they both shared. "You are a capable warrior," he complimented her, his eyes meeting hers and holding. He didn't know how long they stayed that way but, in that span of time in which their eyes were locked onto one another's, something happened, something passed between them. Todd didn't know what it was or even if it had a name but it was something and he knew, then and there, that this women, this human he could trust.

Explicitly.

"Katherine," he began, turning his body so that he faced her fully, his head lowered towards her. "You are -"

His words were drowned out by the sound of the stargate once more activating and, as though pulled apart by some unseen force, Todd and Kate stepped back from one another and turned towards the ring as it's vortex settled into its normal, placid pool and four people stepped through it. Said people stopped once they were on the other side and looked around, their eyes growing ever wide as they looked about them.

"Whoa," Lorne muttered as he looked first to his left and then to his right. Bodies lay strewn about him, some whole and some ripped into pieces. Evidently, neither Kate nor Todd were in any need of their help.

Kate laughed and started towards the group, coming to a stop in front of her brother. "So," she looked at John. "Did Woolsey order you to close the gate on us or was that you?"

John looked at his baby sister form head to toe and noticed just how much of her was covered in blood. "What do you think?" he asked irritably, still mad at the man who habitually forgot General O'Neil's biggest rule. He glanced around. "Looks like you had fun."

Kate crossed her arms and eyed her brother. "Oh yeah, loads," she jerked a thumb towards Todd whom, somewhere between John's arrival and now, had wandered over to her and now stood, hovering, behind her. "Me and Todd had a blast. Can't wait to do it again."

John glared at her. "Uhuh, alright you, be as facetious as you want, we're going home and you are going to the infirmary."

Kate scowled. "I'm fine," she told her brother. "I just need a bath," she shrugged. "Breakfast couldn't hurt either."

John shot her a weathering glare. "So none of that blood's yours?" he asked dubiously, waving around at the carnage that surrounded them. "You're telling me that you came out of this whole mess scot free? I don't believe it!"

Kate rolled her eyes and opened her mouth.

"You should," Todd directed his comment towards the colonel. "Katherine is a skilled warrior. Very proficient."

John stared at him. "Did you just give her a compliment?"

Todd snarled at him.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Alright you two, simmer down," she got between the two males and put one hand on either of their chests. "Can we not and say we did. I want that bath and I'm hungry. Can we just go?"

Todd felt himself calm and looked downwards to the place where Katherine's palm lay flat, resting directly over his heart. Sheppard seemed to notice this as well for, when he looked up, the human was wearing the most peculiar expression.

Kate sighed. "What now?"

John pointed. "You're touching him," he looked up at her. "Why are you touching him?"

Kate let out an exasperated growl. "Because I can!" she snapped, pulling her hand away from Todd and crossing her arms irritably. "Can we _go_?"

John nodded mutely and felt his sister sweep past him. Todd followed and, with a sigh, he followed too.

~xXx~

There were very few times in his life were John had literally wanted to kill somebody. He'd wanted to kill Travers when the moron had asked Kate to marry him, had wanted to kill him again when the he'd caught the aforementioned moron cheating on her and he'd wanted to kill Todd once or twice. Now, however, the man whom he wanted to murder was Leon Strauss. After returning to Atlantis with Todd and Kate and cleaning up the gate room, Major Lorne had pulled the colonel aside and asked to speak t him privately. The story he'd then been told had infuriated him not just because Kate was his sister but because she was an officer, a member of his team and deserved the respect of both those above and below her on the chain of command. That the idiot had been stupid enough to say those things to her floored John and he'd wasted no time in ordering for the man to be sent to his office. Said man now stood in front of him visibly cowering and John felt really glad all of a sudden that he was apparently that terrifying.

"Now," he began, "Tell me, in your own words, what exactly you called Major Sheppard."

Strauss cringed before his commanding officer. "I…I d-didn't tell her anything more than the truth," he stammered, scared utterly shitless.

John's face twisted up into a snarl of rage. "And what truth would that be captain?" he asked dangerously. "Go on, answer honestly. I want to know what you have to say."

The captain swallowed. "I-I told her that the only reason she g-got the job here was because she's your s-sister and that she th-thinks she's better than us 'cause of what she can do."

John nodded. "Right, right," he fixed the man with a cold, hard stare. "And you called her a what?"

Strauss felt the blood leave his face. "I…I called her a…a…"

John's eyes narrowed. "You called her a cunt, Captain, which, according to the dictionary, is a woman who has no other purpose then as a hole for someone to fuck," he stood up from behind his desk and leaned towards the man that was now seating profusely on the other side. "Last time I checked, that word is generally considered to be the most offensive one in the whole damned English language and you, you used it to describe not only a female officer but a female officer who outranks you. Did you completely loose your mind or did you just never have one to begin with?"

Strauss came very close to fainting. "But Sir," he protested, "She -"

"She got sent here on orders from Washington, the same place you get your orders from!" John screamed, currently beyond furious and just downright livid. "Her orders came from General O'Neil, General Landry, Colonel Carter and a whole list of other people with a hell of a lot more power than me! _I_ didn't even know she knew about the stargate program until I saw her standing there and we both agreed not to tell anyone that we were siblings until after she'd been here a while. Hell, we might have never told anyone if a certain little grey menace hadn't spilled the God damned beans. Whatever reason you've got for why you think she got stationed here is absolutely false and you should be very glad that I don't' make it a habit t deck my officers!"

John took a deep breath, calmed down and then looked at the captain that was currently looking whiter then Casper. "As of this moment, you are no longer a member of the United States military. As of this moment, you have been dishonorably discharged and will receive no compensation, no recommendations and will never be allowed near a military base ever again. Go," he ordered, pointing towards the door. "Get out of my sight before I forget that I'm supposed to be acting as a Commanding Officer and just shoot you because you called my baby sister that word. OUT!"

Strauss scrambled backwards and John sat down heavily behind his desk. In the corner of the room, Lorne, who had been there the entire time, shot him a look. "Feel better now Sir?"

John scowled. "No," he said darkly. "Now I've gotta start the damned paperwork. Out processing people kills more trees then in processing them does."

Lorne snorted. "Yeah, well, look at it this way. At least we got rid of him now before he screwed up while she was giving him an order and got somebody killed."

"Small consolation," John sighed. "I really don't want to start the paperwork," he complained.

Lorne stood up. "So don't," he looked down at his CO. "Let it sit for a while, Woolsey can sue you. Come to the mess with me. Kate's eating and I actually think that Todd hasn't left yet."

John walked round the side of his desk and let his major lead the way towards the dining hall. "What hasn't he?" he asked, curious as to why Todd wasn't gone yet. Usually the wraith wasn't back in the city for more than five minutes before he was booking it back to his hive.

Lorne shrugged."Kate asked him to eat with her and he said yes. It's becoming a thing with them; she might actually end up being _his_ friend if we aren't careful."

John cringed. "Shudder the thought," he muttered as they entered the mess and, sure enough, spotted Todd the lingering wraith sitting across from Kate at a table on the far side of the mess hall. John frowned. "What do they talk about?" he asked.

"No idea," Lorne answered, already leading the way as he wove through chairs, tables and other Atlantis personal. "Having a nice chat?" he asked once he'd reached them.

Kate looked up. "We were until you came over here and interrupted it."

Her brother shot her a mock look of contrition. "Oh ha-ha, like he was saying anything interesting."

Kate glared at him. "You'd be surprised," she muttered.

John had nothing to say to that and chose to just sit down. He took the seat next to his sister rather than sit next to Todd and leaned back in his chair. "I've fired Strauss," he announced, turning towards her to get her reaction.

Kate made a face. "I think you should've let Todd eat him," she looked at the wraith sitting across from her. "Would you've done that for me?"

Todd raised an eye-ridge in amusement. "Consumed someone who had angered you?" he inclined his head. "Perhaps."

Kate looked at her brother. "There, you see, that would've been a better punishment."

John snickered. "Maybe, but it would've caused me more paperwork then I've already got waiting for me back in my office."

Kate smirked. "You have an office?" she teased.

John stuck his tongue out at her. Todd decided that it was time to go. Standing, he looked down on the still seated female. "I feel it is time that I depart."

"Ah yes," Kate looked up at the wraith now towering over her. Crossing her arms, she leaned back in her chair so that she could see him better. "Galactic domination and all that."

"Something to that effect," Todd affirmed and inclined his head towards her ever so slightly. "I bid you farewell, Katherine."

Kate smiled and nodded back. "Goodbye Todd. See you again soon."

The wraith grinned and John, who had watched the whole thing with a shocked looking expression on his face, suddenly became very nervous. The grin currently plastered onto the wraith's face was seriously creeping him out; it made him looked like the damned Cheshire cat. He was also pretty sure that Kate has been teasing him just a couple minutes ago which made him wonder if this was all just a really bad dream.

Todd smirked at her assumption knowing that he'd well do much within his power to make it fact. If for no other reason than Katherine Sheppard was the single most intriguing creature he had met in all his long life. With a final glance he turned on his heel and removed himself from the Lantean city.

As directed, his hive was waiting for him in high orbit and, after docking his dart, he made his way quickly to the bridge to confer with his second.

"Commander, you have returned," the young wraith called to him as he swept onto the bridge, his navigational officer quickly taking them out of orbit and opening a hyperspace window. "Your time amongst the humans was beneficial?"

Todd grunted. "To an extent," he replied before checking once over the officers, assessing them, and turning away from the helm. "Come, we have many topics which to discuss."

Without a word, his second nodded and followed.

* * *

**A/N: **And remember, reviews are the only way that fanfiction writers get paid so please, please, please, please, throw me a bone and push the little rectangular button. Please! I hope that you all enjoyed this revised chapter and that I shall hear from you all telling me as much. Now, it's onwards to chapter 4 and then 5 and 6 and then after that, season 8. Cheers!


	4. Murphy's Law

**A/N: **Here you go my loyal peeps, another episode just for you. There's a bit of McKeller fluff here at the beginning and for those of you who are reading this for my promise of wraithy goodness, Todd makes an apperance later on. Enjoy, have fun and please remeber to review :)

* * *

**Episode IV: Murphy's Law**

She missed the stars back on earth, missed knowing the history behind the different constellations, missed the man in the moon and how bright Venus was just before dawn and again at twilight. That didn't mean that the stars above Atlantis weren't beautiful, or that the twin moons didn't make for an interesting sight, it was just different.

"I'm glad you brought me out here," Jennifer sighed as she tore her gaze away from the stars and turned towards Rodney, "It's nice."

"Um, y-you think so?" Rodney asked uncertainly, nervous beyond all reason about what he was about to do, "Lorne said that you liked stargazing."

Jennifer smiled. "Yeah, I do, it was one of my favorite things to do as a kid. Mom bought me a telescope when I was six, I still have it at Dad's house back on earth."

Rodney rung his hands together. Even sitting next to her, not actually touching her his palms were sweaty. "Good, I wanted tonight to be special."

Something in his voice made the doctor frown and turn towards her boyfriend. "Rodney," she asked, her voice betraying her concern, "Is something wrong?"

Rodney's face took on a look of panic. "Wrong?" he jittered, "No, nothing is wrong I mean, something could be wrong very far away but not here. Here everything is perfect and," the physicist searched for something to distract himself from his own nervous rant and so pointed up, "Oh look, stars."

Worry creased Jennifer's face as she twisted towards him and reached out to take his hands. "Rodney," she soothed, "Why are you so nervous?"

"Nervous?" he echoed, "I'm n-not nervous, am I?"

Jennifer sighed. "Look, maybe we should go back inside -"

"No!" Rodney protested violently, startling the young doctor as he pulled one of his hands from hers and reached for the object that had been burning a hole through his pocket for over three months now, "I'm just, your right I am nervous, a lot actually I mean you could say no."

"Say no to what?" Jennifer asked curiously, laughing a little at the deer in the headlights expression on Rodney's face, "Rodney, what's going on?"

The Canadian scientist sighed. "I asked you to come out here tonight because I wanted to ask you something," he pulled the object from his pocket and held it out to her before his nerves could take over again, watching as her face took on a look of total surprise.

"Rodney, I-" Jennifer started as she stared at the perfect and most beautiful diamond ring she had ever seen nestled in a black velvet box held out to her in Rodney's shaking hands.

"Jennifer, you're the best thing that ever happened to me," Rodney explained and then continued before she could interrupt, "No, I mean it, the best and I can't imagine spending the rest of my life without you so, what I'm saying is, will you marry me?"

Jennifer was numb, from happiness and from shock. Tearing her eyes away from the ring she looked up into Rodney's imploring eyes and felt a wave of love wash through her. "Of course, Rodney," she smiled gently, watching the mother of all grins take over his face, "I will marry you."

"Really?" Rodney demanded more out of shock then anything else, stunned that she'd said yes, "Well that's good because if you'd of said no I might have just killed myself."

"Oh Rodney," Jennifer smiled and leaned forwards, placing a chaste kiss on his mouth before taking the box from his hands and removing the ring, "Put it on me?"

"Right," Rodney stumbled and took the ring from her fingers as she held out her hand and slid it onto her ring finger, "There you go, all nice and snug."

Jennifer grinned and turned so that she could lean against her new fiancé, returning her gaze to the stars. "I love you Rodney," she whispered, her voice almost lost amongst the ever present breeze drifting off the ocean.

"I love you too," Rodney answered her, content to hold her for the rest of the night.

~xXx~

"What does this look like to you?" Lorne asked Kate, holding up a piece of what was supposed to be fruit on the end of his fork for her to see.

Kate frowned. "Something that you shouldn't be eating," her stomach churned and she pushed her tray away from her, "Do the kitchen staff really expect us to eat that?"

"I think this is there was of getting back at Woolsey for implementing that new rule, what is it, number thirty-five or something?" responded Lorne with a depressed sigh.

"You mean stating that the majority of Atlantis produce must be natively grown?" Kate asked and frowned, "This stuff makes me miss mystery meat Mondays."

Lorne was forced to agree as he followed her example and shoved his tray to the side before turning back towards Kate. "Is it just me or is the fruit in this galaxy almost as weird as the people?"

His table companion shook her head. "It's not just you," Kate sighed, "The stuff Teyla's people trade us isn't half bad but," she trailed off as she shot the grayish brown chunks still laying on Lorne's plate darkly, "I think we should demand a refund from whoever gave us those."

"Hey guys," Jennifer hailed them as she slid into place on Kate's left before looking around and taking in the expressions on both marines faces, "What's up?"

Kate eyed the doctor before reaching across the table, spearing a piece of the uneatable looking fruit and holding it up for Jennifer to see. "Does this look eatable to you?" she asked, her left eyebrow raised in question.

Jennifer fought back the urge to throw up. "What is that?" she demanded, feeling her stomach clench at the thought of eating that whatever the hell it was.

Lorne shrugged. "It's supposed to be some kind of fruit," he suppressed a shutter as Kate put his fork back down, turning his gaze to Jennifer, "The Mateekins gave them to us."

"Well there's your problem right there," the doctor reasoned, "Aren't the Mateekins the ones whose whole planet smells like a waste processing plant?"

Kate and Lorne exchanged a glance. "That might explain things," Lorne nodded, still hungry despite the fact that the meal he'd been given was mostly uneatable.

"Yeah, it just might," Kate agreed and then, remembering that Jennifer and Rodney had gone out the night before, turned towards the young doctor and smiled, "So, how'd the date go last night?"

Jennifer blushed which caused both Lorne and Kate to look at each other.

"That well huh?" Lorne asked, a teasing grin playing with the corners of his mouth.

The petite blonde head medical officer of Atlantis nodded, her face alight with the largest grin that Kate had ever seen her friend wear.

"Well," Kate inquired, "What happened?"

Jennifer continued to smile as she looked around the table at her closest friends. "Rodney proposed," she told them before holding out her left hand for the both of them to see.

Lorne's eyes lit up. "Wow, I need McKay's paycheck!"

"Agreed, we should post an inquiry to Woolsey," Kate mocked as she took her friend's hand and inspected the rock that now sat on her ring finger, "It looks nice though, princess cut, is it white gold or platinum?"

"Platinum I think," Jennifer informed her, taking her hand back and looking down at the ring herself, still amazed that it was there at all, "Of course, knowing Rodney it could be some strange space metal that I can't even pronounce."

"Could be," Kate agreed, smiling at the doc, "So, how does one plan a wedding and run the medical department of Atlantis?"

The doctor sighed. "I have no idea."

"Well obviously the wedding is gonna be here right?" Kate asked, knowing the probability of Woolsey authorizing three thirds of the base leave all at the same time was less then likely.

Jennifer nodded. "Rodney said he'd talk to Woolsey about that," she informed them, "Obviously he wouldn't give us all leave but it would be kinda nice to have my dad here and everything, like normal people."

Lorne shrugged. "Well, you could always call in a favor at the SGC. They're bound to owe us something by now the least they can do is let your dad visit so he can walk you down the isle."

"I might take you up on that," Jennifer nodded, "Least they could do right?"

"Or ya know, my godfather is the president of the united States," Kate flashed her friend a wicked grin, "If I tell him one of my best friends is getting married I bet he would authorize more then just your dad through that gate."

"Isn't it wonderful to have influence?" Lorne asked in mock jealously and with a wistful smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

The female Sheppard nodded. "That it is. So," she turned towards the doctor, "What are we doing about the dress?"

Lorne considered this. "Just a suggestion, but since we're in the Pegasus galaxy it might be nice if we sorta blinded their traditions with ours a bit. Just a theory."

"Some of the Athosians are pretty fair seamstresses," Kate commented, "I'm sure if you asked Teyla -"

"Asked me what, exactly?" the Athosian herself interrupted as she too, came to join their table.

"Rodney proposed to me last night," Jennifer informed her which earned her a smile from her native friend.

"Congratulations," Teyla announced, leaning forwards to offer the blonde woman a hug, "Now, what should you be asking me?"

"Lorne thought it'd be nice to incorporate some of the native traditions into the wedding and I was just about to suggest that Jennifer should ask you if one of your people could make her a dress," Kate supplied.

Teyla smiled gently. "I would be more then happy to ask."

Jennifer sighed. "Great, that'll save a trip to earth and an argument with Woolsey."

"Two very good things," Lorne observed.

"Yes," Jennifer agreed, "Now, there are some other things that I need help with…"

~xXx~

"Nervous?" Lorne asked, glancing to his left at the doc who was currently ringing her hands together.

"Mm?" Jennifer asked absentmindedly and then sighed, "I'm sorry, I guess I am just a little."

Lorne smiled. "Don't worry, it'll all be fine."

Jennifer laughed nervously. "I hope so."

"It will," Lorne reassured her and then stepped closer to her, "Look, McKay'll be back from his mission in two hours, Kate's trying on her dress, there's nothing to worry about."

Jennifer nodded, inclined to listen to Lorne for the time being if for no other reason then she really needed to calm down. Unfortunately for her, given the circumstances, that was hard to do. For the past week and a half Atlantis, or at least the people in charge of Atlantis, had taken a holiday in order to help Jennifer and Rodney plan their wedding. Looking back, Jennifer could honestly say things could have gone worse and now, looking forwards, all the future bride could hope for was smooth sailing and calm waters.

However, after having lived in the Pegasus galaxy for three year, Jennifer wasn't that naive and knew that if she managed to marry Rodney at all - without something blowing up or the wraith attacking - it would be a miracle. The activation of the stargate was a welcomed distraction from her thoughts as was the pat on the back from Lorne as Woolsey joined them on the floor.

"Everything will be fine," the usually quiet director of Atlantis asked his head medical doctor, knowing that she needed as much reassurance that things would not go horribly wrong as she could get.

Jennifer could do nothing but nod mutely and gulp as a severe and plump looking woman walked through the gate and stopped just inside the city.

"Well," sniffed the woman as she looked around in what Jennifer supposed could be described as controlled wonder, as if she thought looking too mystified would be beneath her, "This is certainly more then I expected."

"Really?" the second person through the gate, an equally controlled looking man with graying hair and a prim attitude that put Mr. Woolsey to shame asked of the woman, "You mean something actually managed to surpass your expectations?"

The woman scowled and Jennifer felt her heart plummet as the look on her face reminded her very much of Rodney when he was particularly angry about something. "Watch your tongue you arrogant, self-righteous -"

"Mum, dad!" a new voice yelled through the rising tensions and Jennifer felt both relieved and disheartened to see Rodney's sister as she now knew that these two unpleasant folks were going to end up her in-laws. The movie Monster in Law came to mind quickly and she saw both Evan and Woolsey shoot her apologetic looks.

Her parent's tempers quelled for now, Jeannie turned towards the mild mannered and sweet doctor whom she still could not believe had managed to fall in love with her brother. "Hey Jennifer," she greeted and saw some of the other woman's stiffness fade, "It's been a while."

"Yeah, over a year," Jennifer agreed as she stepped forwards to hug the woman before turned towards the newly appeared man and child who had come to join them, "Hey, remember me?" she asked Madison who smiled and nodded, wrapping her arms around Jennifer's middle as a way of greeting.

"Maddie talks about you all the time," Caleb informed her, scooting closer to his wife who in turn had scooted farther away from her parents as it looked like they were about to go off again, "This place is really, really out there."

"Are we really in another galaxy?" Madison asked.

Jennifer smiled. "Yes, we really ar-"

"Jenny!"

Jennifer turned, a bright smile appearing on her face, her worries melting away as her father gathered her in for a bone crushing hug. "Hey Dad," she whispered, head snug under his chin just like when she was a child, "Glad you could come."

"Jenny, honey this is amazing, all of it," the elderly man looked over his daughter who reminded him so much of his late wife, "Boy, when you said you got to see some incredible things I never thought -"

"Yeah it's a bit to take in," Jennifer agreed, needing to calm her father down before he could overexcite himself, "Here, I'd like you to meet one of my best friends. This is Major Evan Lorne."

"Ah the humorous and honorable Evan," Mr. Keller exclaimed as he shook the young man's hand, "My Jenny has told me some stories about you."

"All good I hope," Lorne smiled, clearly seeing where Jennifer got her good humor from.

"You bet," Mr. Keller released his hand, turning once more towards his daughter, "So, not that I'm not just glad to see you but is there a particular reason why I got flown to Colorado, briefed for eight and a half hours on top secret stuff and then traveled to another galaxy?"

Jennifer fumbled, her nervousness returning in full force. "Um, well…"

"Come now, child," the severe woman, Rodney's mother Jennifer reminded herself, snipped, "The man brings up a good point. I would very much like to know -"

The woman's brusque inquiry was cut short as the chevrons on the gate began to activate and Woolsey called everyone to back up. The guests and the normal inhabitants of the city retreated as the shield went up and technician Banks called out the customary "Unscheduled off-world activation!"

Woolsey, who had been talking to Dr. Beckett and Lt. Cadman, excused himself and made for the control room. "Do we have identification?" he asked, coming to rest in his customary spot of authority next to the DHD.

Banks shook her head. "Not yet," she informed the bespeckled man, "Hold on, it's Teyla."

Woolsey sighed. "Lower the shield."

Because it was this particular team that was returning three hours early, Woolsey was not at all surprised when, as soon as the shield lowered, a blast of green wraith energy fire came through the event horizon and struck the east wall. The guests and returning expedition members below in the gate room scattered and in some cases screamed, backing up and pressing themselves into the walls or retreating part ways down a nearby corridor. Turning towards the gate, Woolsey was greeted with the arrival of a battle weary Teyla and Ronon as the two Pegasus natives bolted through the wormhole. Both turned and continued to fire through the open stargate as Sheppard joined them, reaching for his radio as he too continued to fire.

"Now would be good McKay!," the colonel yelled and was rewarded a second later by the appearance of aforementioned scientist. As the gate deactivated his team's resident geek turned on him in furry.

"The next time I tell you not to touch something Sheppard, I mean it don't touch it. I mean, do you have any idea how valuable that piece of technology could have been?" the pissed off, bruised and sore Canadian yelled, completely unaware that there were other people in the gate room besides his bloodied and shot up team.

John was not so oblivious. "Ah, McKay?" he attempted, glancing around the room and taking in the complete looks of shock on the majority of the peoples faces.

Rodney ignored him, too angry at the loss of what might have been a invaluable piece of technology to really give a damn about anything else. "But no you didn't listen to me," he ranted, his voice rising as he talked over another attempt to distract him courtesy of Colonel Fuck-Up, "Just like you always do and we've lost yet another -"

"Rodney!"

Rodney stopped mid-tirade and grew silent in the wake of Jennifer's reprimand. Looking around in order to find her, he suddenly became aware of just what exactly Sheppard had been trying to tell him. "Um, hello," Rodney mumbled sheepishly, a red flush beginning to creep up the back of his neck as he spotted his sister who as shaking her head at him exasperatedly, "I-I didn't expect you all to be here already."

"Oh aye, obviously," Carson called as his friend turned towards him, a miffed sort of look on his face.

"Hey I could do without the side comments Doctor McTravet," Rodney fumed, invoking the Scottish clan form which Carson claimed homage, "I've had a very bad day, if you couldn't tell and I would really like some -"

"Rodney," Jennifer pleased again, this time coming to the front of the crowd and stepping over to her dad.

"Sorry," Rodney mumbled, ignoring the snicker form the colonel that he always got whenever Jennifer managed to scold him, "Yes?" he questioned, knowing by her face that she was about to tell him something.

"This is my dad," she announced, holding out both hands in the sort of manner the wheel of fortune girl always did when she was revealing a letter.

Rodney felt his heart go straight to his stomach having never been good at meeting a girl's parents. "Um, hi," he squeaked which earned him another snicker from Sheppard which he choose to ignore, "Pleased to…meet you."

"Jenny," Mr. Keller asked, tilting his head towards his daughter in question, "What's going on? Who is this?"

"This," Jennifer explained, crossing the room and taking up Rodney's hand in hers as together the two of them faced the gathered people, "Is Dr. Rodney McKay, my fiancé."

"Fiancé!" a disapproving female voice sounded through the room and Rodney groaned as he remembered that out of some sort of misplaced since of duty, he'd invited his parents, "You're marrying this, this…woman?!?!"

Rodney rolled his eyes and felt Jennifer shrink into his side at the malice in his mother's voice. "That would be the definition of fiancé. One to which you are engaged to be married to."

His mother glared at him. "Don't you dare take that tone with me Meredith, I-"

"Mother!" both Jeannie and Rodney yelled at the same time which, combined with the ambiance of where they were or perhaps the fact that he was still holding on tightly to his P90, made the woman that had birthed them shut up.

"You really shouldn't talk to your mother that way," their father scolded his grown children.

"Well maybe she shouldn't insult the woman that I -"

"The reason why you are all here," Woolsey intervened having descended from the control room in order to bring about some sort of civility to the proceedings, "Is because in two days time, Dr. McKay will be marring Dr. Keller and," he stressed as he could see that Rodney's mother was about to interrupt, "They have both expressed the desire to have you all here to witness it. So, can we all try to get along and please, Mrs. -?"

"Doctor. Georgiana Appolene," McKay's mother supplied in response to the balding man's inquiry.

"Dr. Appolene," Woolsey amended, "I am going to have to ask you to refrain from insulting members of my senior staff. That includes your son."

Dr. Appolene let out an angry humph that was a cross between a wail and a growl. To her left. Mr. McKay shot an appreciatory nod towards the man who seemed to be in charge.

When he was sure that the odious woman wasn't going to throw a fit, Woolsey continued. "Now, I'm sure you all are tired so, if you will please follow Major Lorne he will take you to your rooms," the guests began to dissipate, "Jennifer, I know you have a project to get back to in the infirmary," the doctor nodded and moved away from Rodney's side after giving his hand a quick squeeze, "Atlantis One," Woolsey turned to the only four people left in the gate room, "Will you please join me in the briefing room."

With a synchronized nod from the four of them, he turned on his heel and trusted them to follow.

~xXx~

"Are you really sure you want to marry him, sweetie?" Mr. Keller asked his daughter over lunch, "I mean, I haven't gotten to talk to him much but based off his parent's example I gotta say -"

"Dad," Jennifer said gently but firmly, "I'm getting married tomorrow to the man I love. Now I know he can be a little -" Jenifer paused as she struggled to find the right words to most accurately describe her fiancé.

"Arrogant, self glorifying, obnoxious and rude?" her father supplied and watched as his daughter sagged before him, "Jenny, I just want you to be happy and I'm not so sure -"

"Rodney is a great man Dad," Jennifer protested, fiddling with her fork and her mashed potatoes as she tried to make her father understand, "He's just a little overbearing when you first meet him."

"A little?" Mr. Keller quipped with a snort as he took a bite of his Salisbury steak and swallowed, "Jenny,"

"He's the smartest man in two galaxies, he's saves the world I don't know how many times," Jennifer rattled off a list of praises, "He has a good heart and so what if nobody else likes him, I like him and that's all that matters."

Mr. Keller sighed, knowing his daughter well enough to know that nothing he said was going to change her mind and in less then twenty-four hours he was going to Rodney McKay as a son-in-law. "Alright, princess," he surrendered, "So long as your sure."

"I am," Jennifer said with conviction, "Just, give him a chance you'll see."

"I'm sure I will," Mr. Keller said, sighing and leaning back in his chair before studying his tray, "So the food -"

"Is terrible," Jennifer finished for him and nodded, "Well, not all of it but the kitchen staff seems to have hit a dry spell lately. Kate!" she hailed her friend as soon as she saw her come out of the food line.

"Hey," Kate greeted as she set down her tray and sat to Jennifer's left, pullin her chair in as she deposited a small tub of ice cream and a spoon onto her friend's tray, "So, I heard Rodney's parent's think you're an idiot."

Jennifer frowned. "That's the concisions yes."

"And the fact that you got your doctorate at twenty-three and that out of all of the doctors on the planet you're the best because you're here mean nothing I suppose?" Kate asked mockingly.

"Apparently not," Jennifer sighed before she finally eyed the little tub that was now sitting innocently on her tray with a spoon balanced on top, "Strawberry," she grinned before eyeing her benefactress, "Is this the last one?"

"You looked like you could use some cheering up," Kate informed her matter-of-factly, "A bride shouldn't be gloomy the day before her wedding. Now, I will have you know that I bribed Sergeant Adams for that so I will be insulted if you don't eat all of it."

Jennifer grinned. "Oh, I will," she laughed, "I'll eat every lasted bite."

"See that you do," Kate said primly before breaking out into laughter, "There, now you look happy and all it took was me offering to do rounds for a week."

As soon as her laugher was under control, Jennifer turned towards her dad who was nodding approvingly at Kate. "Kate this is my dad. Dad this is Kate."

Having liked the girl since watching her treat his baby girl to her favorite dessert, the old retired ER doctor leaned forwards to shake her hand good naturally. "Pleased to meet you miss?

"Sheppard," Kate supplied, "Major Kate Sheppard."

"She's my maid of honor," Jennifer informed her father with a smile as she licked her spoon completely clean before digging it back into the creamy, strawberry goodness.

"Well it is an honor to meet you then Major Sheppard," Mr. Keller nodded.

"Sheppard?" asked a confused sounding Scottish drawl as Carson and Lorne came to join them, "Any relation to our dear Colonel?"

"Sister, actually," Lorne answered in Kate's stead as he and the former Atlantis doc took their seats, "So you're the reason Adams is in such a good mood."

"Guilty," Kate smiled up at Evan before tuning towards the Scottish speaking doctor, "You must be the infamous Carson Beckett, I've heard stories."

"Don't worry, not a one of them is true," Carson exclaimed as he settled at the table and looked across from him at the lovely young woman that did, now that he thought of it, look a wee bit like the Colonel, "So, do you have a name lass or is just the Colonel's sister?"

"Kate," she replied kindly, "And please, don't call me the Colonel's sister or I'll be forced to hurt you."

Carson laughed, yes she was definitely a relation of John's. "Kate will be short of Katherine then?" he asked only to receive a shake of the head from both Lorne and Jennifer, "What'd I say?"

"Nobody calls me Katherine unless they have a death wish," Kate informed him with a smile, "These two," she jerked her thumbs at both her fellow marine and the bride to be, "Are just giving you a hard time."

"Well I'm used to that," Carson lamented and then prepared to tuck in, "So, you ready to get married tomorrow?" he asked the lass adjacent him.

"To McKay," Lorne quipped which earned him a slap fro Kate, "Awe, not so hard."

"Sorry," Kate shrugged, "Don't know my own strength."

"Oh like hell you don't miss super solider," Lorne glared at her.

"Super soldier?" Mr. Keller asked, eyeing the girl that didn't look like she could be more then a hundred and twenty pounds, "What's this now?"

Kate sighed and turned towards Jennifer's father to explain only to have the old man wave his hands around.

"If this is another explanation of something classified or dealing with alien technology I don't want to know," he stood up, leaning over the table to kiss his daughter on the forehead, "Try not to stay up too late okay sweetie, although you've probably heard all of this before. I'm going to bed."

"Okay," Jennifer said, "Night Dad."

"Night Jenny," he walked away, "Kate, Evan, Carson it was nice to meet you. I'll see you all at the ceremony."

"What's this now?" Carson asked as Lorne hopped over and took Mr. Keller's vacated seat, "You going to explain yourself missy?"

Kate grinned. "You've been working at the SGC for a while now right?"

Carson nodded. "Aye."

"Know what an NC26 is?" Kate inquired, her left eyebrow raised.

Carson sighed. "Oh, aye, unfortunately. Nasty little buggers most of them. Some of them aren't bad though. Ninety-One and Twelve are the nicest and I've heard nothing but good things about the one that used to be on SG-1," he paused and frowned, "Can't remember her number for the life of me."

"Try Seventy-Four, Lorne offered

Carson eyed him. "How'd you -"

Both Lorne and Jennifer pointed at Kate who was in turn pointing at herself. "Seventy-Four," Kate grinned.

"Oh my," Carson exclaimed, sitting back in his chair, "Well, you needn't say another word. That just about summed it all up for me."

Kate laughed. "Yes, well that's also why John's never mentioned me. Top, top secret and all that jazz my big brother didn't even know what I did for a living other then I was military until four months ago."

Jennifer turned towards her. "Have you really only been here that long?" at Kate's conformational nod the blonde doctor frowned, "Seems longer."

Kate shrugged. "Well, considering that none of the three of us ever sleep much I can see why four months might seem like a long time."

Carson smirked and Lorne snickered. "She's got a point Jenn."

"I suppose so," Jennifer agreed slowly before sighing, "Well, I think I should probably go to bed. Busy day tomorrow."

"Assuming nothing goes wrong," Lorne imputed.

"Everything will be fine, just you wait and see," Carson guaranteed, offering a smile up to Jennifer, "Go get some rest lass.

Jennifer smiled back and left the table leaving Kate with the guys as she headed off to get some rest.

~xXx~

"You look beautiful Jennifer," Teyla's voice flowed over her as the Athosian woman finished brushing her hair and leaned forwards to place the brush on the table before her, "The perfect bride."

Jennifer blushed, looking at herself in the mirror she couldn't believe that in just a few short hours she would be getting married. "Thank you," she breathed and sighed heavily as she turned on her stool to eye Kate who was bent over messing with the hem of her dress. "Kate?" Jennifer questioned, "What's wrong?"

Kate looked up, her face projecting a perfect smile even if she was absolutely miserable. "Nothing, Jenn," she assured the bride, "I'm just not used to wearing a dress is all."

Jennifer snorted. "Well, I would have let you wear combat boots under it if I thought Rodney's mother would have let you get away with it."

All three of them pulled a face at the mention of Dr. Appolene. "That woman is a menace," Teyla exclaimed in a most un-Teyla like fashion that let them all know exactly how much of an annoyance the Athosian thought the woman really was.

"And we thought Rodney was bad," Kate agreed and then turned to Jennifer, "In the good sort of way though. Sorry, I didn't mean to bash your groom on your wedding day."

Jennifer waved away her concern. "No, go right ahead. I know what kind of man I'm marrying and I love him anyways."

"More power to you then, just pray that any children you have take after you," Kate exclaimed before frowning, thinking she heard her radio crackle. Turning to Teyla she frowned, "Did you hear that?"

Teyla nodded. "Yes, I -"

There was a knock on the door followed by Lorne's voice. "Are you all decent?"

Curious, and carefully as she was still getting re-accustomed to wearing high heels, Kate crossed to the door and poked her head out. "Evan," her eyes traveled over her friend as he stood outside the door, "Lookin' good, what's up?"

"Thanks," he replied to her comment on his appearance before allowing concern to color his face, betraying the fact that something was wrong. "The marines on duty radioed, want us to meet them out on the east pier," he made sure to keep his voice low so as not to alert Jennifer to there being anything amiss, "Your brother's already there."

Kate frowned, realizing that she should have known that something was bound to go wrong. This was Atlantis after all and here Murphy was King. "Give me a minute to come up with an excuse and I'll meet you there," she whispered, receiving a nod from Lorne before turning back and closing the door, ready to give Jennifer an excuse as to why she had to leave.

"But you'll be right back right?" Jennifer pleaded desperately, "I can't do this without you."

"I promise," Kate assured her friend gently as she glanced over at Teyla who nodded, conveying that she would take care of her until she returned, "I'll be right back," Kate repeated and then sped out the door cursing her wardrobe as she did for the restrictions it placed on her speed capabilities.

~xXx~

Meanwhile, out on the east pier, John was glaring most violently at Todd whom the tuxedo clad Colonel was vastly unhappy to see at the moment. "This had better be good," John growled through clenched teeth at the alien as he awaited the arrival of Lorne and his sister.

Lorne got there first and, eyeing his incensed commanding officer, could not help but to ask, "What's he doing here?"

John snarled. "I have no idea."

In response to the both the colonel and the major's foul moods, the wraith rolled his eyes. In all his years of dealing with these particular humans, Todd couldn't remember them ever being this unhappy to see him. That, and noting the peculiar way the two males in front of him were dressed he came to the conclusion that they were celebrating something as nothing else would account for their formal attire.

"Am I interrupting something?" the wraith asked, shifting his head between the two of them in curiosity.

Neither John or Lorne got the chance to answer that question as a loud and very annoyed sounding scream pierced the air.

"WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!"

Turning, all three males got their first good look at a clearly unhappy and mightily perturbed Kate who was traversing the distance to the end of the pier as quickly as her current state of dress would allow.

"Cleans up nice don't she?" John asked of Lorne who, having not been able to get the full effect of Kate as she'd peaked through the door ten minutes previously, now stood to his commanding officer's left staring at the approaching woman in all her glory.

"Yes Sir," Lorne replied quickly and forcefully which earned him a look form Sheppard, "Sorry Sir."

Todd had to personally agree with the major. While it was a fact to him that Katherine Sheppard was visually stimulating on a normal day he had yet to see her put any real effort into her appearance as so many females thought the galaxy, regardless of species, were want to do. Now, having put such effort and care into her outwards appearance the oncoming female was proving to be quite the distraction to him in a way that no human had ever been thus far. As both Sheppard and Lorne were otherwise engaged, the wraith allowed his eyes to covertly and expertly cover Katherine from toe to head in appreciation, imprinting this image of her into his mind to study at a later date.

Upon reaching her brother, Lorne and the uninvited wraith, Kate brushed a strand of her cascading hair from her face and turned towards her aforementioned sibling. "Now," she said gently, displaying much more decorum then she felt at the moment, "What's going on and why is he here?"

John was about to answer when he was cut off by the wraith who, upon second glance, was eyeing his sister in a way that made him nervous.

"Katherine," Todd rumbled, bowing slightly towards her in a court like gesture that he had not employed in a long time.

Wide eyed, stunned and thinking that Todd couldn't get any stranger; John turned to Lorne rather then continue to contemplate what Todd the wraith Commander bowing to his sister and looking at her that way could possibly mean. "You left Beckett with Rodney right?" he asked, noting that the wraith had yet to look away from Kate and seemed to be trying to memorize her.

Lorne nodded, slightly mystified at the wraith's actions while inwardly praying that he wasn't about to tell Kate that she was desirable again. So far both his testaments to that fact had been kept a secret from Sheppard and Evan Lorne wanted very much to keep it that way. "Yeah," he said instead, "Gave him some lame excuse about there being a problem flux capacitor."

"Flux capacitor are you serious?" Kate demanded, tearing her eyes away from the intensely staring wraith to look over at her fellow major.

Lorne shrugged. "McKay's too jittery to add two plus two right now, he didn't notice. Beckett on the other hand -"

"Whatever works," John interrupted his sister and Lorne before the latter could finish his sentence, "All I care about right now is that neither Keller or McKay find out what is going on."

Lorne and Kate nodded.

"Right," John turned towards the wraith who slowly drew his gaze away from Kate and towards his own, "And you, I realize it's a rare opportunity to see Kate in a dress and all dolled up, and you're probably never gonna see her like this again, but we're kinda on a schedule here so can you please tell us why you're here so that you can leave?"

Todd sighed as he began to tell the impatient humans why he was here. "There is a hive on approach. My communications officer was able to intercept a transmission detailing their intent to another hive within their alliance. I thought," he gave Sheppard a look that expressed the thought that the humans should be more grateful, "That you might like some warning."

John swore; using every curse word he knew in the span of a minute while hopping up and down like an angry horny toad.

"Nice, Sir," Lorne nodded approval when Sheppard was done, "Next time why don't you try and go in alphabetical order?"

"I'll try," John sighed irritably, running a hand through his hair and turning towards his sister who looked less impressed then the major, "How long 'til show time?"

"Two hours," Kate answered.

John turned back to the harbinger of doom. "How long until the hive gets here?"

"By my calculations," Todd began smoothly, "They should be here within an hour and a half."

Lorne scowled. "Well that's not much of a time frame now is it?"

Both Sheppards silently agreed with him.

Todd, meanwhile, wanted to know what they were talking about and so decided to ask, "May I inquire as to why you humans are attired so formally?"

"McKay and Keller are getting married in two hours," John informed the wraith dismissively before turning towards Kate and Lorne, "Okay, this is what we're gonna do. Kate, go back and tell Teyla what's going on and then tell Jenn that you're gonna help us with something. Make something up, I don't care just don't tell the bride what's really going on."

John rounded on Lorne. "You' re gonna go back to McKay and keep him occupied, find Ronon and send him out here," the colonel turned to their alien ally, "You, you're with me. You warned us, we thank you and now you're gonna help us. We have an hour and a half to come up with a way to blow up this hive and save Atlantis without either Rodney or Jennifer finding out"

~xXx~

Ronon, all things considered and being quite unhappy to see Todd, was taking the situation rather well. He'd stood quietly while John had filled him on what was going on and other then shooting the wraith one or two death glares the whole explanation had gone rather smoothly. Personally, John felt that this might have had something to do with the fact that the Setedan, who had been forced into a suit at gun point an hour previously, at the moment didn't have any weapons on him.

After listening to Sheppard explain what was going on, the former runner turned to eye Sheppard. "Can't get a day off, huh?"

"Apparently not," John muttered and then turned at the sound of footsteps that let him know Kate was back.

She entered Rodney's lab with a grim expression on her face, coming to a stop besides the black clad wraith. "So, what's the plan?" she asked, looking around the room expectantly.

John looked down at his watch, "According to Todd we have approximately forty-five minutes in which to find a way to defend the city from impending wraith attack."

"That's not much time," Ronon grunted.

"No, it's not," John agreed as he leaned forwards against a workbench, "So, any idea's?"

"The hive is traveling here under the heading recorded from the last Atlantis attack a year ago, perhaps if we move the city it will buy us more time?" Todd proposed when it was clear that the humans were not at their best today as far as brilliant if slightly crazy ideas were concerned.

Again, Tunney and Nye eyed each other, posing questioning looks to the others.

Kate groaned as she turned towards her brother, "Do you wanna fly or should I?"

John shook his head. "You go, I'll round up anyone who can fly a jumper who isn't already at the wedding."

"Good," she glanced over at Todd, "You get to come with me," she headed towards the door but stopped almost causing the wraith to run into her as she turned back towards her brother. "You gonna lie to the guests?"

"Yeah, thought I might," John grimaced, not at all looking forwards to that particular task.

"Well since Jenn's ready room is on the way to the chair room, I thought I might drop by to see if I can calm her down," Kate reasoned.

"Don't let Jennifer see him," Ronon called after her.

Kate took the advice cordially and led Todd off down the hall before stopping in front of the bride's door. "Teyla, it's me," Kate knocked and waved at the hovering wraith to get him farther away from the door.

"Kate, what is going on?" Teyla asked as she opened the door and peeked out. A sound to her left bade her turn and upon seeing the figure standing there her eyes widened.

"We're gonna move the city," Kate whispered urgently to the Athosian, fully aware that Todd's eyes were back on her again.

Teyla frowned. "What is wrong?"

"There's a wraith ship coming," Kate explained, "Look, tell Jennifer that we're moving the city to avoid a storm."

Teyla closed her eyes and nodded. "I will, good luck Kate."

"Thanks," Kate replied as Teyla moved back and closed the door before turning and motioning for Todd to continue following her, "Come on, this way."

~xXx~

"Nothing is wrong Rodney," Carson tried for what had to be the tenth time since Colonel Sheppard had been called away. The Canadian scientist was currently pacing back and forth across his quarters and it was driving both the doctor and the marine mad.

"I know, I know but Sheppard should be back by now," Rodney rationalized, "Something's wrong, it has to be other wise he'd be here and -"

His tirade was interrupted by a abrupt knock on his door before Lorne went to answer it.

"Hey, we're moving the city," Ronon informed the gathered men as he stepped into the room only to be attacked by the worried groom.

"What? Why?" Rodney demanded, "Oh, I knew something was wrong why couldn't everything go right for just one -"

"Nothing's wrong McKay," Ronon assured him, feeling only slightly bad that he was lying to the man.

"Then why are we moving the city?" Rodney demanded.

Ronon grabbed at the first idea he could think of. "There's a storm coming."

Rodney deflated, too nervous to see through the lie. "Oh, well then where's Sheppard?"

"Down in the chair room," Ronon lied again.

"Oh," Rodney sighed, sitting down on his bed and putting his head in his hands, "I need Sheppard here."

"What for?" Carson asked, concern seeping though his voice at the disparity in Rodney's tone.

Rondey sighed. "Don't tell him I told you this but, after you, John Shepaprd is probably my best friend and I…I'm getting married in an hour and I really can't do this without him," he took a breath, "Well, I mean I could do it without him but I don't want to."

"Wow," Ronon grunted.

"Aye," Carson nodded, his eyes wide, "I didn't know you had it in you to be actually nice."

"Yeah well, just don't tell him okay," Rodney pleaded.

"My lips are sealed," Lorne promised and ten looked down at his watch, "Hey, it's getting to be time. Rodney you need to take a shower ad get dressed."

The physicist nodded, too numb to argue. "Okay, shower right," he got up and headed towards the bathroom.

As soon as the bathroom door was closed, Carson turned on the major and Ronon. "Okay, I know what you told him but I don't buy it," he eyed them both, "What's going on?"

Lorne and Ronon looked at each other before the former sighed. "There's a hive on it's way."

Carson exhaled. "How do you know?"

Ronon grunted. "Todd."

Carson blinked. "You're wraith friend?"

"He's not a friend," Ronon protested, crossing his arms, "Look I gotta get back to Sheppard."

"We'll keep him sane," Lorne nodded towards the door, "Or at least try to."

"Right, have fun with that," Ronon said and then turned to leave the room.

~xXx~

Todd had to admit, as he followed Katherine down farther and farther into the bowels of the city, that he was surprised the humans were allowing him this sort of freedom even given the circumstance. Prior experience had taught him that even when their situation was are dire as it was now, the humans were unable to overcome their steadfast belief that he was going to double cross them. As a result, even when he came to give them warning, he was often kept in the brig whilst they scurried around trying to save themselves. It was face that, because of this mistrust, as often as he found himself in this city over resent years he had only seen perhaps a tenth of it and never had he been allowed to travel this far within her depths.

Then again, perhaps this new trust in him had more to do with the woman currently leading him then in any oversight on Sheppard's part.

"I will admit that I am surprised to see you in a gown, Katherine," he observed, using the opportunity away from Sheppard's piercing gaze to speak his mind as he was not able to do when he had first seen her dressed so elegantly.

Ahead of him, Kate felt her skin flush in the slightest blush as there was a certain undertone in his voice that allowed her the realization that the comment, while being outwardly an opinion was a veiled compliment. "Well, there are certain occasions every now and then when a dress is necessary," she glanced over her shoulder at her darkly following shadow, "You've never been to a wedding before have you?"

Todd considered this. "A human bonding ceremony," he substituted that that was indeed what she meant by 'wedding', "No."

For a few minutes Kate said nothing as she continued to lead him through winding corridors and down several flights of stairs. Eventually, however, her curiosity caught up with her. "Do wraith have bonding ceremonies?" she asked, using his terminology rather then repeating her own, "I mean do you even get married?"

Her question amused him and he felt compelled to answer her. "Not as you would understand."

"That's a no, then," Kate concluded and wondered why he had to be obtuse instead of just saying no before deciding that it was just a part of his nature. Her curiosity in him grew even through her agitation.

Catching her slight annoyance and remembering her eagerness to learn more of his culture the last time he had seen her, Todd was compelled to continue. "Wraith do not marry as you humans do," he attempted to explain, not sure if she would be able to grasp this very rare concept or not, "Devotion to one and only one is rare among my kind although not unheard of. Temporary matings are more common."

Kate considered this new information. "So no _''til death do you part' _for you guys huh?" she asked, quoting the usual closing blessing.

Her words both surprised and intrigued him. "That is a part of your vows?" he asked.

"Well yeah," Kate explained, "Ideally you only get married once in your life thus the vow of 'til death do you part'. Doesn't always happen; John's been divorced, our older brother David's been married twice and I almost got married. It just doesn't always work out like we want it to."

The knowledge that she had almost become bound to another prickled at his curiosity in a way that was unfamiliar to him. The thought that she was unclaimed drawing from him a strange contentment that he could not entirely explain. "You did not complete your bonding ceremony? Why?"

By this time they had entered the chair room and Kate moved forwards to turn the controls on and let them start powering up before turning back to the wraith. "Todd was an asshole," she explained and then clarified seeing as the alien male was more then fairly confused by that statement, "My fiancé, the guy I was supposed to marry, his name is Todd Travers. Actually, according to John, he's your namesake."

The idea that Sheppard had named him after a man that had apparently caused Katherine a bit of harm did not suit him well upon reflection but, unfortunately, it was too late to request a name change from the Colonel. That and truth be told, having been called as such for so long, Todd had grown rather fond of his human name and had no wish to have it changed. Curiosity, however, over Katherine's uncompleted nuptials continued to nag at him and as the room began to grow brighter as the control consuls beeped and hummed he decided to question her farther.

"That," he spoke of the affiliation between him and her almost mate, "Is unfortunate," he turned his head towards her as she looked over the power outputs, "You did not…marry?"

Kate smiled at the memory, grinning over the look on his face as she'd thrown down her bouquet and picked up her gown, turning and running out of the chapel. "Left him standing at the alter actually," she glowed with pride over her past act, "My parents wanted me to marry him because he was the only quote un-quote acceptable man that would have me. He was an idiot not to mention a chauvinistic pig and a complete bastard."

The wraith found himself wondering what he would do if ever he met this man whom he had been named after and came to the conclusion that if he was what Katherine suggested then he would most likely do onto him some degree of harm. As he was deciding this, Katherine had seated herself in the weapons' chair in the center of the room, the dais it was on becoming illuminated as she stepped up to it and reclined herself.

"Tell me when, John," Kate called, pressing her radio and then sitting back to wait.

~xXx~

In the control room, John pressed his own radio com. "Copy that," he replied and then turned to Ronon, "Okay, she's in position."

Ronon nodded and then jerked his head towards guests below them in the chairs that had been erected in front of the gate. "How are you gonna explain the city moving to them?"

John frowned. "I'll think of something," he said and slapped Ronon's shoulder before walking down to the gate room and standing in front of all the guests. "Hey there," he called out nervously, completely aware that he sounded way more then lame at the moment, "Listen, it's just come to my attention that there's a storm headed this way, a hurricane about the size of Texas so we're gonna be moving the city to calmer waters so to speak," a quick look around the room told him that everyone who wasn't from Atlantis believed him, everyone else was eyeing him with looks as if to say 'what now?', "Anyways if you feel a slight jarring sensation it's nothing unusual just don't panic the ceremony will still start as planned," he finished and then sped away from the crowd as quickly as humanly possible.

Ronon was waiting for him at the end of the aisle. "Nice cover story," was the sarcastic remark awaiting him as they began o walk back towards Rodney's lab; the guests already buzzing behind them.

"It was the best thing I could come up with," John defended himself, "I'd like to see you do better."

"Actually I told McKay the same thing," Ronon shrugged which earned him a smirk from Sheppard.

"See, great minds think alike," he started to walk off, "Now, lets go brace ourselves for my sister's wonderful flying skills."

~xXx~

This particular room within the Lantean city was proving to be quite fascinating as bare as it was. The controls along the wall nearest the doorway showed a constant rotating display of all power and energy outputs throughout the city as well as other secondary systems and other interesting bits of information.

In the chair, Kate had taken to leaning against one of the armrests so that she could watch the wraith whose curiosity about this room afforded her with the knowledge that he had never been here before. This led her back to a matter that had given her pause to think over the past two months or so after having met him.

"My brother doesn't trust you very much does he?" she asked the wraith as he bent low to examine the control panel.

So far, in all their dealings which he would admit were few, Katherine had shown him a level of honesty that none of the others had exhibited thus far. In his mind, that fact awarded her the right to know the truth from him as easily as he gained it from her. "Sheppard and I have not always seen eye to eye and I will admit, there have been times when we both have been quick to suspect betrayal of the other," he imparted to her wondering what her conclusions from this veracity would be.

She had to admit that she was pleasantly surprised that he would be so honest with her, not attempting to sugar coat those times when he had double crossed or backstabbed her brother and vise versa not place all of he blame on him. "I don't doubt that," she commented, "But still, it's been a while since you all tried to kill each other. I'd have thought my brother would have gotten over it by now."

Turning towards her, Todd eyed her wondering as he did what her blood sibling had told her about their dealings if anything at all. "I've only tried to kill Sheppard - with intent - once."

"When you met?" Kate asked, thinking over the reports that she had read and believing that to be the time of which he spoke.

Todd nodded. "Yes."

"Kate?" John's voice crackled over the radio and Kate reached to her ear.

"Go ahead John."

"Fed the guests and the bride and groom a story about needing to move the city or get hit by a storm. Rodney's suspicious but too nervous to actually care and Jenn doesn't suspect a thing."

Kate sighed with relief having figured that of the two of them Rodney'd be the one to get suspicious if anything. "Can I go now?" she asked her brother, wanting very much to get this over and done with so that they could focus on their other problem which was what to do about the hive.

"Yeah, park her northwest of here," there was a pause and Kate figured her brother was thinking about distance and just how far they'd have to go to throw off the hive, "'Bout twenty miles or so."

Settling back in the chair and closing her eyes, Kate took a deep breath. "Got it, over and out."

Todd stood by and watched in mild fascination as a map of the planet's surface appeared above her as she closed her eyes in concentration. Moments later the city began to shake only slightly before the visual image of what was happening popped up on one of the control screens. They were airborne for perhaps five minutes before Todd felt the city touch down exactly over the coordinates Katherine had imputed into the hovering map with her mind.

Once she was sure the city had settled, Kate sat up and disembarked from the platform, it's lights going out as she stepped down. "Come on, let's go," she called to the wraith as she and he began to ascend through the city towards Rodney's lab to meet with the others.

Two hallways away from the lab, Kate and Todd met up with the others, John hailing them with a whistle so that they could turn around

"Okay, easy parts done," John announced as he looked down at his watch with a intrepid frown, "The hive should be here in about fifteen minutes anyone got any suggestions?"

"Well, in the absence of any 302's or a squadron of space capable F-22's," Kate turned to her brother, "Can a jumper take out a hive?"

"One can not," Todd replied in answer to her query

Kate frowned. "How 'bout two jumpers and a dart?" she asked, ticking off who was flight capable and who they had to work with and coming up with herself, her brother and Todd. A glance between both of them let Kate know that the two experienced pilots had caught on to her line of thought.

Ronon, while granting that the plan was sound, decided to point out that they could up their odds. "I could get Lorne, stay with McKay," he glanced at each of the three of them, "Three jumpers and a dart laying a trap," he shrugged, "It could work."

"Yeah," John muttered and then more strongly as he began to actually feel good about their odds, "Yeah it just might," felling slightly more sure about this he turned to Ronon, "You and Lorne switch, tell him to meet me in the jumper bay," he turned to the other two as Ronon wasted no time in sprinting away, "You two, with me."

Even though it was basically her plan, Kate was more then fairly sure that her brother had improved on it just a bit since it had originally come out of her mouth. "So," she questioned, walking as quickly as humanly possible in her dress, "How's this gonna work? I mean, the jumpers all have cloaks but what about him?" she nodded towards Todd who quirked a brow at her display of concern over his safety.

"So he can fly directly behind your jumper, look all we've got to do is go up, cloak the damned things and then wait for them to get here, easy. Then we can go to the wedding and watch McKay make an idiot of himself over his I do's," John explained irritably already more then done with this very bad day.

They only had to wait in the jumper bay for two minutes before Lorne joined them. "Colonel, what's the plan?" the marine called as soon as he got there, stopping besides Kate and turning his attention towards his commanding officer.

John took up the mantle to explain. "We go up, we cloak the jumpers and we wait. Hive gets here, we blow it up and we're done," he looks around, "We go to the wedding, throw rice, don't ask," he told Todd before the wraith could post a question over the wedding tradition, "And then we all eat cake and ice cream."

"Sure, when you put it that way it sounds easy," Lorne said in a voice that was much more optimistic then he actually felt.

"Right," John agreed and then left towards his favorite jumper. Lorne turned to his and Todd boarded Katherine's temporarily so that she could ferry him to his dart. Lifting off after opening the jumper bay door, John and Lorne flew into orbit as Kate steered towards the east pier, hovering over the ground rather then actually parking as she dropped the back hatch.

Turning to the wraith she raised and eyebrow. "Ready for this?" she asked, holding out one of the extra radios that lived aboard the jumpers to him.

Todd offered her a grim smile as he took the offered communication tool. "To barrow Sheppard's terminology - As ever I will be," he replied and stepped off the hovering gate ship. Walking towards his dart, he climbed in and initiated all of the necessary systems and controls before taking up careful position behind Katherine as the two of them shot skywards.

Above the planet, over the coordinates of Atlantis' former position, the four ships took up their guarding positions and cloaked.

"Moment of truth," John sighed into his radio as he held his position, eyes forwards, watching the space in front of him for an opening hyperspace window.

"You know this ain't gonna be as easy as you made it sound on the ground Sir," Lorne's voice sounded over his com.

"I should think not," replied Todd.

"Huh?" John yelped, "Who gave the wraith a radio?"

"Chill John," Kate reprimanded him patronizingly, "We need to be able to coordinate our attacks in case something goes wrong."

John grumbled to himself. "Well I suppo-" he stopped as the hyperspace window they'd been waiting for opened and out shot a hive. Two shots from the main auxiliary drive in their general direction told John that this was going to be way harder then he'd made it sound.

"Shit they can see us!" Lorne yelled and John had to agree that 'shit' was a very good way of expressing this new development.

"Uncloak and start evasive maneuvers!" John commanded over his radio and then jerked his jumper hard to the left, narrowly avoiding another shot of main weapon's fire, "Oh this is so not good!"

"Dart bay just opened up Sir," Lorne informed him and John cursed.

"Thank you major I see it," he ground out as he flipped the ship and powered weapons, taking aim for the nearest approaching dart.

Meanwhile, Kate was having her own problems. Apparently, somewhere in the grand cosmic scheme of things someone was mad at her because two minutes into their fire fight her left weapon's platform had been taken out. She was now flying low on drones and in a generally crippled ship which left her little if any options as far as combat flying was concerned.

"John, I got hit," she informed her brother while attempting to reroute power from her lame weapons canon to the one that still worked.

"What?" John's panicked sounding voice called to her followed by an even more frantic sounding, "What are you doing?!?" as she broke off and began zigzagging her way through the darts towards the hive.

"I'm taking out the hive," she informed him, now through the darts who were all occupied with trying to shoot down Lorne, John and, well to be honest, she couldn't tell which dart was Todd as they all looked the same.

"Kate!" John warned but she stopped him.

"John the hive's the threat, if we take it out we can clean up the darts later just trust me," she exclaimed as she twisted to avoid a head on collision with a dart that was apparently just getting out of the bay.

"Katherine's objective is sound," Todd replied over the radio she had given him.

"Well then you can cover her," John yelled irritably before adding in a threatening tone, "Oh and Todd, I don't need to tell you that if she gets blown up and it's your fault I will skin you alive."

"Dually noted, Sheppard," was the placid and completely un-intimidated response, "I will endeavor to keep her safe."

"Good," John stated, "Because if -"

"JOHN!" Kate yelled as she barrel rolled through space and then drew level with the main exterior engines, "He gave you his word, give him the benefit of the doubt and shut up!!"

Their was no reply on her radio as she took aim. "Fuck," she exclaimed as a volley of fire shot past her right flank and forced her to veer off course, affording her a view of the dart attacking her. The enemy ship was promptly blown up by another dart, _"Well," _she thought to herself, _"At least now I know where Todd is."_

The friendly dart took up position at her rear, just slightly above her in a position to take out any potential attacker as Kate circled around again for another try. This time she lined everything up perfectly and fired, pulling up as soon as she was sure that both hits would land and then vacating the area as quickly as possible. The hive blew, taking out the majority of the darts with it however not all and those that remained turned their noses towards the planet.

"Well, that's not good Atlantis is a sitting duck," Lorne exclaimed darkly, "I think we might actually have to radio the city, tell them to raise shields."

"I think we might," John agreed, "Kate?"

She pressed her radio. "Yeah?"

"My communications are out, hail the city and tell them to raise shields."

"And to think we almost pulled this off," Kate sighed regrettably before changing channels, and issuing a hail.

~xXx~

Now Rodney knew that something was wrong. He'd been standing up here for ten minutes in front of everybody growing slowly more nervous by the second as more and more people began to look around in question, whispering as to why the wedding hadn't started yet. Not only that, but both Sheppard - who was a grooms men - and Lorne were missing. Having one of them gone might have been explainable, but having both the commanding military officer and his second in command missing in action was not something that the Canadian could ignore.

"I'm sure everything's fine Rodney," Carson reassured him even though it was unnecessary, Rodney already knew that it wasn't going to be fine.

"Oh dear, I knew this would happen," Dr. Appolene breathed, giving her only son a look of pity and shaking her head, "I do believe your Jennifer has gotten cold feet.

Rodney's stomach twisted and then plummeted to his feet even as his conscious, rational brain told him that it was not true. "Mother!" he cried and then forced himself to repeat Carson's lie, "I-I'm sure everything's just fine."

Dr. Appolene continued to shake her head. "I'm sorry dear," she continued to shake her head, "I told you she was too meek and -"

"How dare you talk about my daughter like that you insufferable priss!" Mr. Keller yelled defensively, fed up to no end with his soon to be son-in-law's overbearing and arrogant mother.

Carson frowned and stepped forwards to waylay any bloodshed that might happen over the aisle. "Now, listen I'm sure everything is absolutely fine," he looked up to see Teyla coming towards them, "Here now, Teyla tell them that everything is fine."

Teyla stopped. "Everything is not fine," she said slowly and watched Rodney turn to panic, his face shedding all color instantly, "Nothing is wrong with Jennifer Rodney," she assured him quickly before turning back to Carson, "It is just that Kate is missing.

"Huh, funny," Rodney muttered, "Sheppard and Lorne aren't here either and -"

"Atlantis this is Major Sheppard to you copy?" Kate's voice sounded over the city wide speakers, and Rodney, Teyla, Ronon, Carson and Woolsey all turned to eye the control room, "Atlantis please respond!"

As one, Woolsey followed by the groom, Ronon, Teyla, and Carson more or less leapt towards the control room. Woolsey got there first because although not one of them knew how as he'd been farthest away when Kate's hail had come through. Below them, the guests began to turn to each other and whisper more loudly as Woolsey finally managed to press the com control.

"Kate this is Atlantis," the director began, "What's -"

"Engage shield!" Kate interrupted him, her insistence was not lost on those that heard her and down below more then one guest started to panic.

Woolsey was floored. "I beg your pardon?" he asked not at all sure as to what was going on but intending to get to the bottom of it before he took any action.

"Incoming darts approaching the city, engage the damn shield!" Kate's voice commanded and before Woolsey could post another dumb question, Ronon reached for the com instead.

"What happened to the hive?" he asked, ignoring the flabbergasted Woolsey

"I blew it up," was the confirmed reply before, "Lorne, John and Todd are attempting to track the rest of the darts that didn't get incinerated by the blast. We moved the city to make it harder for them to find it but they will eventually and then they'll start firing."

Ronon turned to Woolsey. "Got all that?"

Woolsey nodded mutely at the same time as Rodney exclaimed, "What the hell is going on!?"

"We'll explain later," Ronon told him firmly, "Right now we need to do what Kate -"

A scream went up in the gate room and they all looked down to where one of the botanists was pointing through the control tower windows. Following her finger they all turned just in time to see the first of many darts come whizzing past the tower windows already laying the city with a volley of weapons fire.

"Shit," Ronon exclaimed before reaching to his side for his gun. Upon remembering that it wasn't there he let out another explicative, "Dammit!"

The dart circled around again presumably for a second shot only to get blown up by another dart. "I'm going to assume that that is Todd," Teyla nodded towards the now all out dog fight that was being put on in front of their very eyes as three jumpers descended and began targeting the various wraith ships.

"I believe it would be safe to assume that yes," Woolsey agreed as he watched the jumpers and the dart form up into an attack formation before diving back into the fray, "Though I do find it odd that he would be coordinating with American military tactics."

"Maybe they gave him a radio," Ronon suggested with a shrug.

Woolsey frowned having not thought of that possibility and making a mental note to get said radio back from their wraith ally before he left. Lord knows they didn't need him to be able to heard what they said all of the time.

A beeping sounded behind them before the shimmering shield closed over them. Turning Woolsey eyed McKay who was currently sitting at the city's controls.

"What did you do?" he asked.

"I collapsed the shield around the tower only, ought to keep us safe until Sheppard and them can get rid off all the darts," McKay told Woolsey, getting up and coming to stand with the others as a jumper took out another dart.

"It should not be long now," Teyla remarked as the jumpers and rogue dart formed up once more to take out the last few enemy ships.

Rodney nodded before an idea struck him and he turned on Ronon. "You lied to me."

"Twice," Ronon said and then shrugged, "Sheppard told me to."

Rodney fumed but was content for the moment to watch the last of the dog fight.

When the last ship had been destroyed and Woolsey knew that they where on their way back to the jumper bay, he nodded towards the groom and the others standing by and went to meet them.

"What the hell was that Sheppard?" Rodney demanded as soon as his eyes landed on the Colonel, "What the fuck has been going on and why -"

"Rodney it is possible to save the city without you so just shut up, calm down and lets go," he attempted to sooth the man before turning to Kate, "Go find Jennifer, I'm sure she must have seen that."

His sister nodded and headed off, Teyla trailing along behind her leaving John to deal with a still incensed Meredith Rodney McKay in a tux, glaring daggers at him from approximately two feet away.

John sighed. "Look, I didn't want to ruin your wedding day so I fibbed a bit and kept you out of the loop."

As predicted, Rodney deflated rather rapidly upon hearing this and the scientist opened and closed his mouth once or twice before finally figuring out what to say. "You went though all that trouble, almost got yourself killed, all so that…" he trailed off at a complete loss as to what to say, "Sheppard, I-"

John waved away the sentiments. "It was nothing Rodney, you would have done the same for me not that you'll ever get the chance."

"Fine," Rodney avowed before turning back to the others, Carson, Lorne and Woolsey, "Back t the gate room then, shall we," he stopped, having espied the wraith, and pointed," Ah, Sheppard?"

John rolled his eyes and turned on the wraith. "Behave, now come on."

While Todd didn't exactly like being commanded like a petulant child inclined towards disciplinary problems, he nonetheless smirked and followed after Sheppard and the others until they reached the gate room where they were immediately accosted by a plump woman with an extremely grating and irritating voice and demeanor.

"Good heavens, Meredith dear how can you live in a place like this? What where those things? Oh have mercy, I don't suppose that you'll be getting married now what with the bride getting cold feet and this wretched -"

"Mother!" Rodney exclaimed loudly, cutting her off mid-tirade and standing to one side of the aisle while reaching out and grabbing hold of the wraith - something that he would normally refrained from doing at all costs. Pulling him forwards he planted the now extremely miffed looking alien in front of his mother who had gone snow white at the sight of him.

"Mother," Rodney started again, calmly and aware that every single person who had never seen a wraith before was watching him very carefully, "This is Todd, a collogue of mine. Sit down and shut up or I will let him eat you."

Todd grinned a predatory grin for McKay's benefit as he found the idea of him letting him feed from his own mother quite amusing and so therefore was inclined to play along. The woman yelped and scrambled back to her seat rather ungracefully, sitting down and slouching as if she thought that would keep her from his gaze. As McKay took up his position at the head of the narrow space between the two groups of chairs, Todd wandered over to stand off to the side besides Lorne and wait out this rather curious ceremony.

A kind of music began to play from an unrecognized source and Todd's eyes turned, with the others, to see both Sheppard and the Athosian Teyla entering from the direction of the control room. They descended the gate room stairs and then proceeded to walk down the aisle, behind them where Katherine and another human male that Todd remembered was Dr. Beckett from the picture in the infirmary. Once they had all reached the front of the aisle and split off, the females to the left and the males to the right, Todd's eyes once more turned towards the control room as Dr. Keller and a man that he guessed to be her sire began to trace the steps of those before them.

He noted the gasps from the observing humans and, eyes once more facing forwards, the terrified look on McKay's face. The wraith frowned, he had thought this ceremony was supposed to be a joyous affair rather then a painful one. He shook his head, he would never understand human emotions. Ignoring the most of the times irritating scientist, he looked instead to Katherine and there his eyes stayed.

Rodney was nervous as he had never before been in his entire life as Jennifer and her dad reached him and he heard Woolsey clear his throat.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" Woolsey asked loudly.

"I do," Mr. Keller replied and then stepped forwards to give his little girl one last hug, turning to her soon to be husband when he was done, "You take care of my little girl you hear."

"I will," Rodney replied with as much truth and sincerity as he could muster.

Mr. Keller smiled and stepped back, taking his seat and sighing as the ceremony began.

"We are gathered here today to witness the joining of Meredith Rodney McKay and Jennifer Ellen Keller who have worked together and stayed together against insurmountable odds and who have both served Earth and the city of Atlantis to the best of both their abilities," Woolsey paused and turned to Rodney, "Do you, Meredith Rodney McKay, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health until death does part you?"

Rodney swallowed. "I do."

Woolsey turned to Jennifer. "Do you, Jennifer Ellen Keller, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health until death does part you?"

Jennifer nodded gently. "I do."

Woolsey smiled, happy for them both as he turned to look out over the gathered crowd of friends, family, and one uninvited wraith. "If anyone has a reason why these two should not wed, then let them speak now or forever hold their peace," there is silence and again, Richard Woolsey smiled, "Then, may we have the rings please"

The bride and groom turned towards their respective sides as both Kate and Carson stepped forwards and handed them their rings. Turning back, Rodney reached forwards and picked up Jennifer's hand, the previous nervousness gone as he looked down at her narrow finger and slid the gold band onto her finger. "I, Meredith Rodney McKay, with this ring do thee wed," he whispered, his voice sounding in the absolute silence as he raised her hand to his lips to kiss once before letting go.

"I," Jennifer began, repeating Rodney's words as she took his hand in both of hers and slid his matching band onto his ring finger, "Jennifer Ellen Keller, with this ring do thee wed."

Their hands remained locked together as Woolsey fought to keep his voice even as he began again. "Then by the power invested in me by the President of the United States, the IOA, and Stargate Command I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride."

To his dying day, Rodney wouldn't remember leaning forwards and catching his new wife's lips to his. In fact Jennifer didn't remember it either. The only realization that they had done it at all was the second they broke apart and smiled into each other's eyes as Sheppard let out a loud wolf whistle and their guests clapped. Rodney turned away from his wife to shake hands with Carson and John while Jennifer got hugs from both Teyla and Kate before the new Mr. and Mrs. Rodney McKay turned as one to face their guests the stargate framed behind them as if to symbolize just what their union meant.

~xXx~

The mess hall had indeed been transformed and was covered in sliver and white streamers, balloons and glitter. Kate stood back from it all and watched as Rodney tripped over his feet dancing with his new wife, watched them feed each other cake and laughed when Amelia cornered Ronon and asked him to dance. She was happy, happy for her friends and for not dying.

"Why do you stand alone?"

Kate turned and smiled at Todd who had left his vigil on the farthest wall away from the celebrating humans to come and join her where she stood by the balcony doors. "Just thinking," she answered, it wasn't a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either, "So, what'd you think?"

Todd sighed. "The ceremony was not different then others I have seen or participated in."

Kate frowned, turning towards him and tilting her head back so that she could look him in the eye. "I thought the wraith didn't get married."

Todd stepped closer to her and looked down upon her upturned face; her jaw set in challenge and smiled thinking in that moment that she was very beautiful indeed. "It is rare, but we do have a ceremony that consecrated the union between two wraith who have devoted their lives each onto the other. Such is known as a bound mating and, upon completion, their lives are in a literal sense bound together for all time."

"Ah, so you do have a 'til death do you part'." she teased him although her voice spoke of the sincerity with which he was giving her.

"Similar yes," Todd agreed, pleased at the lightness of her mood even as he understood that she had comprehended the seriousness of it, "Our words, however, are slightly more weighted."

"What exactly do you say?" Kate asked.

Todd's eye's glossed over in memory. "Together we are one, now and for all time until the stars fade from the sky."

Kate whistled. "Wow," she looked down at the ground and then leveled them back on the happy couple, "You guys really do nothing in moderation do you?"

Todd chuckled, her voice having called him from his remembrances. "No. But devotion such as that to one and only one is, as I stated before, rare. There has not been a bound mating since before the war."

Together they stood in silence for a time before Kate turned back to him. "You know," she started and watched him return his reptilian gaze to hers, "Rodney and Jennifer want to thank you for what you did. You didn't have to help fight you could've just told us and left."

"Is that what Sheppard expected me to do?" the wraith asked of the female before him, already knowing her answer

Kate nodded. "Yeah."

"Then you know why I did not," Todd replied, turning full towards her, "One day I will earn his trust although today is not that day. Sheppard, you and the humans of this city have a great deal more potential to help me as friends then as mere allies but such as that requires trust which must be earned."

"I trust you," Kate whispered and then looked away, "Everyone keeps telling me that I shouldn't but I do. I don't know why but you interest me in a way that no one has before, ever, in my whole life," she looked at him, noted the intensity in which his golden eyes were boring into her, "I wonder why that is?"

"You are not the only one Katherine," Todd admitted, surprised by both her statement and her admission, "You are a fascinating individual that I should very much like to understand one day."

Kate snorted. "Good luck with that," she exclaimed as she turned back towards the dance floor and the couples on it, "At times, I don't even understand myself."

"_Oh, one day I will know all of your secrets," _Todd thought to himself as he contented himself to simply stand besides her in compatible silence until a young male came to take her away, turning her to dance about in front of his ever piercing gaze, _"I will know you for all that you are, Katherine of Atlantis."_


	5. Choices

**A/N:** Reviews, reviews I need reviews. Constructive critisim is a good thing, so is just plain telliing me you like it or your thoughts on the charctors in general. Please, please guys your words keep me inspired! Okay, author rant over...so here it is another episode for you all to enjoy. Cheers!

* * *

**Episode V: Choices**

"So, what do ya think, blue or grey?" John asked, holding up first one shirt and then the other for his sister, who was laying on his bed, to see.

Kate sighed and rather then answer her brother choose instead to look down and draw a pattern with the tip of her finger on his bedspread. Truth be told, the grey looked better but she wasn't about to tell him that, it would take away all the fun she was having at lording over him. Which, considering that she'd been up late on patrol last night and by all accounts should be asleep right now, was well within her rights as a sibling to do.

"Aw come on, Katie Beth, you said you'd help," John huffed dramatically turning away from his non responsive assistant to face the full length mirror that he'd mounted on the back of his bathroom door, "I can't do this on my own."

"Really?" Kate raised an eyebrow and looked up, leaning to the left off the bed just a little so that she could see John's face in the mirror, "And pray tell, what ever do you do when I'm not here?"

John scowled at his reflection; miffed at his own lack of definitive decision making skills. Deciding the fate of the galaxy, that he could do, picking which shirt to wear on a date, the final verdict eluded him. "I don't know," he answered defensively, "Last time I got Teyla to help me."

Kate shook her head, chuckling as she turned over so that she lay on her back while staring up at he patterned ceiling. "You poor helpless man. You're so needy," her comment earned her a scowl and got a hanger tossed at her which bounced off her bent knees and clattered to the floor, "Hey," she cried indignantly, "I'm only being honest."

"Well, for the sake of my pride could be a little less honest?" John questioned as he gave up and walked away from the mirror to go sit on the bed by Kate's feet.

"The blue," Kate conceded as soon as John had tossed both shirts over the back of his desk chair ad sat down, "Grey has never been your color."

John growled and grabbed his head with both hands, falling backwards and glaring up at the ceiling. "Gawwerr! You little…you tell me this now after I give up."

Kate giggled and sat up, crossing her legs Indian style as she leaned forwards over her brother. "Hey, I didn't have to help you you know," she poked him in the stomach which caused the stressed out colonel to twitch, "By all rights, _I_ should be asleep right now because _somebody _assigned me patrol late last night."

She poked him again only this time John reacted and caught her wrist, pulling hard he caused Kate to fly forwards so that she lay sprawled horizontally across his midsection. "But no," Kate continued as she lifted her head to rest on her hand, elbow planted next to John's waist, "Me, being the dutiful little sister and _only_ Sheppard with any fashion sense, got up early instead of sleeping in so that I could help you pick out clothes for your date."

"Oh quit complaining you little brat," John poked back at her side in retaliation as at the moment she couldn't move, "You want me to count," poke, "the number of times," poke, poke, "that I've lost sleep," poke, poke, "because of you!"

Kate squealed and wiggled. "John, stop, okay I'm sorry," she wailed, neither one of them, in their excitement, hearing the chime of the opening door, "John stop!"

The colonel grunted. "I don't think so," he switched from poking to actually tickling her, "I think that you deserve it."

The change in tactics made Kate squirm more violently and before either she or John could stop her, she rolled off of him and crashed onto the floor. "You okay Kate?" John asked, sitting up and leaning over the edge of his bed to look down on her.

"Well isn't this nice."

Both siblings looked up at the sound of the new arrival's voice and espied Lorne leaning, arms crossed and smirking in amusement, in the doorway. "You two are terrible, you know that right?" he commented as Kate picked herself off the floor and scooted back so that she was leaning against the bed next to her brother's legs. "Like children."

"We try," John said earnestly, reaching down to ruffle his sister's hair which he knew she hated.

"Hey!" Kate protested, crossing her arms and huffing, "See if I help you again."

Lorne snorted, unable to contain his glee at witnessing this rare Sheppard-Sibling moment.

John smirked down at his little sister before refocusing his attention on the intruding major. "What's up?" he asked, eyeing Lorne.

"Todd's transmitter turned on about an hour ago and hasn't moved," the marine informed them, "Woolsey thinks it's a call for help."

"When is it not?" John questioned, honestly curious.

Lorne shrugged. "Woolsey says it's your call wither we go check it out or not."

John's eyebrows went up. "My call?" he groaned, "Kate, what do you think?"

She grinned. "Today really isn't your day for making decisions is it big brother?"

"Apparently not," John agreed with her, leaning forwards and resting his forearms on his knees, "So? How 'bout it?"

Kate shrugged. "Well, we do kinda owe him for the warning and the help he gave us last time," she glanced up at Lorne, "And he didn't eat any of the wedding guests."

"I told him he could eat Rodney's mother if he really wanted," John exclaimed, "Hell, Rodney said he could eat his mother."

Lorne chuckled. "I don't know, she would have probably given him indigestion."

John smirked and laughed. "You know, you're probably right," he continued to sit there a moment before he finally stood, holding out a hand to help his sister off the ground, "Alright, so I guess we'll go see what kind of trouble our dear friend Todd has gotten himself into now," he looked between the now upright Kate and the still leaning Lorne, "Get Ronon and that new kid - what's his name? -Tyler and meet me in the gate room in twenty."

"Aye-aye, fearless leader," Kate saluted mockingly as she headed towards Lorne who was waiting in the hallway.

"You!" John screeched, feeling the urge to throw another hanger at her, "Go on, get dressed, you little brat."

Kate snorted at her brother's expense as she skipped towards the locker rooms.

~xXx~

The happy-go-lucky feeling that John and Kate had been enjoying earlier and that Lorne had walked in on, dissipated and then disappeared all together as soon as they walked through the gate. The planet on the other side reminded John strongly of Dagobah as it was dark, foggy, eerie and smelled strongly of decaying plant life.

"Why is it, that whenever Todd needs to be rescued he picks the creepy planets?" Lorne wanted to know as he stepped carefully over a half-decayed fallen log.

"I don't know," John replied, really not liking this place or the bad feeling in his stomach that told him that everything was about to go sideways, "You should ask him."

"We gotta find him first," Ronon grunted, pausing to listen to the disconcerting sounds about him, "No birds."

"Not every planet has them," John observed as he turned to check on their fifth team member a brand-new, baby faced lieutenant fresh off the Daedalus, "You doing alright Tyler?"

Tyler gulped. "Yes Sir," he replied nervously, his grip on his P90 slick with a combination of sweat and condensation from the fog.

"Good," John assured him, "Just hang on, everything'll be alright. We'll find Todd, figure out what's wrong with him if anything and then go back to Atlantis."

Tyler nodded, too unnerved to do anything else.

"So, Kate," Lorne called as they pushed onwards, barely able to see more then fifteen feet in front of them if that, "I think this place beats Michael's cave."

Kate snorted, her eyes darting to her right and left quickly with each step she took, always on the alert. "Yeah," she said, "I think you're right."

A few more steps and John was fed up. "This is crap, he should be here," he complained, coming to a stop.

"Maybe something's wrong," Ronon suggested.

"Maybe," John agreed slowly, turning towards Tyler, "Tyler, you have that life-signs detector is gave you right?"

"Yes, Sir…here," the lieutenant pulled it out of his vest pocket and switched it on, studying the screen, "I've got nothing."

"Well those things only go so far," John reasoned not entirely liking the thought of getting any farther away from the gate but knowing that it was the right thing to do, "We'll keep going another couple minutes. If we haven't found anything by then we'll go back to Atlantis and get a jumper. Todd's here, somewhere, we just have to find him."

"Right," Tyler replied and began to move forwards, eyes never leaving the little screen except to look down and make sure that he didn't trip over anything.

After a few minutes, Tyler's walking pattern was giving Lorne a headache. "You know, moving around doesn't effect the readings lieutenant, so feel free to walk in a straight line," he called.

Tyler looked sheepish and everyone else snickered but his steps maintained a straight line.

After a couple more minutes, John was about ready to call it quits and the head back when they suddenly came out of the forest at the top of a steep ravine. While the drop down was impressive, it was more what was in the ravine that caught John's eyes and made his blood run cold in dread. Hives in space were scary, hives perched precariously in the bottom of a valley and sporting heavy battle damage was terrifying.

"Thought Todd said that landing a hive was hard to do even under good circumstances?" Lorne asked as he and Kate came to stand besides the Colonel and joined him in looking out over the badly damaged ship.

John remembered that conversation although he'd have liked not to. Having given Todd a dangerous kind of cancer after taking away his need to feed and then crashing his ship into the ocean after killing his crew and slicing the whole hive in half, was not something that the wraith had let him forget. "Yeah, well, if anyone could land a damaged hive, my money's on Todd."

Ronon raised an eyebrow and Lorne glanced worriedly over at his commanding officer. "Did you just give Todd a compliment?" the major asked.

John grimaced. "Don't tell him," he instructed before leaning forwards to glance along the ravine, "So, any ideas on how to get down?"

As it turned out, getting down was relatively easy if slightly jarring and heavily painful. They'd started down the hill nice and easy only Ronon with his impossibly large feet had slipped and down they all had went ending up in a big pile at the bottom. After disentangling themselves - how John had ended up on the bottom of the dog pile he did not know - and straightening themselves out, brushing the dirt off and such the formed a straight line and marched the rest of the way over to the hive.

Once inside, John could honestly say that for the first time in his life, he'd rather be on a hive then outside. "Okay," John called as soon as ten minutes and two levels had gone by without them seeing anyone, "We split up. Lorne, take Kate and Tyler and go that way," he pointed towards the dart bays and crew quarters, "Ronon and I'll take the bridge."

With a nod, Lorne and Kate moved off dragging a scared looking Tyler with them. Once they'd disappeared around a corner John and Ronon took off in their own direction.

"Anything?" he asked after a while.

"Nothing," Ronon answered from a few feet ahead of him, bridge is empty."

John lowered his gun as he looked around the deserted control center. "Makes you wish Teyla was here," he lamented, feeling the absence of his other teammate keenly.

Ronon eyed Sheppard, knowing that he'd never get the Colonel to admit that he missed her. "Torren's sick, he need his mother."

"Yeah," John sighed, "I know."

"You upset because she's with her kid or because she's with Kanaan?" Ronon asked, taking the plunge on the off chance that Sheppard would be honest.

John frowned, not at all ready or willing to go there at this particular time. "We've been over this," he ground out, careful to keep any and all emotion from his voice. As silent as the Setedan was he was way to observant.

On this, however, Ronon would not let the subject matte rest as he was tired of watching both Teyla and John dance around each other. It only ever brought one or both of them pain. "She named the kid after you, that oughta tell you something."

John scowled. "We're friends."

The second man knew that there was more too it then that and that Sheppard's sense of honor wouldn't allow him to do anything about it. "Whatever," he said passively, allowing the subject to drop for now.

Free from the third degree, John wandered over to the nearest computer terminal and pushed a button on it's interface as he'd seen McKay do countless times. Contrary to what the honeymooning physicist believed, John wasn't stupid and after seven years of dealing with the wraith he mostly understood their written language - as he could translate it in his head as he read - and had a basic understanding of how their technology worked. As a result, without McKay there to play glory hound, John was successful in bringing up the ships logs fairly quickly.

"Look here," he said as he scanned the data entries, "Says here that they landed this ship over five days ago."

Ronon wandered over. "Then why did he just now turn on his transmitter?"

John frowned. "Don't know. According to the log they were just finishing up the repairs."

"_Colonel come in."_

John reached for his radio. "Lorne this is Sheppard, go ahead."

"Sir, we found something that I think you're gonna want to see."

"Copy that, where are you?" John asked.

"Two levels down by the forward dart bay."

John looked at Ronon. "This doesn't sound good," he groaned, "Hold tight, we're coming to you."

Two lefts and a right down to the transporter bay and they arrived in one of the corridors that parallel the forwards dart bay. Lorne was crouched down in the mist presumably checking something as Kate and Tyler hung back. Coming up on them, John looked around and down at the bodies that littered the floor.

"What the -" Ronon began as he entered the bend in the corridor behind Sheppard.

Lorne stood, a grim expression on his face as he faced his commanding officer. "Their enzyme pouches have been removed, Sir."

John swore but refrained from hopping up and down like he'd done the last time someone had told him something he didn't want to hear. "Ford," he grimaced, step pinging past Lorne to check for himself and frowning at the sight of the mutilated right arm of the dead wraith, "Listen, we gotta find Todd and I mean like now. We don't, and he's as good as dead."

"And this is a bad thing?" Ronon asked.

John turned on him. "Look, I may not like to admit it but Todd's the best - the only - good ally we've had in the fight against the wraith," he ran a hand through his hair in agitation, "I owe him this," he looked around at him team before motioning for them to follow him, "Come on, lets go. I think they're some caves on the other side of the valley, we'll start there."

~xXx~

The cell he was in, had been incarcerated inside of for two days and counting, reminded him entirely too much of his time spend as a prisoner of the human Koyla. Of course, based on the architecture and the familiar yet still alien and unreadable symbols on the walls and doors, his newest prison had most likely been built by the Genii and so as a result his mood darkened still. He was being held at the end of the row and, unlike his former prison, there were cells on either side of the long narrow isle that ran the length of this jail. He could see his remaining sub-commanders and officers as they paced their enclosures in front of him in pairs of two and three, only he as the hive commander had been imprisoned alone.

"Do you think that the humans will come?" came the spoken question from his navigations officer and the wraith known to the Atlantians as Todd raised his head, peering upwards at the wraith in the cell across from him who had spoken.

"Why would they?" asked another of his officers, this one in a cell next to him into which he could not see but he could hear the contempt in the voice of his fellow wraith at the faith he had put into his human allies.

"Sheppard will come," Todd answered, his voice tired as it had been when he and the human had first met. He did not feel the need to waste his energy as his subordinates did by pacing or raging and so he sat, with his back to the far wall of his cell to conserve energy.

His second in command aboard this hive, a wraith far older then his peers but still a youngling compared to him, looked down upon him from the cell across from Todd. "What makes you so sure, Commander?" he questioned, knowing that any wraith as old as his commander would have good enough reason to trust a human.

Todd laughed, his insurance was actually humorous in a way. Wraith needed humans to survive not the other way around and yet, for the past four years, Sheppard had depended heavily upon him to exist. "He needs me," the ancient wraith rasped, feeling no need to explain himself farther.

The still surviving wraith all looked at each other, not quite sure if their commander could be believed as no human would ever need a wraith for anything. Especially not one of the Atlantian humans. Their musings however, were cut short as the door at the head of their jail opened, swinging inwards into the open space before their cells began. The human that had captured them, imprisoned them and humiliated them stepped forwards, his dark skin and one oddly black eye scanning them as he strode forwards; one of his guards shadowing him.

"How do you like your new rooms?" the human asked, his mocking tone earning he and his guard a snarl from every wraith held prisoner in this underground bunker, "Now you know what it feels like to be culled. Rather poetic don't you think?"

Something in his manner, although it was hidden, reminded Todd of the Atlantians. It was enough that it called the wraith commander to stand and walk to the forefront of his cell, resting his hand against his bars as he peered outwards at the human. "What do you want from us?" he demanded.

The human smirked, a dark upturning of his lips that Todd would not have though possible from his kind. Even Koyla had not looked at him so cruelly. "Nothing you can give me and survive," was the response and Todd was overcome with a wave of hatred that seemed to issue from the human like a plague.

Without another word, the dark man turned on his heel and left their enclosure, slamming the door shut and bolting it behind him. Todd sighed, and stepped back from his bars, retreating back to the farthest reaches of his cell to think; ponder over what had happened while his officers looked at each other worriedly.

~xXx~

As it turned out, hives were big. Of course, John already knew this but learned to appreciate even more as he and his team were forced to walk the almost complete circumference Todd's just to get to the caves on the other side. Getting to the caves, after marching around the broad side of a hive, was easier then it looked although the climb up the ravine was blissfully less painful then the fall down had been. Tired, hungry, sore, and overwhelmingly worried about Todd in a way that John Sheppard was not used to being, he and his team finally made it to flat ground.

"Well this looks promising," Lorne wheezed as he stumbled forwards towards the nearest rock and sat down, his sides feeling like they were ready to split as he looked around at the multiple cave openings.

"Yeah," John agreed, breathing deeply and, like Lorne, resting against a rock, "They look too uniform to be natural though."

Ronon glanced over towards Sheppard. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked to which Sheppard, nodded.

"If you're thinking abandoned Genii mine, then yes," John huffed, the air finally returning to his lungs in the proper quantities, "If you're thinking strip mall, then no."

Lorne snorted. "Gotta love abandoned Genii mines," he said sarcastically and earned a laugh from everyone except Tyler, "We'll explain the joke later," he told the confused looking lieutenant, "Next poker night."

While her brother and his men rested, Kate took the opportunity to look around. "Hey John," she called, stooping to pick up an object that was laying in the dirt outside one of the cave mouths.

John looked up. "Todd's transmitter," he frowned, "Well that's not a good sign."

"There's blood on it," Kate observed, turning the piece of wraith tech over in her hand, "It's like they carved it out of him."

"Or he left it for us to find," Ronon suggested.

John's face took on a pained expression. "Either way, still not a good omen."

Kate pocketed the gadget. "No, it's really -" a sound to her left had her on the alert quickly, her gun drawn and cocked before she had even turned around.

"What is it?" Tyler asked.

Kate didn't answer him right away and instead allowed her eyes to sweep past the nearest cave entrance one last time before allowing her body to relax only just. "I heard something," she informed the curious lieutenant before her eyes widened and she dodged left, barley missing the bolt of energy fire that came shooting out of the cave mouth.

"Lower your weapons!" came a commanding voice from the darkness and several figures emerged from the gloom all holding wraith stunners.

John's eyes narrowed, their suspicions confirmed. "Ford."

Adian had to admit that he was surprised to see his former commanding officer. He hadn't seen him in over three years and for him to suddenly turn up now was a bit odd. That and the ready stance of the woman told him that they'd come looking for someone. "Nice little girl you've got," he spoke loudly, "She's cute, where'd you find her?"

Kate scowled and John glanced at her, nodding just enough so that she knew not to shoot before turning back to Ford. "A present from the SGC, better watch out; she's deadly," he warned.

Adian grinned and allowed his eyes to travel over her. She wasn't wearing the same uniform as the others but was instead encased in some sort of thick but formfitting material that resembled leather but wasn't. "I'll bet," he agreed watching as his former CO frowned, his face taking on a look of overprotection, "So, what brings you here?"

It was Ronon who answered, although he normally wouldn't be caught dead saying it right now they needed Ford to cooperate. "We're lookin' for a friend."

The announcement surprised him as he'd been almost certain that they'd come looking for him specifically. "Really?" he questioned, "Who?"

"Oh you know," John began sarcastically, not really in the mood to play games with this kid, "Tall, scary, really pale," he raised his hand and made a gesture towards his eye, "Has a star tattoo around his right eye."

Adian frowned, their situation and purpose here becoming more and more confusing. "You know you just described one of the wraith I have down in my cells," he informed the colonel, still not sure if the older man was being serious or not.

"Yeah, about that," John sighed, "I don't suppose you'd let him go? Just him, you can keep the rest of them."

Now Adian was really confused but he wasn't about to show it. "Did you know that the older the wraith the more powerful the enzyme?" he asked and could tell by their faces that no, they hadn't know this, "The drones are fairly young, the commanders are all pretty ancient and we don't often get the opportunity to harvest from the wraith elite," he looked directly at Sheppard, "So, that's a no."

John shrugged. "Oh well, it was worth a shot."

Adian frowned. "Why do you care so much about this one wraith anyways?" he demanded.

"He's our ally," Ronon deadpanned, "Nice to have around actually."

The idea of Ronon defending a wraith was new and strange to Adian but he let it pass, realizing that since they were here they could come in very handy. "Well," he said, a dark grin slitting over his face, "It would be remiss of me not to take you to him."

It was a trap and John, Lorne, Kate, Ronon and probably not Tyler knew it. It was also the quickest and fastest way of knowing if Todd was alive or not and where he was. "Yes," John replied, unbuckling his P90 and placing it on the ground, watching his team do the same as he straightened up and put his hands behind his head, "It would be very rude."

Adian grinned. This was too easy.

~xXx~

The cell across from him now stood vacant, his second in command having been moved to another cell farther down the line towards the door and the other occupant having been taken away and not returned. Todd sighed, he was loosing his officers at an alarming rate and it was safe to say that when a wraith was removed form the cell block they were killed. While the thick walls of artificial stone prevented his from being able to link his mind to those of his subordinates, he could just as well feel them die.

The door opened and Todd prepared himself to loose another crew member only the men with restraints didn't come. Instead a familiar mind brushed against his own and Todd stood and watched as John Sheppard, Ronon, Major Lorne, Katherine and a male he did not know were marched down the isle and then shoved roughly into the cell opposite him. Their rough treatment brought about a anger in him that he could not explain. Perhaps it was because on some level there was some kinship between he and they; perhaps it was because of the five of them Katherine had actually managed to earn some concession of amity from him and so his ire over her mistreatment was distributed over all of them; perhaps it was because, as he had never doubted deep down in the secret places of his heart, Sheppard - his human brother - had come for him. Whatever the reason, as their shared human captor followed them to their cell and shut the door and locked them in, he growled.

The wraith commander's upset didn't bother Adian as he was now in possession of an even bigger prize. Ignoring the creature behind him, he looked through the bars of his ever defiant once friend and sneered. "Still think I'm a failure Sheppard?" he asked, stepping back and waving at the wraith in their cells, hissing and spitting through the bars like animals, "I've done more to them then you every will."

John glared at him. Now that he and his team were caged there was no reason to play nice and John let the renegade boy that had once been his teammate have it. "Actually," he started with a superior tone to his voice as he heard Lorne snicker, "as a matter of fact I do. I think you're a delusional -"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you," Adian growled, interrupting the colonel mid sentence.

John ignored him and continued talking. "Stupid -"

"Sheppard!" Adian snarled, spittle escaping his mouth and he lased out at his former commander.

John's voice rose higher with every word, until he was shouting over the disgraced lieutenant, his voice echoing through the cells. "Idiotic, asshole with not hope of ever succeeding ever again!"

Adian snapped and grappled for the man's throat through the bars, glaring as Sheppard backed up and danced just out of his reach a superior I'm-better-then-you smirk on his contemptuous face. Forcing himself to calm down, and retracting his arm, Adian stood back and sighed before returning his gaze to the military officer. "It doesn't matter, I don't need your approval anymore Sir," he spat and then shrugged, "Besides, you're gonna tell me everything I want to know about Atlantis' current position."

John raised an eyebrow. "Oh am I?"

Adian nodded, motioning for one of his guards to come and unlock the cell. "Yes, you are," he pointed at the baby faced newbie that reminded him so much of himself once upon a time that it was pathetic, "If he doesn't tell me what I want to know," Adian leered as his man dragged the protesting young officer out of the cell and began to haul him off towards the main compound, "She's next."

The treat to Kate was real and it broke the spell on John that he and Ford had been in for the past ten minutes. As Ford turned on his heel, John lunged at the bars in anger as the door at the end of the corridor closed and locked.

"Dammit," John cursed, turning away from the isle and sliding down to the floor to join his remaining teammates.

The display had been enlightening although highly disturbing as Todd was now certain that his current captor had, at one point in time, been Atlantian. The way he spoke to Sheppard allowed for the opinion that something had happened between the two of them to make the dark one act like this and so, as Todd peered through his bars at his human saviors he could not help but ask, "Friend of yours?"

John looked up, espying Todd for the first time standing at the front of a cell opposite him no more then seven feet away. "Used to be," he replied gloomily realizing that he would never feel not guilty about loosing him.

The lament in Sheppard's voice was pitying and Todd considered it before posting his next observation. "You got caught."

John tilted his head back, resting it between two bars. "That was the plan."

Todd was unable to reply as his second in command was more then eager to do it for him. "You planned to get caught?" the second demanded and where Todd would have kept the incredulousness in his voice to a minimum the other wraith allowed the full force of his contempt for the humans to show through.

"Found bodies on the hive, needed to know where you were," Ronon spoke in Sheppard's stead, glaring at the wraith through the little window between cells, "Best way to do that was to get them to take us to you."

"I.E. get caught," Lorne summarized.

"And how to you plan on getting out?" another one of the imprisoned wraith asked darkly, clearly not impressed with their line of thinking.

In response to this, John looked at Kate who stepped up as if on cue to test the bars for strength. "Think you can break 'em?" he asked already knowing that the probability of this was nil.

Kate shook her head. "Nope," she returned to her spot on the ground next to Lorne, "So, what's the plan fearless leader?"

John scowled. "You have got to stop calling me that."

Ronon smirked and even Todd, who didn't quite understand the reference or the joke, felt inclined to grin.

"I don't know Sir," Lorne interjected though his own amusement, "Seems like an appropriate thing to call you to me."

John grumbled, crossing his arms and glaring at his traitorous team.

Silence reigned for a moment before one of the wraith asked, "Where did they take the other one?"

"Tyler," Kate gave them the lieutenant's name, "And probably to interrogation. My guess is that Ford wants something from us: medical supplies and information most likely."

The hive's second in command glared at her. "And how is it that you've managed to deduct this human?"

Kate scowled thinking that, compared to this one, Todd was polite enough to have tea with the queen of England. "Believe it or not," she ground out, "I've been in these types of situations before."

The wraith made to comment back, to reprimand her for daring to speak to him in such a manner only to receive a mental slap from his commander. _"Hold your tongue," _the ancient wraith's mental voice rang in his head painfully, _"You may speak to the others whoever you please but you will honor the female with respect. Is that understood?" _

The second bowed his head, submitting to the order as he dared not question it from a commander as ancient and hallowed as this one. _"Yes, my commander," _the underlying replied, his mind still reeling from the mental anguish caused by the old one.

Satisfied that his wraith would not speak down onto her again, Todd settled back down into the darkened corner of his cell to wait while the humans did the same. It was some time later - many hours perhaps but there was no way to tell here in these cells - that their captor the one Sheppard had called Ford came back, his guards dragging the semiconscious human that they had extracted earlier. Todd watched as they walked down the isle and opened the door to the human's cell before throwing the body of the one inside. Standing back, apart form the others as though he were of more worth then they, the one called Ford pointed at Katherine.

"Take the girl," Adian instructed his men who reached forwards to take her only to get blocked by Sheppard.

"I don't think so," John yelled defensively he stood and blocked the path of the two guards.

Adian noticed this and wondered over it even as the wraith commander, the leader, snarled his own protest. Why the wraith would be protective of the woman he didn't know or care, but he had never seen Sheppard get this defensive before. "Overprotective much Sheppard?" he teased as his men pushed forwards and shoved the colonel out of the way.

John grit his teeth as he was held against the bars. "She's a member of my team you bastard!" he growled as one of the enzyme hyped men finally managed to grab Kate by one of her arms and pulled. John continued to struggle even after the door had been slammed and relocked, Kate doing the same although with better luck.

Once she was clear of the cell and had a firm footing in the isle between them, Kate jerked her right arm out of her captor's grasp. Free, she slammed her elbow backwards and into the man's face feeling his nose break at her contact before clothes lining the second guard and flipping him over her onto his back. Twisting, she came face to face with a slightly surprised looking Ford who was holding a wraith stunner.

"Nice try, but you're not going anywhere," he grinned and shot her immediately frowning when her body seemed to absorb the blast.

Kate grinned wickedly and lunged to the left as the incompetent and highly surprised man fired at her again. The shot hit the back wall of the cell black and Kate retaliated by grabbing the former lieutenant but the wrist and constricting her fingers around his pulse point until he cried out and dropped the gun. Her next move was to yank forwards on his same arm while simultaneously lifting up her knee to meet his gut.

Adian groaned and responded as quickly as he could, turning and spinning the woman away from him pushing her back down the isle towards the bulkhead door. Unfortunately for him, she was stronger then she looked and not a single one of his blows landed. She blocked every one with a quick and decisive twist or flick of her forearm or fists. The woman aimed a shot at his face and Adian ducked, the wall behind him wasn't so lucky and his eyes widened as he espied the hole in the concrete she left behind.

"Shit!" Adian cursed as she grabbed him from behind, one hand placed on his neck and another on his shoulder and swung him around into the nearest set of bars. His head clanged off of them painfully and he ducked another punch only to get caught by swift kick of her left foot to his chest.

"Shoot her!" Adian screamed as she managed to get him into a head lock, her arms squeezing around his neck and retracting his air flow, "Shoot her now!"

His men complied and the three of them fired round after round of stunner energy until he finally felt her loosen her hold. Taking a deep breath of precious air, Ford elbowed her in the stomach before grabbing her arm and flipping her over him. She landed on her hands and did a back handspring backwards before coming up again in the ready position.

Adian stared at her. "What are you?! He snarled, ignoring the cheering that was coming from Sheppard and his men.

Kate grinned and lunged at him again, only to feel a sharp pain lance through her shoulder. Realizing that she had been shot with one of their own confiscated weapons, she pushed the pain aside and tried again. She dodged three bullets from her own nine millimeter and got another uppercut in to Ford's jaw before getting hit again with another bullet; this time to her right thigh. The pain was blinding but livable as this was what she has been made to do, another kick to her shooter's gut earned her another two bullets this time in rapid succession and finally the pain ground her to a halt. Grunting, Kate knelt and she internalized the pain and tried to rise. It was not to be and her teeth clenched as she felt the last projectile burry itself into her back.

"KATE!" John screamed as he saw his sister stop and kneel before Ford shot her once more in the back, "DAMMIT!"

Breathing heavily and throwing the borrowed gun away to the side, Adian approached the woman and grabbed her by the arm. Squeezing his fingers over one of her five bullet wounds, feeling joy leap through him as she groaned in pain, her wound oozing blood. Even defeated she seemed to retain some amount of fire and before he could entrust her to his men she lashed out and Adian felt his nose break under the contact of her fist. Cursing, and pitting blood, she threw her to his guards who retained her.

"Well, you're one hell of a weapon I'll give you that," Adian cursed, forcing his nose back into place and feeling it already beginning to heal. His men dragged her off, kicking and screaming still fighting her captors as he remained behind and turned to Sheppard. "She's cute Sheppard, seriously where'd you find her?"

John rushed the bars of his cell, his eyes black with rage and his body trembling. "I swear Ford, if you hurt her I'll kill you!"

Adian paused. "She means a lot to you doesn't she?" he asked and saw some of the man's anger fade to be replaced by worry and fear, "Don't worry John," he said gently using the man's first name for the first time in almost four years, "I won't hurt her…much," and with that he turned and stalked from his cells.

"Ford!" John screamed, shaking the bars as his enemy turned away from him, "FORD!" the door at the end of the block slammed shut and locked and then they were alone, "GOD DAMMIT!!!"

While it was true that he had seen Katherine in combat before, those times previous had not called for the particular level of skill nor high level of pain tolerance that she had just shown them. For a human to withstand one bullet from their primitive - if excruciatingly painful - projectile weapons and still execute reasonable skill was exemplary. To withstand five and still have the determination to be difficult and to fight back was phenomenal. If his surprise was at all transmitting into his thoughts it was nothing compared to the responses of his remaining officers. Combined, their thoughts on the matter were so loud that Todd had to block them out or have his consciousness be over run.

"Your sister will survive Sheppard," Todd intoned, unable to wholly keep the shock and awe out of his voice even as he forced himself to show more reassurance then he was used to displaying.

John's head snapped towards Todd. "How would you know?" he demanded, not at all in the mood to be comforted by a wraith which is strangely enough what it wounded like Todd was trying to do.

"This is not the first time I have seen Katherine display exemplary battle technique, Sheppard," he glanced towards the human, pleased to see that with his words the male seemed to be calming down, "You forget that she and I have fought side by side before. I believe I am a fare judge of her abilities."

John deflated and both Ronon and Lorne glanced over him and the wraith before going back to him. "He has a point, Sir," Lorne quipped feeling the need to take Todd's side since Kate, who was his usual advocate, wasn't here to do it.

John sighed. "Yeah, I know," he slid down the bars of the cell until he was back to sitting on the floor, a glance over the still unconscious Tyler and another at Todd, he continued, "Sorry for, you know, biting your head off."

Todd grunted not at all willing to say anything over the fact that this was the first apology he'd ever gotten from this particular human. If he did, past experience had taught him that Sheppard would most likely retract the apology and then 'bite his head off' again for daring to comment on it. Such had happened before and the wraith was in no hurry to do it again.

"She'll be fine, Sheppard," Ronon added his own reassurance, knowing that somehow being comforted by a wraith just didn't do the trick.

John sighed, glad to hear some words of comfort from someone other then Todd - which was weird by the way, almost as weird as him being so worried when they'd been on the hive and seen the dead bodies. "Yeah," he sighed again, "I hope so."

~xXx~

Ford was taking longer with Kate then he had with Tyler and John didn't want to think about the reason as to why. Tyler had been gone for an hour and a half, now with Kate they were approaching three and John almost wished that the cells were big enough to pace in. About an hour into their waiting period, Lorne had fished a packet of cards out form somewhere and at first he and Ronon, and now he, Ronon and the slightly fuzzy Tyler were playing poker. John has resigned himself to twiddling his thumbs, Todd hadn't talked and he was pretty sure the wraith was asleep, and the other two wraith he couldn't see and so didn't care about.

Just as John was ready to go insane and start howling against the bars like a pissed off orangutan at the San Diego zoo, the door at the end of the walk opened and Ford trotted inside. The colonel was on his feet almost faster then Todd, who had suddenly appeared at the bars to his cell as if having known previously that Ford was coming back. Brushing the thought that he wasn't the only who was worried aside, he took in the appearance of their captor and felt instantly relieved.

"You look like hell," John observed with glee, eyes raking over the gash along Ford's left eyebrow and the cut on his chin.

Adian sneered, wiping blood away from his chin with the back of his hand. "You're little girly is tougher then she looks," he defended.

John smirked. "Yeah well, don't say I didn't warn you."

Adian glared at him. "You didn't."

John shrugged, completely unconcerned with the fact that apparently Katie Beth had put up one hell of a fight even after having been shot repeatedly. "Oh," he said mockingly as if he really had forgotten to tell Ford that his sister was classified as a grade B weapon, "Sorry about that."

Adian leered at him and turned backwards, motioning for his men to bring the girl in. She was no longer struggling, the pain of pulling out the bullets without anesthesia and then several round of sedatives after that had cured her of her wiggling. She was however, still defiant and her steadfast silence no mater what he asked her or what he threatened her with made him rethink his tactics. He had ordered her to be stripped of her uniform, a task his men had enjoyed, and had dressed her in a pair of leather pants and a sleeveless linen shirt himself before dragging her back here.

"WE took he liberty of taking the bullets out of her, got her patched up a bit," he looked at Sheppard, saw the conclusions dawning in his mind, "Don't worry, we were very thorough."

This comment eared him a snarl from not only Sheppard, but Ronon, Lorne and the wraith as well. Laughing at their expense, he stood back as she was brought forwards, halting his men before they could open the cell. "No," he waylaid them, jerking his head in the opposite direction, "Put her in the cell with the wraith."

John's lip curled and Ronon growled. "Ford!" John protested, his voice dripping with contempt.

Adian looked innocently at him. "If he really is your ally then he won't hurt her," he raised an eyebrow, "Right?"

"You may be willing to gamble with her life but I'm not," John screamed, more angry then he'd been when Ford had shot her, "Put her back in our cell!"

"Why is she so important to you?" Adian asked, taking a step towards Sheppard and looking the other man dead in the eye, "You were never this protective over any of us, not even Teyla."

His anger raged but at the same time he knew that he could not afford for Ford to be able to use Kate against him. "She…she's," he looked past Ford's face towards Kate and pleaded with his eyes for her to understand, knowing that she knew he couldn't say it as she bowed her head, "Put her in the cell with Todd," he agreed weakly.

The men holding Kate moved forwards, the underlying threat that they would hurt her if the wraith moved even an inch clear as they opened the door and dropped her inside. "Still naming things Sir?" Adian snickered as he watched the wraith, Todd, hovered just beyond her as if uncertain if he should comfort her or not.

With one last grin, Ford was gone and John was at the forefront of his cell, worry etched onto his face. "Kate," she groaned and rolled over onto her back, "Katie are you alright?"

Todd didn't know what to do, this situation being new to him. That Katherine was in pain he could tell but as to what course of action, if any, he should take in order to alleviate her symptoms was more problematic. Humans, he had observed especially these Atlantians, responded well to physical touch as a form of comfort and reassurance. Touch, as it were, was something that wraith did not do at least not outside the arena of mating and Todd didn't like to think about what Sheppard would do to him if he touched his sister in that manner. Above all else, he hated being shot and while he briefly entertained the thought that it might be worth it to touch her he decided against it.

At a loss and because the female was already pushing herself up into a sitting position, Todd continued to hang in the background of his now shared cell as Katherine groaned and grunted and eventually came to rest her back against the wall.

"Kate," John's anxious voice called again and Kate shook her head to clear it.

"I'm fine John," she whispered, feeling the cold seep through the floor and into her bones, already missing her temperature controlled suit, "Cold…but fine."

John was relieved, happy to hear her voice as he consciously felt his body sag. "Yeah," he agreed, "It is a bit chilly in here."

Kate snorted, which promoted a coughing fit. "Yeah, just a little," she mirrored as she brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, "At least you have more then one person in your cell, body head and all that jazz."

"That's not true," John countered, "Todd's in your cell."

The wraith snorted.

Kate laughed. "Actually I'm in his," she shivered, "And he's way over there so, unless you're giving me permission to cuddle up to a wraith, that's how it's gonna stay."

John debated and Todd found that the look on his face was actually quite comical, he could tell that the human was having a vast amount of difficulty with this one. It was clear, however, when it was that Sheppard reached a decision because his face turned to glass and when he looked up towards him, Todd felt as though he were being pinned to a wall.

"Could you, maybe," John struggled, "Sit next to her…please."

Todd stared at him as too did Kate. "John, it's okay, I'm fine," she tried to assure him completely at a loss and wondering if her brother had fallen and hit his head.

"Sheppard," Todd rumbled, asking for confirmation that the human did indeed want him to do what he thought he did despite Katherine's protests.

John's gaze leveled with the wraith's. "Just…don't get any ideas," he said in a rush.

Todd nodded and cross the cell, sinking down onto the floor next to Katherine and getting close enough to her as was physically possible, the leather of his armored outer coat brushing against her thigh. Keeping his eyes forwards so as to maintain the appearance of 'not entertaining any ideas', Todd felt the woman besides him sigh as his warmth seeped through her and then abruptly felt a weight settle against his shoulder. Startled, once more in shock that she would be so willing to touch him when none of her other peers seemed able to, the wraith turned his head only slightly so that he could look down on the female that had lain her head against his upper arm noting that her eyes had already begun to lower in sleep.

~xXx~

The concept of time was a hard one when one is stuck in an underground cell although John was willing to hazard a guess that is was morning because when he opened his eyes he not only smelt food but saw looked up and saw Ford standing in the middle of the isle. The former lieutenant wasn't looking at him and, after a few moments, John's curiosity got the better of him and he leaned around the renegade's legs to see what was so memorizing. The sight he was greeted with nearly killed him. Sometime in the middle of what he was guessing was night, Todd had retreated back to the farthest corner of his cell only he had apparently taken Kate with him. John's sister was no longer sitting next to the wraith, oh no, she was sitting in front of him with her back to his front in the space between his legs. Her head was turned to the side and was pillowed on his shoulder and (and here John really wished he had a gun) Todd's right arm was wound around her waist.

John must have made some sort of strangling sound because the next thing he knew Ford had turned around to look at him while behind him Ronon, Lorne and Tyler were all gaping like drowning fish. The wraith too, John noticed looked a bit surprised and one of them, John wasn't sure which one or what his rank was, made a sound that was half snort and half growl. The noise reverberated around the quiet cells and caused both Todd and Kate to wake up the latter extracting herself form the former who seemed almost unwilling to let her go. Once they became aware that they were being watched however, in the blink of an eye the gap between them widened by ten feet.

"Well," Adian refrained from saying what he was actually thinking as he looked once more at the woman and the wraith before turning towards Sheppard, "At least he didn't eat her."

John glared at him not sure who he wanted to shoot more Todd for doing that or Ford for mentioning it. "Good morning to you too," he growled instead fixing his eyes forwards and glaring at the wraith who at least had the good sense to look guilty.

Ford snorted before giving the order for his men to feed the prisoners, the human ones, and their cells were opened only long enough to shove their bowls inside. "I could just let you starve," he commented as he leant forwards and grabbed the fifth bowl from the floor of the men's cells and turned to hand it to the woman who had come forwards from against the far wall to get it.

Lorne glared at him. "Then why don't you?" he asked

Ford shrugged. "My men need medical supplies, weapons, none of which you can get for me if you're dead," he informed them before giving a little wave of his hand as four more of his men entered the cell block. Armed with stunners, they each shot off several rounds dropping two of the four remaining wraith not including the one Sheppard called Todd.

"Enjoy your meals," Ford sing-songed before turning and exiting from their presences.

Whatever anger Sheppard had had for him for the position he and Katherine had been in upon their waking seemed to dissipate in the wake of his loss of another two officers for which Todd was glad. In all honesty, if he remembered correctly, it was Katherine that had arranged that particular position after sitting next to him for several hours had failed to warm her sufficiently. She had called it a more thorough used of body heat; Sheppard he was sure would have termed it as him "getting ideas", and while he did not regret the situation in any conceivable sense of the word, being pinned by the glare of an angry older brother was enough to make Todd at least fridge guilt for the colonel's benefit.

"What are they doing to us?" Todd's second officer asked, his questioned pointed at no one in particular as Todd was sure that the humans didn't have anymore of a clue ten they did.

"Stealing your enzyme pouches," the former runner replied in a board tone.

Then again maybe they did. It did not happen often but Todd had been known to be wrong occasionally.

"More like harvesting," Lorne interjected, scrapping the last of the tick but decent tasting stew out of his bowl with his fingers, "You'd think that they'd have enough by now seeing as there's only three of you left."

While the comment was not meant as a barb, Todd felt it's truth painfully as the memory of the battle that had stranded them here came to mind. "Most of my crew did not survive the battle that forced us to land here. There were very few of us, only a handful of drones and twelve officers including myself and my second," he enlightened them

John whistled. "Must have been some battle."

Todd glanced ruefully at the human. "It was."

"You loose a lot of hives don't you?" John noted, thinking back over the years as to just how many different ships he'd known Todd to be the commander of.

There was something to be said about those who possessed tact and those didn't. Sheppard didn't which Todd knew and so allowed the human's observation to slide. "Hmmm, yes. We are at war, it is to be expected" the wraith replied unable to keep the condescension from coloring his tone, "Although, it is a fact, that my dealings with you have cost me the loss of more then one hive along with countless precious resources."

The colonel shifted uncomfortably not at all liking that Todd's words were actually making him feel guilty. To date, he'd never felt bad about any of his pervious dealing with the wraith sitting so benignly across from him so why now did he start to feel awkward about how he'd treated him in the past? "And yet, you still need us," John countered, anything to take away from his own discomfort.

Todd snorted in derision. "I do not require as much assistance from you as you have been led to believe."

Now, more so then during any conversation previous, John was confused and slightly hurt the latter feeling he choose to ignore. "Oh really?" he demanded, "Then why bother with us at all?"

Todd had an odd feeling that they were about to be more honest with each other then they had ever been on any occasion previously. "More and more often it seems that - when in times of need - you turn to me," the wraith explained hoping that he would not be forced to go into more detail and already knowing that he would. John Sheppard was nothing if not obtuse.

"So?" the human defended, "You're a handy guy to have around when we're dealing with the wraith. That doesn't explain why you put up with us though, if we aren't a help to you."

The ancient wraith felt like a parent, which he was but that was not the point. Trying to get Sheppard to understand this concept was like trying to get his second oldest son to figure out the concept of gravity which, if he remembered correctly, had eventually been learned but not without the youngster first breaking almost every bone he had. It was a trouble that he would like to save Sheppard from if he could if for no other reason then he'd been through it all before and had no wish to go through it again. Not with a grown male human in the place of a twenty year old youngling wraith.

Forcing a patronizing smile onto his face the wraith attempted to reiterate the statement in a manner which Sheppard would be able to comprehend. "If I were to only come to you when I truly needed aid then we would see a great deal less of each other," was his second attempt.

John frowned. "That still doesn't explain -"

The wraith interrupted him. "I am keeping the existing state of affairs level, Sheppard."

Comprehension dawned, literally and even though he got he concept John was still slightly confused by it. "You ask us for help because of a stupid status quo?"

Todd nodded.

Knowing that this was the reason Todd saw them so much made John, quite honestly, slightly depressed although he was aware that the wraith had a valid point. For every time that the asked him for help he asked them for help so that, in the end, now one owed anyone anything which considering the likely hood that one or both of them would eventually turn on the other out of pure necessity was probably a good thing.

"And here I thought I was because you liked me," John pouted. A good point Todd might have but that didn't stop the colonel from feeling a little bent out of shape that a status quo was all he was to the vampiric creature.

Todd blinked feeling the need to remedy the fact that he was pretty certain he'd just hurt Sheppard's feelings. "There is that," he allowed which was mostly true, "You are amiable enough as far as humans go and so it is only slightly trying on my patience to suffer your presence," the wraith glanced at the runner, "Although, the same can not be said of others."

Ronon growled.

"Down Chewie," John instructed and then turned back to Todd, "Thanks, I think."

The wraith inclined his head.

Eyeing his commanding officer, Lorne thought that the scene he had just witness was hilariously funny. Sheppard and Todd had just had a bonding moment and nether of the two of them seemed to notice. A glance to his left and based off the twinkle in her eye told Lorne that Kate had observed this too and together the two marines shared in silent laugher.

When breakfast was over, and after Ford's men had come to collect their bowls, Lorne and Tyler started up a game of would you rather. At first it was just between them but slowly the others had begun to play along as well until all five of them were answering some ridiculous questions. The only ones that weren't playing were the wraith although Todd was watching them in amusement if for nothing else then out of sheer boredom.

"Okay Kate," Lorne called across the isle to the woman that was sitting at the front of her and Todd's cell, "Would you rather make a living making guns or sex toys?"

"Pick a hard one why don't you!" she accused her best friend while noticing that her brother, Ronon and even the shy Tyler were all snickering. Todd just looked confused but she'd seen him perk up out of the corner of her eye at the utterance of the word 'sex'. _"Males really are the same no matter what species," _she thought to herself with an inwards smirk.

Lorne grinned. "You have to answer Kate," he reminded her as they weren't currently playing the option C version of would you rather. In that rendition, if neither choice A or B seemed appealing you could use option C wit was stab yourself in the eye with a pointy stick.

Kate tried her absolute best to look innocent, something she hadn't been since she was six and John had let her sneak out of the house to go street racing with him. "Well, gee.." she looked up as if checking for her halo which she knew full well wasn't there, "Since in some cases a gun can be used as a sex toy, I'd have to say option B."

Her answer caused quite the stir in the cell opposite her. Ronon howled with laughter which woke up the two napping wraith, Tyler turned beat red, Lorne clapped his hands together and gave her an appraising look and her brother made a yelping sound like a wounded giraffe.

"What the hell woman?" John screeched, noting that at the very least Todd seemed to be as disturbed by this idea as he was, "What crazy fucked up world do you live in?"

"I have no idea but can I come live with you?" Tyler asked using more words at one time then they had heard him say since they'd gotten here.

"Me too," Lorne agreed while Ronon just nodded.

Kate spread her arms wide, flashing a flirtatious grin across the isle. "Sure boys, I have plenty of room," she giggled and it was hard to tell who was more upset by that statement John or Todd seeing as both males made rather loud noises of protest. In the end though, her brother won out.

"The hell you do, Katherine Elizabeth," he rounded on the two marines and the grinning Setedan, "Touch her and I castrate you! And You, and you!"

Kate and Lorne took one look at each other and burst out laughing and even Ronon began to chuckle lightly. Todd, on the other hand, wanted very much to stray of this particular topic of conversation as it was going to get him into trouble if they lingered on it much longer. Sheppard might ask why he'd protested. Instead he asked, "Katherine Elizabeth?"

Kate turned to him, feeling his discomfort and wondering just how much he knew about earth human's sexual culture if anything. "Elizabeth is my middle name, it's my mother's name," she explained.

Todd cocked his head to one side as he vaguely remembered her telling him this once before when they'd been discussing names and their meanings. Katherine, he remembered meant pure and while she didn't seem to think the definition suited her Todd was inclined to disagree.

Mistaking his contemplative remembrance for confusion, Kate continued. "In our culture it is common to give a child a given name like Katherine or Jonathan and then to give them a second name which is called a middle name. Usually it is something that has more meaning to the parents then the kid."

"My middle name's Patrick which was my asshole of a father's first name," John inserted feeling inclined to diss the man that had sired him.

Lorne sighed aware that fun time was over and now came share time. "I have two middle names," he informed them knowing that at least Kate would get a kick out of this, "My dad has a twin brother and they're really close so my mother thought it'd be appropriate to name me after both of them."

Tyler looked at him. "So what's your whole name?"

Lorne puffed out his chest. "Evan Vincent Isaac Lorne," he recited proudly.

Kate snickered. "You do realize that your initials spell 'evil' don't you?" she inquired with a raised eyebrow and a crooked grin.

Lorne sighed in memory. "Yeah, my parents only realized that after they'd signed the birth register," he looked over at Kate, "Guess what my nickname was when I was a kid?"

"Hail Satan," Kate quoted and watched Lorne nod vigorously in approval before turning to Ronon.

"So, what are you're full names?" the evil major asked

"Ronon Kelso Dex."

"Christopher Christian Tyler."

John frowned. "Christopher Christian?"

Tyler looked sheepish. "Dad's a minister."

"Ah," John understood.

"Our brother David, his middle name is Atticus," Kate said darkly both out of derision for the man and the fact that having the name Atticus in any order sucked.

"David Atticus Sheppard?" Lorne asked shaking his head, "You're patents are cruel"

"Yep," Kate and John chorused as a truer statement had not yet been uttered.

Todd frowned. So far he'd mostly ignored their conversation as he didn't understand half of it but the background on the Sheppard siblings, which was rare, was impossible to waylay. "Why?" he inquired, curious as to how naming your child something could be constituted as being cruel to your offspring.

Kate explained. "Atticus is a rather old fashioned name, so is Katherine and Jonathan. Our Parents are what you'd call aristocrats."

Todd was still confused having no idea what an aristocrat was.

"It means stuck up, snobbish and rude," John clarified, "In other words, they think that they are better then just about everybody else."

"Ah," Todd understood, highborn that was what the Sheppards were apparently back on their planet. He might have asked more, inquired farther, as their culture was almost as fascinating to him as his was to Katherine. His chance however, was cut off as the door creaked open and their captor returned.

Adian allowed the door to shut behind him before walking down the now quiet cell block towards the occupied cages. "Awful chatty down here," he looked around him at the stone cold faces of the cells occupants, "Sorry I didn't come back right after breakfast, how was it by the way?"

John shrugged. "It was okay, did you lace it with enzyme like you did last time?"

Adian sneered. "Now why would I waist our resources on you? No, don't worry your food is clean."

"Nice to know," Ronon grunted remembering the last time he'd been drugged.

"Yes," Adian agreed before waling over to the woman and peering in at her, "You know there is just one thing that I forgot to ask you during our little chat yesterday and it's been bugging me all day."

Kate glared up at him. "And what is that?"

Adian smiled at her. "Your name," he glanced at Sheppard, "I know I heard him call you Kate but I'd curious. You do kinda look like him."

"Got to hell," Kate responded and retreated rather into the shadows towards Todd.

Adian frowned. "Thought you might say that," he pulled one of the confiscated guns out of a holster on his hip and pointed it at Sheppard, "Now, I'll ask again, your name?" When she still hesitated he felt his patience grow dangerously thin, "I won't ask again, trust me when I say I doubt he can take as many bullets as you can."

"Kate."

Adian had to hand it to her, she was a remarkably stubborn woman. "Short for Katherine I'd assume, pretty name for a pretty girl," he squeezed the trigger and popped of a bullet which narrowly missed Sheppard's head and embedded itself into the wall, "Now, I'll try again. Name and rank…please."

Kate growled through her teeth but, in the interest of literally saving John's face, she complied. "Major Kate Sheppard, United States Marines."

"See? That wasn't so hard now was it?" Adian asked, holstering the firearm and grinning down at her, "And I was right, you do look like him. Except for you eyes, they're more grey then blue - like storm clouds," he looked over his shoulder at his former commanding officer, "She's very beautiful John, you should be proud."

The death defying colonel snarled. "I am."

"Guess I know why you're so protective of her now huh?" Adian continued with a smirk.

John lashed out. "What do you want Ford? You gonna actually come out and ask us or are you gonna keep up here forever?"

Adian shrugged. "Oh not much," he grinned, his plan, now that he knew for certain that the woman was Sheppard's sister, falling all into place, "You I plan on keeping alive for as long as possible, the rest of your team will be inspiration for these three," he waved at the wraith in two different cells, "to do as I tell them."

"You're going to feed my team to them?" John asked, "Boy that's original."

"In small doses of course," Ford continued as though he hadn't heard the colonel speak at all, "Wouldn't want to kill them off too quickly that would just be cruel. Unless of course you can provide me with a jumper or two, maybe some medical supplies. Then maybe I'll just let you go."

John growled. "You aren't getting shit form us."

Adian sighed. "You know," he eyed the colonel, taking a threatening step forwards, "I thought you'd say that," he removed the gun from it's holster once more and opened Sheppard's cell door, holding the gun dead even with his sister's head the whole time, "Out Sheppard, and behave or I'll shoot her, between the eyes this time. Let's see her block that."

Wordlessly John complied and exited the cell, standing with his arms open as Ford relocked the door before turning and aiming the gun towards himself while opening Kate's door. "Now you little girl, you and the wraith. Come out nice and slow or I'll shoot your brother."

With a glare heated enough to melt steel, Kate did as she was ordered feeling rather then seeing Todd follow her out.

"Now, the three of you come with me, slowly," Ford instructed, "That's it."

Left with no choice the three of them did as they were told and followed the insane man down several corridors and finally into a vaulted room with a chair and an odd looking contraption set up in the middle of the space. John, last in line and who was followed into the room by at least three of Ford's men, was led to the chair where he was tied down. Kate was escorted at gun point over to the strange table like device and told to lay down before she was strapped in with metal restraints. Todd, the last of them to be positioned in this cruel but carefully planned play, was put into place standing over Kate with his feet locked tightly to the floor.

The last piece of the puzzle as to what exactly this table did was put into place as Todd felt his feeding hand forcefully placed on Kate's exposed chest directly over her heart. One of the captor's men held his arm while another one of them buckled his hand into place so that he could not remove it from her flesh if he had wanted to. And he did, looking down into Katherine's stormy eyes the predator in him recoiled form the intensity of her gaze and he wanted nothing more then to remove his hand from her if only to settle her fears.

"What are you doing?" Adian growled, frustrated that still both woman defied him. Even as vulnerable as she was somehow she was, through some unknown force, holding the most deadly predator in the world at bay, "Feed!"

"No!" Todd growled, the hunger rising in him despite his self control as the touch of Katherine's skin to his, awoke two very conflicting feelings deep within him both of which he knew he had to control at all costs.

On the wayside, John could do nothing but stare at the spectacle before him and at Todd's level on control. He knew from research the and past experience at the hand of this very wraith that Todd's hunger had to be screaming at him to feed. That the wraith didn't, that he held back spoke volumes of his commitment to their alliance and dare he say it, their friendship. If it were Ronon or Lorne under his hand right now, John didn't know if Todd would be holding back quite so strongly or that he would even want to. There was a connection there, between his sister and this apex predator that he had seen forged upon their first meeting. She trusted him and he trusted her, period paragraph end of sentence.

"Feed!" Adian commanded the creature who by rights shouldn't care this much about the welfare of his food.

"No!" Todd hissed, his pointed teeth clenched together tightly as he felt his feeding organ begin to bleed it's protest to his restraint. His hunger beating a taboo in in breast, _"Feed, feed, take sustenance, feed", _her body reaching to the flush of Katherine's skin beneath the pressure of his own and his mind concentrating on her eyes and nothing else as he fought to maintain control. 

Kate held his gaze with hers, bore her grey orbs with their round pupil into his golden cat-like stare as she knew that this contact was the only thing keeping her alive. Her skin tingled and pulsed as the enzyme that Ford and the others craved so desperately flowed freely from with yawning maw of his hand setting her nerve ending on fire and awakening a pleasure in her that she should not be feeling right now under the circumstances. His fingers dug into her skin as the liquid fire pooled in the hollow between her breasts that were rising and falling with their shared breaths letting her know that he was painfully aware of what his liquids were doing to her. His eyes flashed above her and Kate conveyed what she was feeling as openly as she could, telling him with her gaze that she did not blame him for this. That is he slipped she would not hold him in hate for his action.

Her understanding gnawing at him even as he redoubled his efforts. No prey should feel such understanding for the creature that consumes it which made Katherine, in his mind, not prey at all. Then, as she stared at him, he could feel in the air from her scent which was intoxicating, what his free flowing enzymes were doing to her; what reactions they were causing as they slid liquidly over her skin and Todd held back the groan of frustration as another part of him, a much more dangerous part of him then simply animalistic hunger, began to scream at him.

The wraith, Todd, whatever the hell Sheppard had named it was showing more restraint then any other of it's kind had done previously and Adian had done this one or twice. Angrily the former solider from earth began to pace as he worked out how to make these players do what he wanted. "My men need medical supplies Sheppard, if you just request them for us then I'll let her go," he growled, turning on the chair bound soldier and appealing to him, "You may be willing to trust your sister's life to a wraith but what if I shoot him? then he'll be forced to feed so that his body can heal."

"You can try, human," Todd hissed angrily, his ire rising within him as lust and hunger battled for control as a result of having Katherine spread out beneath his itching hand.

Adian rounded on him, fed up to here with the stubbornness of the wraith and the woman both. "Really?" he demanded and leveled one of the confiscated military issue M-9's at the wraith's chest, "Care to rethink this scenario?"

John struggled against his bonds as he saw Todd's fingers flex over his sister's heart. The wraith, their ally, had never gone this far to protect any one of them before. He was fighting his most basic instinct with everything he had, with every once of self control. It was like asking John not to breath and the colonel knew that were the roles reversed he would not have been able to hold out as long as Todd had.

"Todd, look at me," Kate whispered knowing that while his eyes were on her constantly, had not moved since they had been forced into this situation, his mind had retreated deep into his subconscious in order to keep her safe. But for this, she needed him to really look at her.

"Katherine," the struggling wraith was barely able to whisper, her name letting the woman beneath him know that he was listening.

"I trust you," she intoned, meaning it for all that those words was and imparting upon the predator above her her understanding and the knowledge that she did not hate him for being what he was.

Jon's mouth dropped open mostly because he knew that she wasn't just saying it. Knowing that they trusted each other was one thing, hearing her iterate it out loud was another and a quick glance at Todd told him that he wasn't the only one humbled by her faith in him.

Adian, too, was surprised. Surprised because along with hunger he could see something else burning in the wraith's eyes. "Were did you find this wraith?" he asked the equally stunned Sheppard who's eyes had gone as wide as dinner plates at his sister's confession.

"Funny story; he and I met in a Genii holding cell kinda like the ones you've had us stashed in for the past thirty-six hours," John informed the man, still slightly shell-shocked, "He fed on me, I helped us escape, he gave me my life back. Now we're occasional friends."

Adian's eyes widened. "He gave you your life back?" he'd heard of this but had thought it nothing by whimsical rumor with not a shred of truth to it.

Todd grunted and John grinned. "There's a lot about the wraith that you don't know, Ford," the colonel quoted, using a paraphrase of the words Todd has spoken to him so long ago.

"And a lot you don't know. For example, did you know that after a certain number of shots their body will force them to feed?" Ford added his own bit to their little story telling session, "There's nothing they can to about it, it's natural instinct to survive and the wraith do that very well."

John opened his mouth to argue but closed it as Ford fired twice both bullets rushing forwards and burring themselves into Todd's chest. In horror the military commander of Atlantis watched as the wraith sagged and then screamed as Ford shot him a third time.

"FORD!"

Todd felt the rush coming, the need to feed peaking and burning out the feelings of lust as his body bent around the projectiles tearing through his muscles and veins. He knew it was coming, knew and at the last moment fisted his hand over her chest and felt the tiny barbs of his feeding slit prickle at his own fingers. A wraith could not feed upon himself.

Todd was at the end of his rope and John knew it even as Ford moved to stand over the wraith and began to try and force his hand open, John began to work on his bindings. Twisting and turning, the guards in the room more concerned with the struggling wraith and their leader then they were with him, he managed to squeeze a hand free just as Ford finally managed to grapple Todd's fingers out flat. The wraith roared and John had been around him long enough to know that it was an angry sound rather then the one of pleasure that he usually used when he fed.

Kate groaned as the flood of life, her very essence, came boiling to the surface of her being and seemed to flow effortlessly into Todd's feeding orifice. The ebb was quick and after two seconds she could feel the year that she had lost in the ache of her bones before suddenly the river lessened and then dropped to a crawl, a trickle of the torrent that it had been. Her eyes flew open into Todd's as she realized that he was still fighting, fighting to lessen the flow, to slow it until she felt it reverse all together as her one stolen year was returned to her and then some.

Adian was so busy keeping the creature's hand in place that he didn't hear the sound of breaking and snapping metal until it was too late. In a flash the struggle was over and his face exploded in pain as Kate's fist swung free and clocked him in the face. Stumbling backwards, he tripped over the suddenly free Sheppard's graciously extended foot before sprawling to the ground. Quickly, Adian tried to get up only to find himself roped and then held at gun point by Sheppard. Held tightly, the no longer in control Adian Ford was forced to watch as Kate struggled off the table, shredding his torture construction in the process.

Once she was free and had checked over her bother form a distance, Kate lent forwards to unfasten Todd's booted feet from their straps. The wraith swayed and then pitched forwards in fatigue as her hands shot out to grasp his shoulders as firmly as she could. The following conclusion was that Todd was as solid as he looked and as his weight settled against her his momentum pulled them both down. Kate managed to secure him and keep him from injuring himself on the fall, and she held onto to him gently yet firmly as she spread his weight over her lap.

"Todd?" Kate called, tightening her grip on him as she repositioned herself and slipped her left arm under his and around his chest, her right hand resting on his shoulder lightly.

"I…am…fine," Todd huffed, partially ashamed at appearing so weak and partially comforted by the feel of this particular female's arms around him.

Kate looked down, frowning as she soothed his unruly half kempt hair out of his face so that she might see his eyes. "No, you're not," she informed him telling him with her eyes that he needed to hold still and trusting him to do it as she splayed her right hand over his broad chest to examine the bullet wounds, "He needs to feed," she concluded and looked up at her brother for direction.

John watched his sister administer the fallen wraith and felt a surge of pain at seeing the usually unbeatable warrior reduced to this. It made him hate Ford for the first time and he angrily jerked on the leads that bound their no longer captor. "He gave you life didn't he?" John asked, knowing that there could be no other explanation for Todd's fatigue or weariness beyond that.

Kate nodded.

Todd, his breathing becoming more pained, sought to explain. "She needed to be the one to get free, Sheppard. Katherine is…stronger then both of us at present. I gave her…just enough to…"

John stopped him, feeling sorry enough for him already without another long explanation to make him feel worse. "Just, hold on Todd we'll fix you," and idea formed in his mind and, although he didn't like it, he knew it had to be done. Tightening his hold on the rope encircling Ford's neck he looked to his sister, "Stay here, don't let them," he pointed at the mute and terrified looking guards, "leave."

Kate nodded and tightened her hold on Todd as if to emphasize her point. John let his head rise and fall once before turning and dragging a resisting Ford back through the tunnels towards the cell block, throwing open the door when he got there and marching inwards. Lorne and the others, the wraith included, stood and stared as he went to the cell where Todd and Kate had slept and tossed his former teammate inside.

"Colonel, what's -" Lorne began only to the officer in question cut him off.

"We're taking him back to Atlantis," John explained and proceeded to lock the door, turning back the way he'd come knowing that time was of the essence.

"Where are you going?" Ronon asked.

John looked back. "To save a friend," he replied before retracing his steps.

Nether his sister nor Todd had moved by the time he got back although John hadn't really expected them to have. Todd really couldn't move and he was pinning Kate so, as John strode inwards, they both looked up at him from exactly the same positions as they'd been in when he'd left. Without a word, John grabbed the nearest one of Ford's men and hauled him over towards the wraith, forcing the sandy haired young man of about twenty to kneel.

"Sheppard," Todd hissed, uncertainty clouding his eyes.

"Feed," John instructed, the wraith hesitated which under different circumstances might have endeared him a little bit more but right now John just needed him to do it, "I don't have time to question whither or not this is a good idea or not or whither I'll get court-marshaled or demoted or whatever, just…" John bit his lip, "Just do it."

Todd locked his eyes with Sheppards and nodded, reaching upwards and slamming his hand down onto the man's chest. The flood of life entering his veins a welcomed reprieve form the pain as he howled and writhed his pleasure as his wounds healed. Sheppard did not release the body, nor look away from the sight until there was nothing left of the man but a dry husk; neither Sheppard did.

When the task was done, Todd stood holding out his hand to help Katherine to her feet, the imprint of her bodies warmth still clinging to his back. And they retreated, Sheppard taking his sister's hand and leading her away before the Colonel stopped in the doorway. Holding up his sister's hand, clasped in his he nodded to the two remaining men in the room and locked the door.

Left alone, Todd smiled to himself at the level of understanding that had been reached on this day, that Sheppard was allowing him this small pleasure in return for his sister's life. His predatory instincts flaring, spurred on by the memory of Katherine's heated skin beneath his hand a sudden lust filled him which he turned to anger as he stalked his pray.

Their screams served nothing other then to farther his own blood lust and hunger.

~xXx~

The sky above them was orange streaked with red as John, his sister, his team, the captured Ford and the remaining wraith walked out of the mines and into the fading sunlight. As one they waited, listening to the screams of the people within the labyrinthine tunnels as if, though Todd, they were al getting their own revenge. When at last the darkened depths of their temporary prison, Ford's home, fell silent they waited. The black form of Todd the wraith coming out of the darkness like a demon straight out of hell.

"You look…full," John hailed him realizing that for the first time he didn't feel remorse for the lives that the wraith had claimed in sustaining himself or exacting his revenge.

The grateful wraith nodded towards the Colonel. "I am, Sheppard, thank you."

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it," he sighed, "Sorry about your hive, that's another one that you've lost. I don't suppose there's any chance that the three of you, he gestured at the other wraith, grouped together a little ways away from his team and Ford, "Could fix it by yourselves?"

Todd shook his head. "It is highly unlikely," he eyed the human, amused at the males president concern, "Do not worry Sheppard, I have other hives to which I can go."

Kate looked between the two males before settling on her brother. "I'm sure we can at least take them as far as the gate, since we're going that way anyways and we know where it is."

John nodded. "Yeah, come on…I don't want to leave you stranded you'd find a way to hold it against me," he laughed and looked at the grinning wraith, "Wouldn't want to upset your precious status quo."

Todd chuckled in amusement and motioned for his officers to follow him as he and the humans began to make their way towards the stargate.


	6. Reverse

**A/N: **Here you go peeps another chapter just for you. This episode is intended to be comical so you all will have to **_review_** and tell me how I did. As always, ejoy!

* * *

**Episode VI: Reverse**

"LET ME OUT!! SHEPPARD, PLEASE…SSSHHEEPPAARRDD!"

John frowned. Watching the withdrawal possess was never easy nor was it particularly enjoyable and Ford was having a more complicated time of it then any of their previous people simply because he'd been so reliant on it for so long. When they'd first started to draw him off his wraith enzyme high they had just decided to go cold turkey like they'd always done in the past but, after Aiden's heart had crashed twice in the first forty-eight hours, they realized that that was going to be imposable.

This realization had prompted a subspace message and the most awkward conversation John had ever had with Todd the wraith to date. Fortunately enough for him Todd had been in a good mood and, after Kate and Lorne took a short trip up to Todd's hive - spending only fifteen minutes on board during which time nothing went wrong which was a first for them, the Atlantis infirmary was now stocking enough enzyme to get Ford through the withdrawal process without killing him.

The real shocker in all of this was, of course, the speed in which Todd had agreed to this and it worried John slightly. So far, in all their dealings with him, the wraith had never been this accommodating and it scared John to think that they were on good enough terms with him that he might be. The implications of that were not something the Colonel liked to think about. Being his ally he could deal with, being his almost-but-not-quite friend…John didn't know if he could do that.

"I still can't believe that Todd agreed to this."

John turned, nodding at the major that had just come to join him in the infirmary observation room. "I was just thinking about that," he sighed, "Hard to believe, but I think we might actually be more then just allies now."

Lorne shrugged. "Well, he did sorta save Kate's life. And you did let him feed after that."

"He was gonna die," John defended absentmindedly.

"I'm not accusing you of anything Sir," Lorne said gently, "It's just, you wouldn't have done that -"

"If he hadn't just saved my sister's life?" John turned to look at the younger man standing next to him that was his second in command, "Probably not," he sighed heavily, "You didn't see him in there Major, didn't see how hard he was fighting. He wanted to feed, his body was begging him to do it and he still resisted."

Lorne considered this and tied in what Kate had told him of the experience. "You think that he would have done that for one of us, if it hadn't been Kate?"

John shook his head. "That's the problem, I don't. I think that the reason that he fought so hard was that it was Kate. He wouldn't have done that for anyone else."

"He likes her," Lorne said slowly and then rolled his eyes at the look his CO gave him, "Not like that, Sir. It's just, he respects her, more then he does the rest of us. She reminds him of his wraith I think."

"My sister reminds him of _his _wraith?" John questioned, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Lorne shrugged. "Todd's admitted to being a lot older then most of the wraith out there. Compared to them, the ten thousand and twenty thousand year old ones, he's ancient. He's told us once or twice that wraith life didn't always used to be like it is now," he paused, "I think Kate reminds him of his own time, she's strong and more then capable even by wraith standards."

"So what you're saying is that my sister reminds our dear friend of the type of queens that used to be around when he was young?" John grimaced, "Oh yeah, that makes me feel real good."

Lorne laughed. "Back then there were actually female wraith that weren't queens so just calm down, Sir. But yeah, basically," he trailed off, "He can relate to her, she's more like him then the rest of us."

John sighed. "Well, I'll give you that one," he looked down at his watch and then back up to the writhing but no longer screaming Ford, "When are they due back?"

"Fifteen minutes." Lorne answered, "Should we head over, Sir?"

"Yeah, might as well," John agreed and turned, waving for his major to follow. He did, and the two officers settled into an easy trot down to the gate room. When they got there, Teyla and Ronon were already standing off to the side talking to Mr. Woolsey.

As one, the first and second in command of Atlantis walked over to join them. "Hey guys," John called as they stopped besides the group and clapped his hands together, "Ready to meet the newlyweds?"

Teyla smiled. "I have missed them."

Ronon grunted. "Even McKay?"

Teyla gave her head a gentle nod. "Yes, even Rodney."

Lorne shook his head. "Sad state of affairs when the lot of us miss McKay," he looked around, "Where's Kate?"

Surprisingly it was Woolsey who answered. "She's sleeping I would presume, she had a bit of a rough night," when the group of them all gave him the same questioning look he continued, "I had a bit of trouble sleeping last night and decided to ask one of the nurses for some sleep aids. Kate was in the infirmary when I got there."

"Nightmares," Lorne supplied after having heard this explanation, "She has a lot of them, some worse then others."

"Considering what she has seen and done over the course of her life, it is not surprising," Teyla agreed feeling pity for her friend and for Jennifer whom she knew would have missed Kate the most during she and her husband's time spent away from the city.

Silently they all agreed knowing that out of all of them Kate had had it much worse then most. Being used as a weapon, being expected to kill on demand and without remorse and carrying through with it had been hard on her. There were scars and every now and again she would slip and show them one. It wasn't a fault that any of them could blame her for really and it was actually why she and Jennifer had become friends so fast. In Kate's first few weeks in Atlantis the marine had often found herself in the infirmary late at night and it was these nocturnal visitations that had advanced their friendship faster then the others.

Their thoughts over the missing member of their party were put aside as, right on schedule, the room was filled with a bright flash of light that upon dissipation revealed the new Mr. and Mrs. Rodney McKay. The first thing that John noticed was that Rodney looked rather red not to mention slightly ridiculous in his shorts and sandals with socks and a Hawaiian print shirt.

"Nice get up McKay," the colonel called out jovially which earned him a scowl from the returning scientist.

"Laugh all you want Colonel," Rodney countered moodily, "I've slept more in the past week then you have in the past year."

John snickered. "Nice come back McKay, you've been practicing."

Rodney opened his mouth to counter but was silenced by a look from his wife. Sheepishly, he looked down at the ground as Teyla moved forwards to embrace Jennifer.

"It is good to have you back," the Athosian greeted and then pulled away so that she might look over her friend, "Vacation seems to suit you."

Jennifer laughed. "That is does," she sighed, "But I'm glad to be back."

"Well, we're glad to have you," John said as he was net to hug her before moving back to clap Rodney on the back which earned him a wince as he figured that the Canadian's sunburn must extent farther then he thought.

Lorne was next. "Jennifer!" the major exclaimed and rushed forwards, grabbing the doctor around the waist and lifting her up, twirling her around.

"Evan!" Jennifer squeaked at the antics of her second best friend, "Put me down!"

"Oh, you ruin all my fun," Lorne sulked and replaced her feet onto the ground, stepping back only to receive a glare from Rodney, "Oh relax McKay, no harm done."

Rodney huffed and then seemed to notice something. "Where's Kate?"

Jennifer noticed this too and as such, turned towards John. "Is she alright?" the doctor inquired knowing that Kate would no sooner miss her arrival then volunteer to pull her own teeth. If she wasn't here then something was wrong.

John shrugged, conveying the notion that his sister was indeed fine. "She had a nightmare last night is all, was in the infirmary real late."

Jennifer frowned. "They're getting more frequent."

John sighed. "Yeah they are," he smiled, "But hey, tell us about you're trip? How was Atlantis?"

Jennifer smirked. "I'll tell you all about it if you could help us carry our bags up to our room."

Woolsey stepped forwards. "About that," they turned towards him, "Now that you're married, I took the liberty of finding you a larger set of quarters. Consider it a late wedding present."

The McKay's looked at each other both thinking the same thing; this was strange. "Thank you, Mr. Woolsey," Jennifer finally managed when her husband seemed unable to give a proper answer and instead stood there gaping like a fish.

Woolsey gave a curt nod. "You're welcome," he looked only slightly pleased, "If you'll follow Colonel Sheppard, he'll show you were it is."

As the director moved away, the McKay's fell into step behind everyone else as they formed a caravan towards one of the apartment buildings just outside the main tower. As they walked, John explained that they'd been excavating this particular residential building for a while now so that all the permanent expedition members could have a bit more then a single room to themselves.

"We started moving people in about three days ago," John continued with the explanation as he waved a hand over the door controls to one of the larger apartments and stepped in, bowing in a sort of mocking gesture as Rodney and Jennifer took their first steps into their new home.

"Whoa," Rodney exclaimed as he looked around. The main room in which they were now standing was about the size of a small living room and was furnished with a couch, a loveseat and a table in the middle of the room situated on top of a rug. Rodney's head swiveled towards the entertainment center in front of the seating arrangement, "That's not mine."

John snorted. "Wedding present, McKay," the colonel informed him as he watched the scientist approach the wall mounted thirty-six inch plasma screen TV in awe, "Form me and Kate," he turned towards the Doc and indicated the cabinet beneath the TV which was sporting a DVD player and two sets of speakers, "Kate said you liked cherry wood."

Jennifer grinned. "This is wonderful, thank you John."

"Yeah, thanks," Rodney chimed in as he ran his hands over the TV's frame.

John smirked. No matter how geeky a guy was, all men were the same. Give them a really cool TV and matching sound system and they were set for life.

They spent the rest of the morning exploring the rest of their new apartment. Unlike their old rooms this new set of quarters sported a small kitchen which none body knew how to operate yet, a dining room complete with square table and chairs courtesy of Woolsey, a master bedroom with adjoining walk-in closet and bathroom, another bedroom which Teyla hinted at being for any additions they might have later on, a hall closet and another bathroom. There was also a rather large balcony with an excellent view over the city that Jennifer particularly liked.

Come lunch time, Jennifer was ready to cry and even Rodney was a teensy bit humbled. "Guys, this really is too much," Jennifer protested as she stood in the middle of her bedroom which she could tell had been decorated by Kate using the pictures that she had shown her of her dream room a while back.

"Not for you," hailed a voice from the doorway and the entire occupants of the room turned.

"Kate!" Jennifer exclaimed loudly, flying across the room to hug her friend tightly, "Oh, I missed you!"

Kate hugged her back. "I missed you too. We've had an interesting two weeks," she pulled back, a bright smile on her face, "Like your new place?"

Jennifer grinned. "It's prefect, thank you," she drew Kate towards the queen sized bed, "So, what all have I missed?"

John stood up. "Well, that's our cue to leave," he looked around at Rodney, Ronon and Lorne, "Coming guys?"

Ronon and Rodney joined him while Lorne remained in place, leaning against the open bathroom door. "I think I'll stay," he informed his commanding officer with a shrug.

John eyed him. "Okay, if you say so," before leaving with Ronon and Rodney trailing behind, "Glad you're feeling better Kate."

When the boys minus one were gone, Jennifer got up and walked over to the padded bench at the foot of their bed and began to open one of the suitcases. Drawing out three wrapped packages she tossed one to Lorne before handing the other two to Kate and Teyla. "Souvenirs for all of you, Rodney will give John and Ronon theirs," she explained as Lorne excitedly unwrapped his and then let out a snort of laughter.

"HA!" the major exclaimed as he withdrew a model of what was supposed to be Atlantis complete with tiny mermaids carved into the sculpture, "Thanks Jenn."

"This is lovely," Teyla said as she pulled forth from the ocean themed wrappings a long, ankle length skirt made of a shimmering material that changed from blue to lavender depending on how the light hit it. Having removed the skirt from it's container, Teyla found a matching sleevless bodice in the same color with black lacings up the front, "I have never seen such a color before," she looked up at the smiling doctor, "Thank you."

"I saw it and thought of you," Jennifer explained as she retook her seat on the bed and crossed her legs, pulling one of the shamed pillows into her lap before turning to Kate who had yet to say anything, "Kate?"

Kate was speechless for all of five seconds after having unwrapped her gift before she burst into hysterical bouts of laugher. "This is great!" she exclaimed as she held up the black tank top with the words 'I feel a sin coming on' written across the front, "Jenn, where did you find this?"

"In a little shop in one of the villages not far from the hotel," Jennifer explained as she reached over towards her friend and pulled out the black yoga pants that she'd bought to go with the skirt, "I thought it'd make a nice pajama top or something you could wear when you're not on duty."

"Like now?" Kate suggested and then rolled off the side of the bed and made for the bathroom, "Move Evan," she demanded of Lorne as she pulled him out of the way and then incarcerated herself inside the bathing chamber. She donned her gifts quickly and then made her exit, smiling as she came out and struck a pose, "How do I look?"

"Sinfully hot," Lorne grinned which made both Jennifer and Teyla laugh as Kate leaped back up onto the bed.

"Thanks Jenn," the female major announced happily.

Jennifer nodded. "So, your turn, what'd I…" she trailed off, her eyes narrowing in on Kate's chest, "Kate, is that a feeding mark?"

Kate looked down, sighing as she realized that the mark Todd had left upon her skin had not quite healed yet. "Yeah, kinda," she explained lightly, as if having been fed upon were no big deal.

"Kinda?" Jennifer asked skeptically and glanced at Teyla who, from the expression she wore, was just as clueless as herself on this matter.

"Yeah kinda, look I know it looks bad but it's really not," Kate informed them, "I told you we had an interesting two weeks."

Teyla eyed her. "You received this mark while you, Colonel Sheppard, Ronon, Major Lorne and Lt. Tyler where Ford's prisoners?"

"Ford?" Jennifer echoed, now even more confused then she had been before.

Kate nodded. "Yeah," with a sigh she turned towards Lorne, "Some help here, Evan?"

Lorne complied and sat down on the only corner of the bed that was unoccupied. "Three days after you guys left," he looked at Teyla, "When Torren was sick, we got a distress call from Todd. Anyways, when we went to check it out come to find out the bastard had gotten himself and a few of his officers captured by Ford."

"We knew what would happen to them eventually, so we allowed ourselves to get caught so we could find out where they were," Kate picked up the tale, "Didn't work out so well."

"Kate got shot like five times and Tyler got the shit beat out of him," Lorne said grimly, "Ford wanted medical supplies and information on what's going on out there in the big wide galaxy and he figured that torturing us was the best way to get it."

"I take it he was unsuccessful?" Jennifer questioned.

Kate nodded. "Yeah, mostly. Eventually he got tired of waiting and figured out that I was John's sister. Anyways, he took me, John and Todd out of our cells and dragged up into this room. He tied John to a chair and put me on this sort of bed looking thing that had a harness on it that strapped Todd's feeding hand to my chest," she shivered, remembering the odd sensations that Todd's overproduction of enzyme had created while the liquids had flowed freely over her skin, "Todd was forced to stand there for about fifteen minutes with his hand flat on my chest before Ford lost his patience because he wouldn't feed and shot him."

Teyla, Lorne and Jennifer all grimaced in revolution at hearing this. "Poor Todd," Jennifer whispered, looking at her friend in pity.

"Yes, poor Todd," Kate agreed, "He flat out refused to feed which was hard. I watched him struggle the whole time and I still don't think John's figured out how he managed to hold out that long."

"But he did feed," Jennifer argued pointing at the mark on her chest.

Kate shook her head. "Like I said, kinda," she breathed out deeply, "Yes he did feed, put only after Ford physically forced his hand to lay flat and slammed it down on my chest. Even then, the process went way slower then it should have and eventually it reversed altogether."

Teyla's eyes went wide. She had been briefed on the happenings of their mission before but this had been left out, she suspected, to avoid retribution on Todd from Mr. Woolsey. "He gave you the gift of life?" she asked, curious to know if that was the reverse that Kate spoke of.

Kate nodded. "Not much, just enough to give me the strength to break free," she frowned, "Damn near killed him though. After it was all over, John let him feed on Ford's guards."

"I'm guessing that you didn't tell Woolsey that," Jennifer voiced with a shutter.

Both Kate and Lorne gave her a look, "Right, of course not," the doctor concluded and then sighed, "Anything else happen while Rodney and I were getting sunburned?"

Kate and Lorne eyed each other. "We brought Ford back with us," Lorne informed the doctor knowing that she was going to find out sooner or later, "He's down in isolation room four."

"The withdrawal process had been particularly trying on him," Teyla added thinking back over the last few days, feeling sorrow for her troubled friend.

"Well, I should think so," Jennifer cried, "He's been dependant on it for so long," she looked around her, "Did you stop him cold turkey like Ronon and Tyre?"

"Yeah, that didn't work so well," Lorne informed the doctor, "Which is why the infirmary is now stocked with five hundred milliliters of wraith enzyme which is what the nurses figured would be enough to wean him off the stuff over the next month or so."

Jennifer's eyes widened. "Five hundred…good lord how the hell did we come up with that?"

At this, both Kate and Lorne smirked.

"I'll tell you this," Kate grinned, "It was the most awkward conversation I think my brother's ever had with Todd."

Jennifer scoffed. "He agreed?"

"Yes, surprisingly," Teyla informed her, still a bit awed by the fact herself.

The doctor was pensive. "I don't think he's ever been so accommodating."

"Or prompt," Lorne added, "We got the stuff a couple hours after asking for it."

"Wow," Jennifer breathed.

"Yeah John hasn't quite wrapped his head around it either," Kate said gently, "I think he's afraid that we might actually be friends with him now."

"Which you have to admit is a scary thought," Lorne reminded her, "If we're actually friends with him it means that we can't keep threatening to kill him if he screws us over."

"Oh the horror," Kate rolled her eyes, "You shouldn't be threatening to kill him anyways."

Lorne smirked. "You do know that it's a miracle that the colonel didn't shoot him for sleeping with you right?"

Kate snorted whilst both Jennifer and Teyla's eyes widened. "John told him to," she defended.

"The colonel told him to sit next to you so that you wouldn't freeze," Lorne countered, "How then, did you end up in his lap?"

At this, both Teyla and Jennifer let out loud sounds of disbelief intermingled with horror.

Kate looked sheepish and turned a light shade of pink. "I wasn't in his lap," she defended weakly knowing full well that she practically was, "And I was cold."

"Likely excuse," Lorne teased which earned his a punch in the arm from the unamused marine, "Hey, not so hard!"

Kate stuck her tongue out at him. "You deserved it."

"He deserved what?"

Kate turned and eyed her brother who had popped out of nowhere and was leaning against the door to the bedroom with a bemused grin on his face, his arms and ankles crossed.

Lorne pointed at Kate like a toddler might a younger sibling. "She hit me!"

John yawed. "What'd you do? You probably deserved it," he paused, "Anyways, it doesn't matter I have…what are you wearing!"

Kate grinned and flashed her brother the front of her shirt. "Like it? Suits me don't you think?"

John scowled and turned towards Jennifer. "She doesn't need any more corruption, honestly doc I thought you were better then that."

Jennifer grinned and gave the colonel a little half shrug. "I thought it suited her."

"Well that's not the point," John protested only to be interrupted by the sister in question.

"So, what kind of mission oh brother dear?" she interrupted him before he could get too off topic as he was apt to do.

John turned towards her. "I got a mission for you and Lorne."

"What is it, Sir?" Lorne asked, all joking aside as it was time to switch into military mode.

"Well, it's like this," John explained looking not at all happy with whatever he was about to tell them, "We got a call from our favorite wraith a couple minutes ago. Seems he's lost contact with one of his hives and is too busy at the moment to go check it out himself."

"So he wants us to do it," Kate finished, "Why should we?"

Here, John really did scowl. "He says we owe him."

Lorne fought the urge to grin. "For his help with Ford's withdrawal problems?"

John nodded. "Yeah, that."

In the wake of this, Major Lorne really did grin. "Well, Sir, it seems that the reason why he complied so quickly is now clear," he eyed his commanding officer as he thought his over, "Feel better now Sir, knowing that Todd didn't do it out of the goodness of his heart?"

John looked thoughtful. "You know, I am actually," he smiled having worked out in his head that this meant that they were still not friends, "Okay you two, saddle up lets go."

Kate and Lorne said their goodbyes to Teyla and Jennifer before heading off towards their rooms which were a few floors down. "Would it be so terrible to actually be friends with him?" Kate asked on their way down, both of them needing to get dressed in proper mission suitable clothing before gearing up.

Lorne shrugged. "Maybe not, but I don't think your brother's quite ready for that eventuality," he frowned, "He's still a bit irked over the whole Daedalus fiasco."

Kate snorted. "Well that's John, he'll hold a grudge until judgment day," she broke off when they reached her room, "I'll catch you in the gate room," she called out as she opened her door and Lorne continued on down the corridor.

Like Jennifer and Rodney, her new room was a lot bigger then the one she'd first been put into. It was still only one room but it was large enough to include a kind of sitting area in the corner to the right of the door and two sets of floor to ceiling bookshelves to the door's left. The door to her bathroom was just past the bookshelves and past that was her nightstand and then her single bed. Her desk which was a ways past the foot of her bed and was flanked by yet still more bookshelves.

Her favorite feature though, were the floor to ceiling windows that sat opposite the main door. This feature made her room feel open and roomy then it actually was. That and she loved the view, it really bought home the fact that she was living in another galaxy in an alien city floating in the middle of the ocean.

After a quick appreciation of her new room, Kate went to her closet - the door of which was inside her bathroom. One of the things she liked about this set of rooms was that the doors opened up, sliding into the ceiling rather then sliding out and to the side like the other doors in the city. Pushing her meager collection of casual clothes aside, she pulled out a clean uniform and began the task of getting into it. As cool as her nano-suit was it was a bitch to get into and after donning the appropriate undergarments - a black sports bra type contraption with under-wiring for support and a pair of tight black shorts not much different then boyshort underwear - and folding away Jennifer's gifts, she began the task of shimmying into her uniform.

It was bothersome to get into and almost as bothersome to get out of. First she squeezed herself into what the makers claimed as a flexible body suit but really had the consistency of a wetsuit. After that was zipped up she strapped herself into an over-the-bust corset looking thing that continued down over the top of her hips and, while being flexible, was a cross between a tac vest and bullet proof armor. Then came her boots, and then her utility belt and zat and gun holsters. Finally done, she left her quarters and headed for the gate room.

Lorne, Tyler who had replaced the disagreeable lieutenant Sweeps, and James were already there and Kate joined them in short order after a quick stop off at the weapons room.

"Ready to go team leader?" Kate asked Lorne who grinned at her in a mocking sort of way.

"Yeah," he said slowly in response as he signaled the gate techs that they were ready. The gate began to dial as he turned back to her and gave her a questioning look, "Wanna takes bets on what we find?"

Kate shrugged. "I say rare disease."

"Mutation," James put forth and then, as one, the three of them turned to Tyler.

"Communication problem," Tyler answered as the wormhole engaged and they got the thumbs up from Woolsey.

Lorne snickered. "Well," he said as he stepped forwards, "We'll see."

~xXx~

"BEEEEPPPP!"

John groaned, rolling over and slapping at the unfortunate alarm clock that had dared to wake him from his sleep. The abused device cashed to floor with a clang that furthered the wakeup process to which Colonel John Sheppard had become accustomed to. Releasing another groan, the military commander rolled onto his back and blinked his eyes open to the semi-darkness that was his room. Semi because no matter what type of curtains he put up there was no blocking out all of Atlantis' lights.

"BBBEEEEPPPPPPP!

"Impudent piece of machinery, I'm up dammit!" John screeched angrily as he sat up, swung his legs over the side of the bed and scrubbed his hands over his face in his daily morning ritual. Grabbing the poor defenseless mechanism of modern connivance off the floor and putting it back in it's place on his bedside table, the still half asleep officer got up and headed towards the bathroom.

The shower did him good and after the daily routine of shaving and doing absolutely nothing to his hair (it was an endless source of amusement for him hat when McKay asked how he got his hair to look so good he always said nothing and the scientist had yet to believe him), he got dressed and then headed out the door towards the mess hall.

Ronon, not surprisingly was already there shoveling food into his mouth. John sighed and got a cup of coffee, a plate of eggs, some toast and a glass of juice that vaguely resembled OJ and wasn't half bad before joining the Setedan at their usual table.

"Hey Sheppard," Ronon grunted in morning greeting around mouthfuls of just about everything on the breakfast buffet line.

"Morning," came the colonel's usual bland response as he took an eager gulp of the liquid of life otherwise known as coffee.

As per the norm, they were silent for about ten minutes before Teyla wondered down to join them with Rodney and Jennifer following after that some two minutes later. Together, the senior members of staff minus their leader the ever reclusive Mr. Woolsey, consumed their morning's food and then sat back to converse before the duty day actually started.

"Kate and Lorne aren't back yet," Ronon observed after their trays had all been stalked at the end of the table.

John frowned. "Yeah, I noticed that," he glanced at Teyla, "What'd you think's taking them?"

The Pegasus native shrugged. "I do not know," she said, taking a sip from her mug and inhaling the soothing spices of her morning's tea, "Perhaps unforeseen problems."

"We are dealing with wraith," Ronon reminded them all dully, "Nothing ever goes right."

"Yes, everything always seems to go wrong when we work with them," Rodney nodded in agreement, "Wonder why that is?"

Ronon grunted. "They're wraith."

"But they are not all bad," Teyla reprimanded him gently alluding to their vampiric ally who, for the most part, kept his word.

"Naw, he's bad too," Ronon protested and then sighed, "Just not as bad as the rest of them."

"He does seem to be different then the other wraith," Teyla agreed, "At the very least he's taught us that they can be treated as individuals."

John shrugged, "Yeah, maybe," and reached for his coffee cup only to get cut off by a loud buzzing in hiss ear. Pressing his radio he asked, "Someone trying to call me?"

"Yes, Colonel Sheppard," came the reply that sounded vaguely like Chuck the gate technician.

"Well you got me, what's up?"

"You and you're team is needed in the control room as quickly as possible," the voice replied and John sighed.

"Okay folks, time to go to work, save the galaxy and all that," he stood and turned towards Jennifer who was receiving a goodbye/have a nice day kiss from her husband, "We'll see you at lunch Doc?"

Jennifer nodded and waved goodbye as the four of them made their way towards the control room. Upon their arrival they were greeted with a blinking dot on their viewing screen that indicated that there was a hive in orbit and another flashing light that indicated that whoever was on that hive was currently on hold. Nodding to Chuck to open a Channel, John crossed his arms impropriation for whatever the wraith wanted now.

"This is Atlantis, go ahead."

For about a minute, nothing happened and John glanced around at his team, specifically Rodney who was manning the communications terminal.

"I don't understand," Rodney exclaimed as he looked down at his screens, "It says that we're receiving audio."

John frowned, praying that they weren't being orbited by another flying tumor. "This is Atlantis, do you copy?" he tried again.

This time there was an odd crackling sound coming from the other end followed what sounded like laugher before his sister's agitated voice broke through the static.

"Stop that you little brat, give me back my radi-…no that is not a toy put it down…and you, drop that…Lorne I need help!"

The assembled persons in the control all looked at each other in confusion before Major Lorne's voice came over the radio sounding far away like he was standing on the other side of the bridge.

"You're on your own Kate, I've got my own problems, see this one…where'd he go? Dammit, I lost the commander!"

"Well find the commander," Kate yelled irritably, "Four feet tall or not, he's the only one that can fly this ship."

More scuffling noises and then Lorne yelled triumphantly. "Ha! I got you now you little, FUCK! He bit me!"

Before John or anyone else for that matter could get a chance to ask the question again, Kate came back on. "Atlantis this is, put that down, Atlantis this is Major Sheppard do you copy?"

John sighed in relief. "Kate, what the hell is going on up there?"

There was a pause and then a loud sounding scream followed by a stream of curse words that could only have come from Lorne. "We've managed to find ourselves in a unique and vastly unappetizing situation," Kate informed them, "We require immediate assistance."

"Right, be there ASAP," John replied, not at all entirely sure he was heard as another wail pierced his ear through his headset just as he was speaking. Turning his radio off he signaled to his team to head to the jumper bay and in record time, five minutes later, they were all air born.

"Where is everybody?" Rodney asked as soon as they'd docked and began making their way up towards the bridge, "Usually these things are crawling with wraith."

John looked around. "I have no -" his words were cut short as something small, dense and about the size of a medium sized dog collided with his legs and bounced off. Looking down John's mind froze in confusion and horror, "What the!"

The baby wraith, at least John thought is was a baby wraith - it looked like a wraith, had those sensory pits and all and greenish grey skin but was only two feet tall - screamed bloody murder and took off back down the corridor from whence it came.

"What the hell was that?" Rodney exclaimed loudly as the creature's high pitched wails continued to echo about the hive.

"I have no idea," John muttered and then looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. The figure that came around the corner was more like the wraith they were used to seeing save for the fact that he was only about five feet tall instead of six plus. John was still trying to figure out what exactly was going on when the mini-wraith stopped just sort of them, crossed it's arms and glowered at them menacingly which - given it's stature and slightly more youthful looking face - was actually just a tad bit comical.

"What took you so long?" the wraith asked and not for the first time that day John and his team were stunned.

"Excuse me?" John questioned, eyebrows threatening to disappear into his hairline. Wraith were, by fault or design John didn't particularly care which, rather formal creatures. Their conversational patterns were most often so rigidly structured that at times John had to sit there and translate before answering. To hear a wraith ask such an informal question was, to put it bluntly, odd and just a bit disturbing.

"I said -" the midget wraith started.

"Alright, that's enough you," Lieutenant James exclaimed as he walked towards the confused members of Atlantis one and stopped before tuning and glaring at the adolescent wraith, "Manners."

The wraith stuck it's tongue out at him and James sighed, turning towards his Commanding officer to offer up an explanation. "Forgive him," he tried and shrugged, "He's a teenager after all."

John looked like he'd been slapped. Shrinking wraith he could handle, teenage and toddler versions of the Pegasus galaxy's apex predator was a different matter all together. "Lieutenant, what the hell is going on?"

James sighed. "Michael," he explained and then, seeing their nods of comprehension, continued, "I don't know exactly how yet, but when we got here they were all normal and then, about sixteen hours ago, they started to age backwards."

Rodney sputtered. "You mean the little one we just saw," he made a gesture with his hand, his palm parallel the ground at a hight just above his knee, "Was a full grown wraith a couple of hours ago?"

James nodded. "Kinda, if he had a kind of half moon looking tattoo around his left eye then he was young to start out with, only about six thousand give or take a hundred which is about the equivalent of an seventeen year old."

John raised an eyebrow and pointed at the moody wraith in the baggy clothing standing next to James. "And him? How old was he to start out with?"

James shrugged. "I have no clue," he turned towards the wraith, "How old are you?"

"Physically or mentally?" he asked obstinately.

"How old are you really?" James rephrased with a glare.

The wraith yawned. "Thirteen thousand."

James did the math. "So you're twelve."

The wraith glared at him, crossing his arms and huffing. "I do not like being compared to you human's stages of development, it is insulting."

"Twelve, sir," James answered to the Colonel.

"Right," John said slowly, the beginnings of a plan for escape starting to map it's self out in his head, "So, Kate and Lorne?

"Bridge, Sir. We managed to corral most of the little brats in there and keep them there," James started to lead them forwards, reaching back to drag the wraith that had at one point in time been the communications officer along with them, "Every now and then one will get loose and Lorne or Kate will send me or Tyler out to get him and bring him back."

"Oh," John nodded, "So are all the wraith like this? The whole hive?"

The lieutenant shook his head. "Naw, we got lucky with that one. The drones are all still normal, it's only the officers and commanders that are kids."

"Sounds like fun," Ronon smirked as they entered the bridge and beheld the chaos before them.

"Oh boy," John muttered as he looked around having never realized just how many officers there were on a hive.

Thirty-eight baby wraith ranging in size from one year olds to about eight were running haphazardly all over the space usually used for commanding a hive. Lorne and Kate stood in the middle of it all the latter having seemingly resumed the role of mother because whenever something bad happened, i.e one of the older ones bit, clawed, or chewed on one of the younger ones or one of them fell down, they'd wail and then go running to Kate. Lorne had two wraith clinging to his legs and a nasty looking bite mark on his right hand.

"Having fun?" John called over the din and almost choked on his laughter as his sister looked up and glared at him.

"This is so not funny Jonathan!" Kate screamed as she bent down to pick up the crying weapons officer who proceeded to burry his head into her neck as soon as he'd been lifted into her arms.

John crossed his arms and surveyed the scene. "Oh, I don't know, it is kinda amusing."

Kate glowered at him.

"We have to get these wraith off the hive," Lorne called out before getting bumped into by three different wraith as they chased each other around, "We need more help."

"I can see that," John agreed as he looked over his shoulder and watched Teyla wade into the mess towards Kate and offer to take the tiny wraithling out of her arms so that she could tend to another one which had apparently banged his head on something and was now wailing like a banshee.

"I found the commander!" came the excited call of lieutenant Tyler as he came trotting back onto the bridge from the direction of the command quarters. At the sight, John could no longer hold back his laugher at the sight of the youthful lieutenant who had one wraith toddler under each arm and another wrapped around his right leg who was apparently just going along for the ride.

"This is not funny, Sir!" Lorne growled as he reached in to break up a fight and got bit again, "We gotta find a place to put them all so we can run tests and find a way to fix them."

"The mess hall ought to be big enough," Rodney volunteered as he pressed his back into the nearest wall, away from the toddling wraith that had walked up to him, hand in his mouth, to investigate. "Have I mentioned that I'm not good with children?"

"Alien children," John amended and nodded, "Yeah, it's come up once or twice."

A couple of the older ones, had all wondered over to Ronon who looked like he was going over the morality of the whole issue as he contemplated whither or not he could threaten to shoot them. "So what's the plan?" the large Setedan called over the noise as he apparently decided that, wraith or not, children should not be made to behave under threat of impending death.

Kate and Teyla both had managed to sit down somewhere and were continuously being crawled over by the youngest of the bunch. "Is the Daedalus still here?" Kate asked as one of the small ones crawled up onto her lap and proceeded to begin chewing on the end of her braid.

John nodded. "Yeah hang on," he pressed his radio, "Atlantis this is Sheppard, do you read?"

A second ticked by and ten Chuck answered. "Colonel this is Atlantis, we read you."

"Is Woolsey up and about yet?" John asked, praying that the answer was no as he didn't honestly see Atlantis' director being any good with children much less four dozen baby wraith .

"No Sir," came the slow and slightly confused reply, "Should I wake him?"

"No, don't bother, it's handled," John ordered, needing this to all be done before Woolsey could tell them no, "Listen, can you patch me over to the Daedalus?"

"One moment," Chuck responded before another, deeper voice took over, "Sheppard this is Caldwell, how can I help?"

John sighed. "I need you to beam everyone from the bridge of the hive down into the mess hall," he glanced over at McKay who, after Kate had asked about the Daedalus, had immediately gone over to disable the jamming codes.

"Alright," Caldwell replied in the same slightly confused voice that Chuck has used, "I don't suppose you could tell me why?"

"I'd love to," John joked, "Tell you what, I'll explain everything once we're all off this damn hive."

"I'll hold you to it," Caldwell replied before John, and everyone else was enveloped in a wave of bright white light.

Their arrival in the mess hall was a less then pleasant experience as by this time everyone who wasn't military, or an overzealous scientist, was up and eating breakfast. Therefore, the sudden and unexpected arrival of Atlantis One and Two in addition to forty young wraith caused a bit of a stir. As soon as they had been deposited, the wraithlings promptly began to investigate their new surroundings which prompted more then one female to scream as the little aliens didn't seem to have the same qualms about touching as they did when they were older and were quite happy to crawl and climb over everyone.

"Alright, nobody panic!" John screamed even though by now the demand was more or less a mute point, "FREEZE!" Everyone stopped moving, one of the botanists whimpering as one of the little ones crawled up and sat in her lap while proceeding to chew on it's fingers.

"Thank you," John continued, "Now, as you can see, we're in a bit of a predicament so," and here he paused and looked around at the various Atlantis personnel, "I need volunteers to baby-sit this lot, keep them in…this…room!" he emphasized, "While me and my team go debrief Woolsey."

A hundred pairs of eyes stared at him and John frowned as he realized that this whole mess was going to be very, very messy.

~xXx~

"Come again?" Richard Woolsey demanded as he folded his hands over his desk and eyed his primer team.

John sighed. "There are currently thirty-eight baby wraith in the mess hall."

Woolsey's eyes widened. "Baby wraith?" he questioned, "How is this possible? I thought they were all produced in those facilities like the one Todd had."

"Apparently not," Ronon grunted.

John grimaced. "Well, kinda," he looked at his boss, "They didn't start out as babies they reverse aged after their hive had contact with Michael."

Woolsey sighed and removed his glasses, rubbing his eyes and then reaffixing his specticals into place as he looked over Colonel Sheppard, Ronon and Dr. McKay. "Michael," he let out another sigh, heavier this time, "So, you want us to find out what he did to them and, possably, reverse it?"

"Well you have to admit that whatever it is that he did is kinda cool," Rodney interjected, speaking for the first time, "I mean, he managed to somehow find the fountain of youth if you pardon my analogy. Can you imagine what kind of benefits there could be if we figured out how he did it?"

Slowly, Woolsey nodded. "When you put it that way," he paused in consderation, "Alright, you and your team have a go, but," he held up a hand, "I don't want the entire base to be affected by this. If you need somebody to watch the…children, then I suggest you assign a squad of marines to the task," he stood, "And see about contacting Todd. Being wraith, I would like to think that he might have some insight on how to deal with them."

"Will do," John nodded and then turned to leave, Rodney and Ronon following him leaving Woolsey to sit back down and contimplate over what he had just been told and what he has just agreed to.

~xXx~

"He's not answering."

Kate sighed. She, the smallest of the wraith who had refused to let go of her for over an hour and her brother were currently in the communications terminal that had been erected on the west pier. Unlike the other comminucations terminals in the city, there were five inclding this one, this particulare one was tuned to one and only one subspace frequency. In other words, it was their 'Todd Phone' and apparently their intented recipient was choosing to ignore them.

"Maybe he's screening his calls," Kate offered with a shrug as she pulled her soggy braid out of the little wraith's hands and in it's place handed him a cookie which the toothless toddler began to gum to death.

John let out an exasperated sigh. "He's loosing points for this!" he growled and resisted the urge to hit the offending and nonresponsive piece of machinery.

"Didn't know he was a member of the brownie point system," Kate smirked sarcastically as she stood, hefting the young one up and resting him on her hip as she walked over to her brother, "Let me try."

John stepped back. "What makes you think he'll answer to you when he won't answer to me?" he demanded light heartedly.

Kate shrugged. "He likes me better then you."

John looked hurt. "He said that?"

"No," Kate looked at him, "What's the matter? Jealous?" John grumbled and let out a half angry huff. Kate giggled. "You are too funny you know that?" she chuckled and then dislodged the baby from her arms and handed him over to her brother who had to grapple so that he wouldn't drop him.

"Hey!" John yelped as the baby alien began to dribble spit and cookie crumbs all over his shoulder, "Why are you giving him to me?"

"So I can call Todd which I can't do with a toddler in my arms," she began typing in a message that would then be transmitted via subspace to whichever hive Todd was on at the moment, "I'll jusst be a minute."

"Yeah, well, hurry up," John complained as the baby started to hicup and then, without warning, spit up what part of the cookie he'd managed to swallow, "Eww."

Kate smirked at her brother's exspense as she pressed the send button and then waited, vaguely paying attention to John and the little one in thee background. The screen blinked just as the youngling began to wail.

"I got him, John," she informed him triumphantly as she took the squalling infant from his arms.

John relinquished the youngling most willingly and stepped up to the viewing screen, pressing the button and watching as the inside of a hive followed soon my Todd's face appareed. "Todd," he greeted.

The wraith frowned. "I was under the impression that Katherine was placeing this call."

John looked over his shoulder at his sister who had managed a hell of a lot better then he had to placiate the kid. "She's busy," he said turing back to look at the wraith, "Speaking of which, we found out what's wrong with that hive you sent us to look at."

Todd frowned, one of his brow ridges quirking upwards. "Oh?"

John nodded. "Yep," he turned towards Kate, "Kate, come here."

Watching the screen, John almost laughed at the expresion that crossed Todd's face as Kate and the now struggling infant, he wanted her hair again, came into view. At the sight of the full grown wraith on the screen, the baby let out a high pitched squeal of fear and burried his head into Kate's shoulder about the same time as Todd looked more confused then John had ever seen him before in his life.

"So," John said, forcing Todd's attention back to him and away from Kate who had stepped back to soothe the infant, "About eighteen hours ago, that was a full grown wraith."

Todd eyed him. "How is this possible?"

John shrugged. "I have no idea but it has something to do with Michael. Apparently your hive landed on a planet which he was using as a base and got zapped with something and poof…thirty-eight baby wraith."

"The officers and commanders," Todd looked pensive, "And the drones?"

"Still big, tall and mostly stupid," John informed him, "Thank God for small blessings. I don't know what we would have done with ten thousand kids. Right now all of them, except that one which has taken a liking to my sister and refuses to be parted from her for more then five minutes, are all in the mess hall. The kitchen staff is helping them make cookies to keep them occupied."

"Seems as though you have the situation under control," Todd quipped without emotion, "I assume something is being done to reverse the effects?"

John frowned. "We have to find out what the bastard did first which is kinda why we'recalling you."

"You wish for me to tap my sources," Todd concluded.

John nodded. "Yeah that, also any help with them," he jerked a thumb backwards towards his sister, "Would be helpful."

Todd snorted. "I am not the best canidate for participating in the care of younglings."

"What's the matter?" John asked, "You don't like children? Do you even have any?"

Todd looked bored. "I have produced twenty-one offspring in my life, however that…was some time ago. My youngest is advanced in age well beyond twenty thousand of your years. As such, I am past the point of wishing to submit myself to the rigors of childrearing," he eyed the human, "You, Colonel Sheppard, are on your own."

John sputtered. "They're your wraith!"

Todd glared at him and Kate interrupted the both of them before they could get into a long distance argument. "So you don't want to help us," Kate yelled over her brother's retort which silenced him, "Fine, can you at least send us some help? Maybe a couple of your officers that have pissed you off recently or something?"

The remark that watching over a large number of younglings was a unenjoyable task, one which could be used to punish those wraith who had displeased him of late made Todd grin and nod towards the woman. "As you wish Katherine, I shall endevore to find displeasure in a number of my officers if only to ease your…chore."

Kate dipped her head in thanks. "Thank you," she turned to her brother, "Now if you'll excuse me, this one needs a nap," and with that she walked off.

"The hell!" John screetched as soon as his sister was out of ear shot, himself turning to glare at the slightly fuzzy Todd, "First you answer to her message and not mine and now you…what the hell?"

"You're sister's dissposition and demenor are more pleasing to me then yours," Todd scowled at him, "Perhaps if you tried asking for me to contact you rather then sneding your quiery as a demand, I might be inclined to answer more often."

John looked miffed. "Since when are you big on manners?"

"They are efficient in inducing my cooperation," Todd half growled, tired already of Shepaprd's childish attitude, "Now, I will begin to go though my intelligence reports as you have asked and I will send a few of my wraith to Atlantis to assist you. If that is all?"

John didn't even get a chance to say yes before the screen went blank and he was left staring at nothing. "Well," he said out loud, "That whent well all things considered."

With a sigh the Colonel turned off the equipment and then proceeded to begin the walk back towards the mess hall.

~xXx~

"We have a problem."

John sighed. He would have liked to be able to go through a day without hearing those four words in conjuction with each other but, seeing how Murphy and the exodition members of Atlantis were all great friends, he doubted such a day would ever come. "Jennifer," the military leader of the city looked up from teaching one of the yonglings how to use a cookie cutter and regarded the worried looking doctor, "What you got?"

The medical doctor had to admit that this whole undertaking was about one of the strangest things she'd worked on since moving to the Pegasus galaxy which was saying something. Unlike many of their other endevors with the wraith however, this one was not without joy as the babies really were cute if one could look past their needle sharp teeth and had so far managed to avoid being bitten. In light of this, having found something terribly wrong that was going to effect them all and possably kill them had her much more concerned about their well being then she might normally have been.

They were just children after all.

"A couple of hours ago the little one, the one that won't let go of Kate, started to cry Kate said that is was a hurt sounding cry and so I ran some tests and, well," she paused and looked sadly down on the one sitting in front of Sheppard who was mutilating the cookie dough he'd been given to play with, "They're dying."

John's heart lept to his throat. "What?"

Jennifer sighed forlornly. "I was able to isolate the chemical in their blood stream that's responsible for their aging backwards."

John looked at her. "So? That's a good thing right?"

"Not exactly," Jennifer explained, "I thought the chemical compound looked familiar so I scanned our database trying to figure out where I've seen it before."

"And?"

She frowned. "And their bloodwork nearly matches yours from when Todd gave you the gift of life."

Confronted with this, John engaged his brain as he tried to work out why Michael would do this. "So, Michael was trying to engineer an artifical gift of life?" he frowned, "That doesn't make any sense."

"It does, actually, when you think about it," Jennifer argued, "We know that the wraith use this gift to convert worshipers and to reward them. So, maybe Michael was trying to use this as a way to undermine the wraith's power."

John had to admit that the idea wasn't bad. Wraith worshippers were responsible for a vast majority of intell as Todd had once explained to him about a year ago. They were also responsible for various mundane tasks such as providing servitude and making the wares that the wraith used. Todd had said that the wraith, unlike other cultures, did not make their own clothes, shoes, jewelry or any other type of crafts. These menial and time consuming tasks were given to their worshipers thus freeing up a large chunk of time for them to further other things like galactic domination and war.

"Take away their worshipers and they loose their human network," he said after a while, "They'd have to do everything themselves which would definatly put a dent in their free time."

Jennifer nodded. "Not to mention probably call for a social revolution."

John nodded vigorously. "Not a bad idea," he looked at her, "So what's the problem?"

Jennifer sat down, sliding into the seat next to the youngling who held up him slopped together ball of cookie dough for her to examine, a proud accomplished look on his face. Jennifer smiled and him in praise which rewards her with a hug and a sort of half purr half cooing noise before the child went back to his balling of dough.

Looking up at John, she continued. "Wll as far as I can tell, the reverse ageing plateaus after a seventy-five percent decrease in age."

"Which is why they're not all infants," John observed.

"Exactly," Jennifer continued, "The problem is that when a wraith give the gift of life they are able to control hos much the subject rejuvenates. This serum doesn't do that, it can't think and so does the same thing to everbody."

"I take that's bad," John asked, nodding approval to the wraith he was currently in charge of when he successfully figured out the purpose of the dinasour shapped cookie cutter.

"Only a little," the doctor said with sarcasm, "Think about it, the body isn't meant to reverse past a certain age. We know from Todd that when a wraith give the gift it can't reverse the body past maturity, which is anywhere from eighteen to twenty depending on the person."

"So having gone all the way back to infancy is putting a strain on their sytems," John could see where this was going and didn't like it, "That's why Michael tested it out on the wraith first, he wanted to see if it would work."

"And I really don't think killing a wole bunch of worshippers is the best way to get them to follow him," Jennifer added.

"But he has no such qualms about killing wraith," John concluded.

Jennifer shook her head.

John sighed. "Alright, so how do we fix it?"

Jennifer looked unhappy. "That's just it, I don't know. It's like the infection we gave Todd that one time. I know _what_ is wrong but I don't know how to _fix _it."

"What are the changes that a trip to the iratus bug planet will cure them?" John joked.

Jennifer gavee him a look. "I hardly think this is funny," she reproached him, "They may have been evil, human eating monsters before but right now," she glanced over at the youngling sitting next to her munching on cookie dough, "Right now their innocent, they don't even feed, they don't deserve this."

John let out a long breath that he hadn't even realized he was holding. "Yeah, you're right," he pondered, "So, I guess I'll go get the team together and see if we can find anything on the planet that the hive landed on. Bet you anything Michael's gone by now," he made to get up but then remembered that he was on watcher duty.

"I'll watch him," Jennifer said, standing and holding out her hand for the little one to take, "Come on, we're gonna go visit the infirmary."

John watched the toddler hop down out of his seat and take the doc's hand. He waddled off after her, looking widlly around him as they exited the mess hall. John let out another sigh and then went to find his team.

~xXx~

"This is a bad idea," Ronon remarked for what had to be the hundreth time since they'd come through the gate.

"Yeah, you've said that already," John complained as he, the Setedan, Lorne, Teyla and Kate continued to tromp up the side of a particulary subborn hill that John was beginning to think was a small mountain.

The large Pegasus native grunted in derision of this plan but nevertheless continued to climb, earning a glare from both females in their company for his unenthusiastic response to their resuce opeation. "Why are we doing this?" he demanded. While he might have been opposed to shooting the transformed wraith whom were waiting form them back in Atlantis, he was perfectly content to let them die of natural, or in this case, Michael induced caused.

"We are doing this because no matter what they were, at the moment the young ones are innocent," Teyla reprimanded him as she stepped over a fallen log and quickened her stride to catch up with Kate, "As children they do not deserve this.

Ronon snorted. "They're happened when we reverse the effects? They'll go back to killing."

Kate snapped. Rounding on Ronon, she affixed him with a glare dark enough to curdle milk. "At the current moment in the flow of time they are innocent," she ground out through clentch teeth, "Regaurdless of what they will revert back to it is fundamentally wrong to harm young. Sitting back and watching them die painfully makes us no better then Michael."

John eyed his sister, knowing that her temper had something to do with her attatchment to the baby wraith that was now fighting to live back in the Atlantis infirmary. Ronon, he could tell, had been humbled by what she'd said because a resigned expression crossed his face as Kate spun away from him and started walking. Reserving himself to the idea that his sister's maternal insict seemed to have been triggered by all of this, he and Lorne looked at each other briefly as they came around a bend in the path they were following and found themselves at the entrance to a cave.

"Why is it always dark, spooky caves that he hides in?" Lorne wanted to know as his commanding officer peered into the darkness, shinning his flashlight down the eeiry looking tunnel.

Kate shrugged. "Probably reminds him of a hive."

Lorne looked thoughtfull. "Huh, never thought of that," he looked around before indicating the whole in the rock, "Shall we?"

John went first, followed by Teyla and Ronon with Lorne and Kate bringing up the rear. The going was slow and the ground was muddy which all together made for an unpleasant trip. The lab at the end of the dark, spooky, and cobwebbed tunnel was the same as all of th other labs they'd found with one small difference.

There was a figure hunched over a wraith version of a microscope at one of the tables against the far wall.

"Hello Michael," John called loudly and watched the figure jump slightly and then turn, his hybrid eyes wide in surprise and confusion.

"Colonel Sheppard," the former wraith breathed, his eyes narrowing at their unexpected presence, "What do you here?"

John shrugged and walked farther into the room, glancing unconcernedly at the various experiments housed in glass jars and wahtnot before turning back to the bane of his existence. "Oh, just pasing through."

Micheal glared at him. "I don't believe that," he eyed the colonel and then did a sweep of those that had come with him. His eyes passed over the former runner, Major Lorne, a woman that he did not recognize and then finally settled on Teyla. "It is good to see you again," he nodded to her repressing the urge to wince at the look of deepest scorn that she gave him.

"If only I could say the same," Teyla bit out, her memories of what he had put her through coming to the forefront of her mind on a torrent of hate, "But such time for repent for you is past."

Michael frowned. "I need repent for nothing, Teyla," he snapped, "I have done nothing that you and the other members of Atlantis have not pushed me into."

"You have killed thousands!" Teyla cried, bringing her P-90 level with his chest, only to find Kate standing in the way.

"Accusing him of past crimes, while numours, will not help us solve our current delima," Kate soothed the infuriated Athosian before she turned to greet the hybrid herself for the first time, "You have engineered a way to reverse the aging process, a serum that has much the same effects as the gift of life."

Michael nodded. "My lastest venture, it is strange though, that you know of it."

"You tested it on a hive to see if it would work," Lorne picked up the explaination, "It did, but there's a problem."

"Ah," Michael breathed, "Yes, I would assume."

John frowned. "You knew there was a problem and tested it anyways?"

Michael turned to him. "I see no problem with my serum," he grinned darkly, "Yes it does not do what I had intended it to, but it kills wraith which is not a problem for me," he eyed them, "Though, I find it strange that it would be so to you."

"We're doing this as a favor," John replied slowly, "For a friend of ours."

Michael looked unconvinced. "And what friend to the humans of Atlanits would care about the death of any number of wraith?"

"A wraith," Kate intoned.

The hybrid turned towards her. "And you are?"

Kate glared at him. "Pissed off, so how about you tell us how to fix it and we'll be on our merry way."

The former wraith grinned. "I like you," he took a step towards her, "You have fire and…a certain grace. Not at all common in a human."

John frowned. "Are you hitting on my sister?" he demanded, an angry perplexed expression on his face.

The hybrid's eight eyebrow went up. "Sister?" he questioned and turned once more towards the raven haired female, choosing to regard her more closely having learned this of her blood. As far as beauty was concerned she was attractive enough and he could see in the structure of her face a number of features that she shared with her sibling. "How interesting."

John wanted to slap him. "Not gonna happen," he growled and the leering wraith/human hybrid who was responsible for more trouble then the Scooby gang, turned back towards him, "Now, suppose you tell us how to fix this."

"And what would be my insintive to do so?" Michael asked.

John struggled. They'd been looking for tis particular perprtrator for well over two years and, now that they found him, he wasn't really keen on letting him go. But, he knew, Michael's freedom - which afforded him the ability to continue his more questionable methods of wraith extermination - was the one thing that the hybrid valued above all others. As a result, it was the only thing that they could use to bargin with.

"Tell you what," John started, an edge to his voice in light of what he was about to do, "You help us cure the wraith that you infected with this reverse aging thing, and we'll let you walk away."

A loud sound of protest errupted from everybody except Kate. "Sir, we've been looking for this bastard for the past three years," Lorne complained, "You're gonna let him go!?!"

"His freedom is the only thing he values," Kate input, seeing her brother's logic and agreeing with it as their best option, "Therefore it is the only thing with which we can bagin."

"Clever female," Michael praised he before returning his attention to her brother, "And what garentee do I have of this?" he asked.

"My word," John answered.

Michael snorted. "Your word means net to nothing to me," he spat, "If I am going to assist you I first need reassurance that any deal we strike will be kept."

"On my word then," Kate extended, holstering her gun for effect and taking a non threatening step towards their reluctant benifactor.

He considered her. "I have no knowledge of you save for the fact that you share his," he nodded towards Sheppard, "Blood. That alone stains you with treachery. What proof do I have that your word means anything?"

Kate took another step forwards. "On my life then," she revised, ignoring the protests of her brother and everyone else, "That good enough?"

The creature nodded. "Yes, that will do," he turned, reaching behind him to grasp both a vial and a data storage unit before tuning back to the newly met female and holding both out to her, "A sample of the original serum and my research on developing it. That should be efficient enough for your doctor Keller to devise a reverse treatment."

"McKay," Lorne corrected automatically and then, at the hyrbrid's curious glance, he explained, "Doctor Keller married Doctor McKay and why am I telling you?"

Kate, meanwhile, reached out to take both vial and jump drive. "Habit, Evan, it's okay," she looked towards Michael, "Thank you."

He nodded. "I should like to encounter you again," he told her, "You are different then these others."

"For your sake I hope not," Kate argued, "Next time we may not need you and then I'll just kill you."

Michael smirked. "Well then, I suppose I shall be disappointed," he looked around at the humans, "Are we done?"

John nodded. "Yeah, we're done," he started to retreat, motioning for Teyla and Ronon to go first before giving Michael one last look, "If this doesn't work, you won't be here if we come back will you?"

"I think you already know tha answer to that, Colonel," Michael hissed darkly.

"Right," John whispered before he turned away and followed his team in the retreat back to the stargate.

~xXx~

Surpisingly, the matterials that the twice cursed hybrid had provided for them were complete enough and explicit enough for Jennifer and her team to immediately begin developing a counter serum that would restore all the effective wraith to their previous ages. Todd, also, kept his word and sent them help in the form of four not so enthusiastic commanders in training who apparently had managed to piss him off royaly.

Or at least that's what John was able to interpret through their gumblings . Actually it was all rather comical as these particlare wraith were, as far as relative human development went, all about twenty and John could well simpathize with a twenty year old male being asked to baby-sit. It made him wonder what exactly they'd done to so thoroughly annoy Todd that he'd seen fit to punish them by sending them here. The image of an explosion, maybe the equivilent of them telling Todd that they'd totaled his car, came to mind.

As it stood, the first group of wraith to receive the cure were rapidly turning into their old, cranky and belligerent selves. The yongest got turned first as they were the worst off and thankfully, although for whom it was better for John hadn't decided yet, having once more achived great age they remembered nothing of being scawling, crying infants. When showed the security camera footage of making cookies, the majority of the wraith had grown rather angry and gone stomping off to one of the designated recovery areas. John figured that embarassment wasn't an emotion that the wraith seemed capable of and so therefore the solution to this particulare shortcoming was to just get pissed off.

The most amusing instance of reverse reverse aging came in the form of the youngest one that had clung so desperately to Kate for the majority of his re-visit to childhood. Upon his growing up the wraith in question, having seen what he'd been like as a youngling had gotten rather upseat and had made the mistake of snapping at Kate. This had earned him a punch to the nose that had quickly belayed any other sort of ungrateful comments that the now grown wraith might have made.

The commander trainees that Todd had sent, seemed to find that particulare action funny and had congratulated Kate on her management of the problem. By the time that the whole ordeal was over, the formerly infantile wraith back on their hive and the barrowed wraith sent packing through the stargate, John never wanted to see a baby wraith or any wraith that was under ten thousand ever again.

"So that was fun," Kate sighed as she, Teyla, John, the McKay's, Ronon, Lorne and a squad of not so happy mariens, cleaned up the mess hall.

"There's cookie dough on the ceiling," Lorne yelped as he looked up at a blob of the stuff hanging forlornly above him next to one of the light fixtures.

John smirked. "Better go get a ladder."

Teyla, too found this all highly amusing. "The first time I allowed Torren to play with a type of dough much like your earth play-dough, he succeeded in getting it everywhere, even inside my shoes which where by the door."

Kate laughed. "Yes, children have a knack for making messes."

John whol heartedly agreed. "You should know," he called, pausing in his cleanup long enough to eye his sister, "Remember that time you were five and we all came downstarts to find that you'd tried to make a cake and the entire kitchen was covered in batter?"

Kate turned pink. "Lets not go there."

"Oh lets," Lorne grinned wolfishly, taking the retrieved ladder from one of his mariens and starting to climb, "What else did this one do when she was younger?"

John looked pensive. "Well, lets see…"

"Evan!" Kate yelled, grabbing a blob of dough and fligging it up at her best friend, "You're supposed to be on my side!"

Lorne ducked the projectile. "You know you're gonna have to clean that up right?" he asked mockingly.

"Oooohhhh," Kate growled and scooped up another handfull of the eatible dough, took aim and fired.

This time it hit Lorne in the face just as he was reaching for the bit of chocholate chip goodness that he'd climbed up fifteen feet to get. "Hey!" he yelled, wiping the gunk of his face and glaring at the smriking Kate now standing at the base of his ladder and looking up, "Sheppard! She threw stuff at me!"

"Oh my god I am not a referee!" John complained, "We just got rid of all the kids and now you two are acting like ones!"

"He started it," Kate replied and then turned on her brother, "Actually, you started it mister story teller."

John looked nonpulsed. "Me? All I did was -" he was cut off as a smattering of unbaked sugar cookie smacked him in the face.

"Oh that's it, you're on," John growled as he fung his own glop of dough towards his sister.

Kate ducked and let out a shrill scream before running away from her brother and taking refuge under Lorne's ladder. "Hey, watch it!" the tettering major screamed as the advancing Sheppard knocked into the teired platform on which he was precariously balanced as he chased after his sister.

Not long after the rest of the clean up crew got drawn into the all out war that was being waged inside Atlantis' mess hall and that is how Woolsey and Caldwell found them half an hour later.

"They are having way too much fun," Caldwell remarked as he stood besides Mr. Woolsey, both men resting their forearms against the ralling that ran along the floor that looked over the extent of the mess hall.

Woolsey nodded. "But it is not unearned," he commented, "For the past twenty four hours they've all shouldered a responsibility that was not theirs to undertake in the first place. They deserve a bit of fun."

"Which involves flingining cookie dough at each other from opposite sides of the mess hall," Caldwell shook his head, suppressing a chuckle, "I remember once when I was a kid back in grade school. We had this bully that always liked to pick on us during lunch so one day, me and a whole bunch of other kids ganged up on him. We started a food fight that lasted three periods before the teachers could break it up."

Woolsey nodded once. "I participated in a food fight once."

Caldwell glanced at him. "You? In a food fight?"

Woolsey glared at him. "I wasn't always high strung you know, any anyways my father thought it was funny when I came home from school covered in mashed potatoes and green beans."

The Colonel smirked. "Good times," he glanced down at the waring military members of Atlantis, "So, when do you think we should break it up?"

Woolsey shook his head. "Let them be, Colonel. They all spend so much time being serious and saving the day that they deserve this," he stepped away from the railing and turned towards his office, "They'll stop when they're done."

Caldwell, too, moved away from his observation point. "Yeah, and then they'll have to clean it all up."

"In good time," Woolsey agreed, "For now, just let them have their fun."

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**A/N: **Gasp, another author's note! Anyways, there are some pictures that I drew to go along with this eisode including the floor plans to both the McKay's and Kate's room as well as a picture of what Kate looks like so that you all have an idea since I'm not real big on the two and a half page discriptions of what my charactors look like. You can find these lovely visual aids on my LJ at ladymayrid dot livejournal dot com (of course when you type this in the address bar put in into correct format). They're the latest entry so just follow the links and you're good to go. And, as always, please review I do so love hearing from all of you whither you liked the story or not. Hopefully, though, it's the former but it helps if you tell me that. Cheers!


	7. Blackout

******A/N: **I was going back over my previous chapters and I decided that I could make some of them better so I did. It being near Christmas and all, I started with this one so enjoy and don't forget to drop me a review and let me know if you liked the new version as much as the onld one. Cheers!

* * *

**Episode VII: Blackout**

Humans were, in general, odd creatures with odd habits and the frequent tendency to waste large amounts of time in various pursuits of frivolity. Earth humans, Todd had decided, were just outright strange. In the four years that the wraith had associated himself with them he had seen them do a variety of unusual things which had made and still made little if any sense to him but which he had surmised held some cultural significance to which he had yet to be made aware. Their current occupation, however, seemed to have no purpose, at least none that he could determine, and therefore why Sheppard insisted that he be here to participate in it left him completely baffled.

"Sheppard," the wraith ventured having grown rather tired of walking around in the snow as wraith in general weren't particularly fond of the cold and he was no exception, "What are we doing?"

John glanced over his shoulder. "We're looking for a tree," he said.

Todd snorted. "A tree?" his voice dripped disdain as he stopped and gestured around. "Like any of these?"

John shook his head. "Wrong kind of tree," he answered and kept walking before he realized that the wraith was no longer following him. Turning back, he shot the alien a look as if to say 'well, come on'. The wraith sighed heavily before he begrudgingly started walking again.

"And just what kind of tree are you questing for John Sheppard?" Todd asked as he padded through the snow, cursing the human with each step he took.

John smirked, wondering how he was going to explain the concept of Christmas to the wraith before he realized that the concept wasn't the hard part it was all the Americanized and commercialized traditions that went along with it. Like the Christmas tree which was why they were out here, on the mainland, trekking though the forest in the first place. Not that Todd had wanted to come with him at all but boredom was a wonderful motivator and, after five hours of working with Rodney while the Canadian tried to figure out what the latest gadget they'd found did, John was pretty sure the wraith would have agreed to learn the cancan if it would have gotten him out of that lab.

Lost in thought John forgot to look where he was going and, having turned a corner in the woods, promptly ran face first into a tree. The rumbling laughter of the leather clad alien sounded behind him as John coughed and sputtered and spit out pine needles. Looking up he espied the prefect, albeit huge, Christmas tree.

"This kind of tree," John said in response to Todd's question as he circled the thing looking for the best way to cut it down.

Todd's mirth subsided as he eyed the large and imposing girth of the Forestfew tree wondering what was so appealing about this mundane and perfectly unremarkable plant that was the most common species of evergreen in the galaxy. "And what design to you have for this growth of flora?" he inquired, reluctant to admit that he was actually curious.

John dug his feet into the snow and proceeded to begin hacking the tree down with the ax he'd barrowed from the botany department for just this purpose. "You'll see," he told the watching alien. "I'd explain it to you but you'd get confused."

The wraith glared at him. "You doubt my ability to comprehend a simple explanation?"

John winced, wondering why Todd always took everything so negatively. "Well," he started as he lifted his ax and took another swing at the trunk, "It's not exactly a simple concept. There are many different layers to it, and variations on top of those layers so forgive me if I prolong your confusion in favor of waiting to give you an explanation that might actually make sense."

To that the wraith could say nothing and compensated by crossing his arms in both annoyance and as a ward against the cold, lapsing into a stony silence. After a few minutes of watching the human toil, the wraith got bored and wandered over to a snow covered bolder, brushed it off and sat. Meditation seemed in order and so Todd closed his eyes, attempted to clear his mind and concentrated. His attempt failed when Sheppard shouted something and the tree came crashing down.

"Right, that was fun," John said tiredly, breathing heavily as he reached for his radio. When he and Todd had gotten dropped off a couple of hours ago, John had told the jumper to go back to the city, change pilots and then come back, take up a perimeter and circle their general location until he called for them.

"Sheppard to Jumper, come in."

"Jumper to Sheppard," Kate's voice answered. "So Woolsey decided to let you put up decorations did he?"

"Yeah," John replied and frowned. "Hey?" he asked, "When did you and Lorne get back from that trading mission? I thought you weren't due back for another couple hours?"

There was a pause in which the radio crackled and John was pretty sure that the communication device was switching hands. Seconds later he was proven right as Lorne took over the task of talking to him. "Well you see, Sir," Lorne started and John could have sworn he heard Kate snickering in the background, "We had to cut the mission short."

"Why?" he asked, glancing over towards Todd to see that the wraith was pretending not to listen but John knew he could hear every word.

"The natives," Lorne replied, "They…ah, got a little too friendly with Tyler."

"It was great," Kate chortled. "Three of the chieftain's daughters tried to claim him and then it turned into this huge fight so we decided it was time to leave."

"Terrible," John muttered sarcastically. "I know I'd hate to have so many women fighting over me."

Someone snorted on the other end of the radio and John was tempted to assume that it was his sister as he could very much see his second in command, or any of the men in Atlantis, agreeing with him. Somehow he figured that the decision to leave had come from Kate rather than from either Lorne, James or Tyler. "Oh he didn't mind much at first," Kate explained, her voice dripping false optimism. "It was only after we learned that, if he were to actually take one of the girls up on their offer, he'd have to go through this trial thing."

"Kind of pass-fail," Lorne interjected. "If you pass you live and have thus earned the right to reproduce, if you fail, which is apparently is the most common outcome -"

"You die a horrible death involving these little beetles that are kind of a cross between a flesh eating scarab and a wasp," Kate concluded. "Seems the ritual involves you sitting in a tub full of them. The critters are particularly fond of certain parts of the male anatomy and your job is to fend them off as long as you can. If you outlast the timer you're good to go. If not the bugs crew your bits off."

John winced and instinctively cupped a hand over his troops while squeezing his thighs together. A glance at the eavesdropping Todd reviled the wraith to be making a particularly uncomfortable looking face and John wondered briefly if male wraith had the same features as male humans before writing that thought off as a highly disturbing possibility that he had no desire to dwell on. The thought that, anatomically speaking, wraith could possibly be compatible with humans was a preverbal Pandora's Box that John did not want opened and was therefore perfectly content to live in ignorance.

"Well," John replied, his voice sounding slightly pained for more than one reason, "I gotta admit that your retreat makes a hell of a lot more sense now," he looked up, blinking his eyes against the lightly falling snow. "Listen, I just found the perfect tree to go up in the Mess Hall. I need you to come get me."

"I suppose," came his sister's lazy reply. "Who else is there with you?"

John smirked, glancing over at the still slightly uncomfortable looking wraith who was currently lost in thought contemplating the various snow drifts that surrounded them. "Todd."

"Todd!?!" Kate yelped, obvious disbelief in her voice and, at her yell, the wraith in question snapped out of whatever trance he'd been living in and looked up towards John as Kate continued speaking. "How the hell did you talk him into that?"

The wraith quirked his head to the side in a kind of amusement that John personally resented his sister for as nobody else in the city seemed to possess the ability to make Todd the wraith that happy as often as she did. Shrugging it off as one of the many mysteries that he wouldn't be finding any answers to anytime soon, he answered, "I'm just that good."

As John waited for his sister's reply he was instead rewarded by the sound of the approaching jumper and so looked up, watching as it descended and then came to a rest on solid ground some twenty feet to his right. Looking in through the windshield, John watched Lorne wave at him as his sister gave him a look and shook her head, getting up and hitting the door release for the back hatch.

"Bullshit!" Kate yelled as she walked around the side of the jumper and stopped in front of her brother, her weight resting on her right hip and her arms crossed over her chest.

John grinned and eyed his sister. She was wearing dark-wash jeans, black snow boots and a hooded black puffer jacket with fur around the hood. "Where's your uniform?" he teased as a similarly dressed Lorne in jeans, his combat boots and a black hoodie with the words _'Semper Fi' _written across the front in red letters stepped out of the jumper as well.

Kate smirked at him. "Didn't you get the memo?" she asked her brother, looking down at his black winter BDU's. "We're all off duty for the next three days," her smile got wider as she stuck her hands into her pockets. "Casual dress."

John frowned. "You mean I could've worn jeans out here instead of this thing?" he gestured down at himself. "Aw come on!" he sighed and looked up at Lorne, "You wanna help me with this thing so that we can all go back to Atlantis where it's warm?"

"Yeah," Lorne agreed and moved forwards to help his commanding officer.

Kate, meanwhile, had wandered over to the wraith whom had neither moved nor shown any outward signs of interest since they'd landed. Coming to a rest besides him, she looked up at him just as he turned his head ever so slightly so that he might look down at her. "So what did John say to get you out here?" she asked casually.

"Not much," Todd admitted with a slight roll of his shoulders, a gesture he had picked up through long periods of overexposure to the humans of Atlantis. "I thought perhaps nothing could be so bad as listening to another five hours of Doctor McKay talking," he frowned. "I was wrong."

Kate giggled. "Oh, you think this is bad wait 'til you get back to the city," she told him. "Fair warning; look up before you walk through a doorway. If you see this little green plant hanging on the ceiling, run."

Todd raised a row ridge, his face betraying his bemusement and slight levels of curiosity. "Is such a plant dangerous?" he inquired.

Kate shrugged. "Depends on your definition of dangerous," she said offhandedly. "If you mean will it hurt you? Physically no, but it has been known to damage several people's pride."

He looked at her. "Oh?"

A thought occurred to her. "John hasn't explained any of this," she waved her hand at the boys who were currently dragging the tree towards the jumper, "to you has he?"

Todd shook his head. "No."

"Ah, the plot thickens," Kate murmured before hopping up on the boulder behind her and then looking towards the wraith who was now at eye level. "It's called Christmas. It's a holiday back on Earth that, while having a religious backdrop, has mostly been Americanized. Anyways, there are a whole bunch of traditions that go along with it and that," she pointed at her brother and Lorne who were trying to wrestle the tree onto the top of the jumper and having little success, "Is one of them."

The wraith considered this and looked over her attire, finding the colors and patterns of the various materials to his liking. He had seen her out of uniform before, previously in a floor length gown and generous amounts of cosmetics and while he had been particularly well receptive of such formal attire that had left no delusion in his mind that Katherine was a desirable female; he rather thought he preferred her current attire to that of her robe. The clothes she wore now, while accentuating her rarely seen femininity and once more drawing his eye to her assets, also left open the option that she could still defend herself if such a need were to arise. This balance of deadly effectiveness and beauty suited her particularly well.

Retrieving his mind from its thoughts as they in themselves were as dangerous as the woman around whom they revolved, Todd moved his eyes from their current location back to her face. "And, in order to celebrate this…Christmas, you have been given leave to rest in leisure?" he inquired, honestly curious as he had never before spent any great amount of time with his human allies when neither he nor they were involved in harrowing or battle heavy circumstances.

"A rarity in this line of work but yeah," Kate shrugged and turned back towards him. "Woolsey isn't as lenient with days off and letting us celebrate holidays as Weir or Carter were and as a result we all have quite a bit of leave piled up. It took some convincing, and a petition, but we eventually talked him into letting us do Christmas."

"I see," Todd whispered although in all actuality he saw very little point in all of this other then it was a waste of time that could be better used. But even he had to admit that in the wake of this holiday the humans' moral seemed to have been lifted considerably. Perhaps that was the point.

"No, you don't," Kate countered, giving him a look and interrupting his train of thought. "You think that this is all a waste of time."

Todd snorted. "How perceptive of you."

Kate shrugged and went back to contemplating snowflakes. "You're not that hard to read."

The first thought Todd had to being told this was that he was becoming careless, allowing his frequent interactions with these humans to develop into a sense of familiarity which had in turn lulled him into believing that it was acceptable to no longer guard his thoughts and emotions. Were such a thing to occur it would inevitably damn him as, were the humans to learn the absolute truth of his mind, plans, ambitions and feelings, they would most definitely be less inclined to work with him then they already were. His worry was slashed, however; as he remembered whom it was that he was speaking to. Somehow, whether it be because he felt amity towards her or because he knew her to be like him, he did not feel threatened by the possibility that she would be able to see so easily through him. In fact, although he was reluctant to admit to it, even inwardly, the longer he knew her the more he wanted her to be the one human in Atlantis that reached such a level with him that he would no longer require the need to hide himself behind a veil of human politeness. The desire consumed him, flaring almost as strongly as the ever pressing need to understand her in her entirety.

"Am I?" Todd asked her, his tone light as he pulled himself from his thoughts. "Hmm, I shall have to provide you with more of a challenge in the future."

Kate smirked. "You're teasing me," she accused.

"I would not dare," Todd replied offhandedly, stiffening his spine so that he drew himself up to his full height as he looked down on her; a slight smile betraying the truth of her accusation.

Kate raised an eyebrow and then slid to the edge of her rock and leaned forwards, stretching upwards until her face was about two inches away from Todd's. A laugh tickled at her lips and at the back of her throat as she gazed into his eyes which had widened slightly at her advancement. "Really?" she queried, a playful overtone to her words and her body language. "I think you would."

Todd blinked at her, remembering the last time she had been this close to him. They had been in a cell and she had been sitting before him, her back pressed securely to his chest warming him and causing heat to rise within him even as he was supposed to be the one offering such warmth to her. The memory drifted through him of how easily they had passed the time together, conversing quietly whilst his wraith and her teammates had slept to pass the time until her eyes, too, had grown heavily and she had slipped into slumber. He had stayed awake some time after that, studying her breathing, the rise and fall of her chest, as she had shifted so that her head had lain pillowed on his shoulder. In sleep, the period of time in which all living creatures are at their weakest and most vulnerable state, she had trusted him to keep her not only warm but also safe. Her faith in him was as pleasant a thought as was the memory of her weight against him both of which he was sure were things that Sheppard begrudged him a great deal as the human had been rather less then pleased when he had espied them in that position upon waking.

Just as he was similarly less then pleased when, having completed his task of tying the tree to the top of the jumper, he glanced over and he saw them in this one.

"Hey!" John screeched as he turned and beheld the more then slightly horrible and heavily disturbing sight of his sister being less than two inches away from Todd the wraith. "Stop flirting with my sister!" the two of them looked at him. "Come on, let's go. There's a cup of hot cocoa in the mess with my name on it."

Kate snorted, letting her brother's accusation role off her back like water off a duck. Hopping down from the boulder once Todd had moved back and out of the way, she marched towards the jumper. Planting herself besides the craft as her brother clamored down from atop it, she looked up at him. "Flirting John?" she belittled him as he slipped and fell the rest of the way down to the ground landing on his ass and banging his head against the hull of the gate ship. "Seriously?"

The colonel grumbled as he got up and shook the white power off of him, rubbing his injured noggin. "Well, that's what it looked like," he defended himself. "He was like this close to you," he held up his thumb and forefinger, a small gap between them, for emphasis.

Kate huffed and stomped towards the back hatch.

John followed, not quite willing to let the matter drop completely as it was a subject matter that had been nagging at the back of his mind for some time now. "Don't you find it even the least bit creepy that you're the only one that he ever gets that close to? Voluntarily?"

"No, I don't," Kate remarked as she boarded the jumper and sat down in the copilot's seat, leaning back and putting her feet up on the dash as Todd took the seat behind her and Lorne, who was already seated inside as she and the wraith boarded, looked up at her from the seat behind the pilot's chair.

"What's going on?" Lorne asked as eyed her, "What's your brother complaining about now?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "He accused us," she gestured between herself and Todd who was, as always, sitting rigidly in his seat with his hands on his knees, "of flirting."

Lorne snorted in amusement just as the colonel boarded and closed the back hatch. "Really Sir?" he asked as his commanding officer moved to his seat and began to fire her up.

John glared at his second in command over his shoulder before turning towards his sister. "Alright so maybe I overreacted a bit," he threw a look at the wraith. "Sorry."

"Your sincerity astounds me," Todd rebuked, catching Katherine's bemused smirk out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh ha-ha you're fucking hilarious," John growled sarcastically wondering why, out of all the wraith in the whole damned galaxy, this one had to have a sense of humor.

Todd cocked his head to one side. "You're apology might hold more meaning for me if I knew what it was that I have been accused of."

Lorne threw him a look. "You don't know what flirting is?" he asked; completely baffled as to date pretty much every culture they'd come across had some sort of ritual involving playful, verbal banter that accompanied courtship. Even the Asgard which, of the many types of flirting they'd seen since starting the Stargate Program, had to be the absolute weirdest. It had never occurred to Lorne that the wraith might not have it but then, really, there wasn't all that much they did know about the mating habits of this particular species and in all honesty the major was happy to keep it that way. Just like he was happy to keep the fact that humans and wraith were sexually compatible and that Todd seemed to think Kate was hot to himself as well.

To the major's question, Todd shook his head once to either side. "No."

Lorne let out a breath and turned towards Kate as the jumper began the hour long flight back over the ocean towards the city. "Well Miss I-explain-things, explain."

Kate pretended to look offended as she rolled her eyes but turned towards Todd anyway. "Flirting is usually a playful or teasing way of showing romantic or sexual inertest," she turned away from him briefly to glare at the back of her brother's head. "Which we were _not_ doing!"

"All right I get it, bad choice of words," John defended himself. "I said I was sorry."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Your sincerity was astounding," she paraphrased, mimicking Todd almost perfectly in tone and facial expression.

John blinked and looked over her, miffed. "Oh not you too," he ordered, "You are not allowed to sound like him!"

Kate crossed her arms. "Why not?" she asked. "He brings up good points."

John scoffed. "He does not!" he countered automatically. "Well…sometimes, but that's not the point."

"Well then, what is the point?" Kate demanded irritably.

"Yes," Todd echoed. "What exactly is your point Sheppard?"

"The point is that you two are already too similar as is," John explained. "I don't need her to be any more like you."

Todd scowled. "I hardly think Katherine is in any danger of being too like me," he responded knowing that his statement, meant to end this pointless argument, was a flat out lie. Katherine was, in point of fact, very like him and the longer he knew her the more he was discovering just how many similarities they had.

"If you say so," John muttered and turned the jumper just slightly to the left. "Now -"

"How about we just drop the subject before one of you decides to murder the other?" Kate intervened having grown tired of her brother's point making a while ago.

John slumped down in his chair. "Fine."

Todd grunted.

"Better," Kate observed and then pulled out her iPod from her pocket and stuffed her headphones into her ears. Adjacent her, Lorne did the same with his nano and the both of them proceeded to tune out the world.

Todd, having lost the ability to converse with Katherine fond that the idea of speaking conversationally to Sheppard was not an appealing one and so decided that he disliked whatever it was that was currently holding her attention. He frowned, eyeing the strange buds that were plugged into her ears knowing that it was these that were enticing her to ignore him.

"It's called an iPod," John informed the wraith whom he could see was studying his sister's earphones intently. "They're tiny but they hold like a thousand songs."

Todd snorted. "So it is a listening device?"

John nodded. "It stores music."

Todd slowly nodded his head, an old memory floating to mind of a melody he had not heard in a very long time nor would ever likely hear again. During the time in which the city of Atlantis had been floating offshore of the city that Sheppard had told him was named San Francisco, the wraith had been subjected to a great many of Earth's cultural stimulants including the mockery they called music. At absolute worst their songs were a horrible jumble of words with very little actual melody that were repetitive and nonsensical. At best, there were some instrumental pieces that he could stand to hear again if he was forced to but in general it was a listening experience that he never wanted to repeat. He did have to hand it to the humans though, on their ability to create so many types and styles of offensive noise and he wondered briefly what of those types Katherine was currently listening to and what types she enjoyed. Perhaps, thinking of their similarities, there was a genre that he had not yet heard that she found pleasure in that was not so grating as those others he had been subjected to.

The rest of the journey to the city was spent in silence and, as Sheppard lowered the jumper into its docking station, Todd stood quickly as he was in no mood to be dragged into helping Sheppard assemble whatever plans he had for the tree that he had been tricked into accompanying the Colonel to collect. His retreat only lasted so long before Katherine caught up to him.

"Hey Todd," the wraith stopped walking and turned towards the female.

"Yes?"

Kate made a face of barely hidden unhappiness. "In a hurry to go back to McKay's lab?" she asked as she took a step towards him and, stopping right in front of him, looked up.

"Not particularly, no," he told her, glancing once over Sheppard who had already climbed up on top of the craft and had begun to remove the stays that held the specimen of flora in place.

Kate grinned. "And I bet you have no desire to find out what my brother is going to do with that tree do you?" she asked, a glimmer of amusement in her eye.

The look he gave her was enough of an answer that she burst out laughing.

"You find my expressions amusing, Katherine?" he asked, torn between actual annoyance and amusement over her clear enjoyment of his facial lexis.

Kate shook her head. "Yes, actually I do," her honesty shocked him; she could tell by the slight widening of his eyes that he had not expected her to be so straightforward.

The wraith snorted. "Do you humans not find such amusement at another's expense discourteous?" he asked, crossing his arms and glaring down at her.

She smiled. "Yeah sometimes," she reached out and grabbed him by his elbow and started to pull him towards the stairwell leading to the control room. "Come along you, I'm cold and I bet you are too so let's go."

Curious and admittedly receptive to her touch, Todd allowed himself to be steered down a nearby corridor.

~xXx~

Since Woolsey had delivered the edict that for the next three days everyone except those few that didn't have some sort of winter holiday to celebrate were officially off the clock, the mess hall had become the veritable gathering place for all things of a social nature. Besides the fact that the kitchen staff was so besides themselves with the opportunity to concoct various traditional Christmas time foods, several other expedition members that were inclined towards the culinary arts had started to cook up batches of their favorite wintery snacks by the bucket loads. On a normal day, the buffet table that sat in a L along two of the spacious room's walls sat empty except for a couple of dishes that were set out to feed the scientists that never actually ate when they were supposed to and kept wandering in at odd intervals throughout the day. Now, however, there wasn't an inch of space left on the thing which groaned and creaked under the weight of all the Yule tide dishes, the multitudes of every type of cookie imaginable, and the holiday sponge cakes. Looking at it, one couldn't help but get a tooth ache.

"That's a lot of food," Lieutenant Laura Cadman, newly returned for a much longer stay then she normally endured in Atlantis, commented.

Jennifer nodded, sipping her mug of hot coco, "I'll bet anything that the dentists will be booked for the next month solid filling cavities."

"There does seem to be an abundance," Teyla observed, jumping slightly as Ronon came to join them, brining a plate piled with gooey looking squares with him and setting it down in the middle of the table.

"Ah, Ronon," Carson, who was visiting, asked, eyeing the plate full of what looked like brownies, "What are those?"

"I made them," the former runner looked proud of himself as he pushed the plate towards the doctor just slightly. "Try one."

Cadman's left eyebrow went up. "You made those?"

Ronon eyed her. "I can cook."

"She never said that you could not," Teyla said gently, glancing at him. "But I will admit that I am surprised that you took such initiative."

The Setedan shrugged. "Try one," he ordered his fellow native of the Pegasus galaxy as he grabbed a napkin off a table nearby, put it in front of Teyla and dropped one of his cakes onto it.

Teyla, much too polite to decline, took a bite. Her eyes lit up.

"Well?" Cadman asked.

Teyla swallowed. "They are…quite good actually."

"Really?" Cadman echoed her disbelief before reaching across the table and grabbing one, shoving it into her mouth. A blissful expression crossed her face moments later as she turned towards the newlywed doctor. "Oh my God, Jennifer you have to try one!"

Ronon smirked, leaning back in his chair proudly.

"Aye, they are good," Carson was quick to agree after about two bites, "Delicious."

The former runner opened his mouth to say thank you but was cut short by the sudden hush that usually heralded Todd's arrival to any given place followed by the loud, bright laugher of Kate Sheppard. Turning in his chair, and noticing that half the people in the mess were doing the same, Ronon saw the two individuals enter the room and head straight for the table that was currently dispensing wintery drinks in great abundance and without stop.

"Who's that?" Cadman asked knowing instinctively that the wraith was the infamous Todd even though she'd never met him before and, therefore, found herself curious over the woman.

Carson looked up. "Aye, that'd be Kate right?" he looked at Jennifer for confirmation as he had only met the woman once before and briefly at that. "Colonel Sheppard's sister."

The doctor gave a slight bow of her head whilst besides her, Cadman processed this. "I didn't know Colonel Sheppard had a sister," she looked over the woman who was holding a steaming cup of something and was currently trying to get the wraith to take a cup of his own. "What's she doing?"

The occupants of the table studied the scene. "I think she's trying to get him to try whatever it is she's drinking," Jennifer guessed.

"Bet you anything he ends up doing it," Ronon crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair.

Cadman looked at him. "Why?"

"Todd as a tendency to do what Kate asks," Teyla informed the young marine. "It is strange. He is…kinder to her then he is to any of the rest of us."

"He likes her," Ronon shrugged.

Cadman eyed him. "He likes her?" she repeated, glancing back towards the beverage dispensers to see that the wraith was now holding a cup and was looking down at its steaming contents dubiously as if he doubted the drinkability of whatever was in it. She looked back up at Ronon. "What exactly do you mean by 'he likes her'?"

Carson wanted to know too, having never thought of the Setedan as being particularly observant when it came to social behaviors. "Aye, do tell," the doctor leaned forwards expectantly.

Ronon looked around the table. "I mean he likes her," he reached forwards to take one of his own cakes, nibbling on it he continued. "Like that meteorologist what's-his-face, Jones…likes Teyla."

Cadman's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "You mean he has a crush on her?" she demanded, glancing up to see that by now the wraith must have finally downed a portion of whatever was in the cup because the woman, Kate, was wearing an 'I-told-you-so' grin on her face. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"I wish," Ronon said remorsefully, nodding his shaggy head towards them. "Watch 'em," he instructed, "You'll see it."

As one, the five occupants at the table turned and locked their gazes to the odd pair that was now headed towards them, both carrying cups. As they walked every now and then Todd would say something and Kate would reply. The fifth time or so whatever he said made the woman's cheeks tint pink and it was then, as the wraith grinned, that they all saw what Ronon had pointed out.

"Holy shit!" Cadman exclaimed as they neared, Todd standing back so Kate could walk through a particularly narrow row of chairs.

"Aye," Carson's eyes were the size of dinner plates. "This is…"

"Most strange," Teyla finished when the doctor seemed unable to complete his sentence.

Jennifer smirked. Alone of the others, Evan had told her what Todd had said to their friend the first time he'd met her. "You are desirable" the wraith had informed Kate after he'd watched her set her dislocated shoulder and it was a sentence that he'd repeated on their second meeting when she'd then been covered in blood. Finding out that the wraith's attentiveness for their Kate ran slightly deeper than an acknowledgement that her appearance stimulated him was not news to the newly married doctor. Neither she nor Even believed for a second that Todd was here because he couldn't get a hold of his hive. The wraith was in charge of about twenty of them so the probability of one of the others answering when his attempt to contact his primary one failed was pretty damned good. No, both the major and the doctor suspected that the reason he'd decided to stay had more to do with Kate than any other one variable.

Not that he'd ever admit it.

"Hey guys," Kate called as she and Todd finally achieved their destination. She looked around the table, nodding at each individual before landing on a face that she didn't recognize. "And you are?" she asked the strawberry blonde sitting to Jennifer's left.

"Laura Cadman, marine," came the reply as the woman looked up at the wraith who was currently hovering just over Kate's shoulder. "You must be Todd."

He grunted. "That is the name Sheppard gave me, yes,"

"Right," Cadman turned back towards Kate. "So, I heard something about the Colonel going out to get a Christmas tree?"

Kate took a sip from the buttered rum she'd managed to talk the kitchen staff into giving to her and that she'd talked Todd into drinking after she'd gotten him to admit to being cold. "It's huge," she informed them all. "He and Even are trying to get it in here as we speak."

"That'll be a fun sight to see," Carson chortled good-naturedly.

"Hmmm," Kate muttered as she took another sip, noticing that Todd's cup was empty. "Told you you'd like it," she smirked at him, one eyebrow raised in amassment.

The wraith gave her a look that was a cross between being patronizing and playful. "So you did," he rumbled, his voice more a purr than normal.

"Yes, well," Kate turned from the table and around to face the wraith and looked up. "In light of this, the next time I tell you to try something are you going to just do it and not argue?"

The table watched them, gazing between the two of them in rapt attention, amazed that the wraith was being this cordial with a human and that Kate was being this casual with a wraith. Everyone except Jennifer, that is, who was just clutching her coffee cup full of hot cocoa and grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Todd looked down on the woman who was once again much closer to him then he was sure Sheppard would have found respectable; the fact that she was so willing to allow such nearness endearing her to him ever more. "We shall see," he teased. "Perhaps I simply like to argue."

Kate snorted. "Growing up, arguing was a sport; between David, John and Dad they could go on for hours. Trust me," she eyed him impishly, "Start an argument with me and you'll lose."

"Is that a challenge?" Todd asked, a smile breaking his lips that showed all of his pointed teeth.

Kate mirrored his expression and, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to one hip she looked up at him saucily. "Do you want it be?"

While the two of them were bantering, Ronon had taken to pointing covertly between the two of them and nodding while Cadman sat with her elbow on the table and her head propped up on her hand watching the show. Teyla looked stunned and Carson amused whilst Jennifer tried very hard not to burst into manic giggles. Unfortunately their conversation was cut short by the arrival of Colonel Sheppard who, with the help of about twenty marines, had managed to drag the Christmas tree into the room.

"TREE TIME!" the colonel shouted over the entire mess and everybody looked up in time to see that a huge, colossal pine tree was now standing erect in the farthest corner of the room. "Who wants to decorate?"

The wave of people who surged towards the tree allowed Kate to eye those around her before nodding covertly at Lorne from across the room and then grabbing both mug and Todd and vacating the premises as she was in no mood to help her brother hang lights and makeshift ornaments on a tree.

"Now where are we going?" Todd asked of his escort as she joined with Major Lorne and quickly began to edge down the stairs away from the commotion. It amused him that not once since having left the jumper bay had Katherine asked him if he wished to continue to remain in her company but rather just assumed that he preferred her presence over that of any other. Her assumption was correct, but that did not stop him from finding enjoyment from it that she wished to remain with him for an extended amount of time.

Lorne shrugged. "Somewhere other than here," he looked at Kate. "Your room or mine?"

Kate snickered at the double meaning laced into those particular words. "Mine," she answered as the three of them veered left. "Just because I think John said something about him," she gestured at Todd, "Not being allowed in my room and therefore is less likely to go looking for us there."

"Sounds good," Lorne replied and was the first to reach the transport. Squeezing them all inside he pressed the necessary portion of the screen and waited for the doors to close.

The doors opened again in a corridor that Todd recognized immediately as being the one in which his temporary quarters, the ones he had been assigned to use while in the city, were located. Following Katherine and Major Lorne down the hallway, they passed by his room only to immediately come to a stop before the apartment located just next door to his own. Frowning, the wraith watched as Katherine waved her hand over the door controls and then entered; he and the major following her.

Three steps into the room that was laid out exactly like his own and Todd realized whose quarters they were now in. The giveaway, he decided, was the large picture of a much younger Sheppard attired in what Todd had come to know as his dress uniform standing at attention while a female child clung to his leg, holding his hand while looking up at him adoringly. Stepping closer, he peered at the captured image that hung over the bed.

"Nancy took that picture the day John graduated from the Air Force Academy," Kate explained and Todd turned from his contemplation of the picture to look at her. She continued, "It's my favorite picture of him."

Todd released a huff through his nose and turned back to the picture briefly before fixing his eyes on Katherine whom was now seated next to Major Lorne on the cushioned seating arrangement Sheppard had told him was called a couch. "The child," he questioned, "Is you?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah. John was twenty-two when he graduated so I was like, nine in that picture."

Lorne glanced at the picture. "You were cute."

Kate eyed him. "I _was_ cute?" she teased, throwing him a mocking smile.

Lorne backtracked. "Not that you aren't cute now," he stumbled. "Well, maybe cute isn't the best word. You're -"

Kate burst into laughter. "It's alright Evan, I was just playing."

He glared at her. "Right little imp you are."

Kate smirked. "And don't you forget it," she giggled, looking up at the wraith who was looking at the both of them with an odd expression on his face. "Sit down," she admonished him, smirking when the wraith did as he was told and sat down on the short side of her L shaped couch. She looked around at her two guests. "So, what are we going to do for the next…well the rest of the day?"

"At least 'til dinner," Lorne amended and then shrugged. "I don't know, got any board games?"

Kate thought about it. "I have monopoly," she offered, turning to look at Todd. "Has my brother ever taught you how to play any of our games?"

Todd snorted. "Sheppard once attempted to instruct me in the proper use of something called a game boy."

Lorne laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like Sheppard," he stood up, glancing behind him at Kate. "All your board games are under your bed right?"

She nodded. "Yeah," she leaned back, making herself comfortable. "Be careful though. There are some dust bunnies under there that'll eat you if you get too close."

Lorne chuckled and walked over to her bed. Lying down on his stomach, he proceeded to rummage around under her bed. "Sounds like you need to make friends with a vacuum."

Kate shook her head. "Cleaning is not exactly how I'd like to spend my free time."

Having retrieved the aforementioned game, Lorne got up and walked back to the couch, setting the box down on the table. "I know the feeling," he started to set up the board, glancing at Todd as he did so and finding that the wraith was watching him intently, curiosity written all over his face. "So I figure we'll play a practice game so that he," he jerked a thumb towards Todd, "Can get the hang of it. Sound good?"

Kate nodded and reached for the game pieces, getting up and stepping over Evan so that she could sit next to Todd. "Go sit over there," she instructed Lorne who got up and moved without saying a word leaving her to turn to Todd and start explaining how the game of monopoly worked to the very confused and extremely intrigued alien.

~xXx~

Todd spent the majority of the next day in Dr McKay's lab despite the human's insistence that he didn't require any assistance.

"Look, you're just slowing me down," Rodney complained loudly for the hundredth time or so. It was almost dinner time and Rodney was hungry, tired and extremely frustrated. "Just, go away so that I can think."

Todd eyed him darkly from the corner of the room into which the Canadian physicist had regulated him some hours before when he kept insisting that Todd was always "in his way". "Go away?" the wraith echoed the doctor. "You cannot dismiss me, Dr, as you can those pathetic excuses for scientists that you call assistants."

Rodney frowned. "Hmm, well, at least we agree on something," he looked up. "I mean we agree that my assistants are worthless."

Todd growled in annoyance and stalked towards the human that was bent double over the device that they had discovered some days ago. "If you would let me -"

"It's not like you even know what it does," Rodney interrupted him, using the same argument that he'd been using all day. "Besides, it's not like this thing has an instruction manual that I can just whip out. I have to run very precise tests that will allow me to determine, through trial and error, what this device – HEY!" the scientist broke off, his eyes narrowing as Todd reached for the artifact. "I said don't touch it!"

Todd glared at him. "You have not been able to, so far, correctly determine the function of this machine -"

"I said I was working on it, weren't you listening?" Rodney yelled angrily, trying to grab the device before Todd picked it up and missed.

Todd, who contrary to Dr McKay's belief, knew exactly what this machine was capable of doing but had so far been denied even the opportunity to explain, set the pilfered apparatus down on a lab table near him and proceeded to remove a panel that was hidden at the back of the device. Having done so, the wraith expertly maneuvered the components and keys within the machine, calibrating them as he had seen various Lanteans do thousands of years ago. In response to his ministrations, the device began to emit a low hum and, pleased with himself, Todd reaffixed the panel and turned to the completely flabbergasted Dr, crossing his arms and smirking down at the human.

Rodney stared at him. "How'd you do that?" he demanded.

Todd's smirk got wider. "I have been a scientist longer then you have been alive," he reminded the human. "And upon occasion, I have come across technologies such as this one. My understanding of them is, therefore, greater than yours."

"So you managed to turn it on," Rodney reasoned, annoyed. "That still doesn't mean that you know what it…what are you doing?"

While the ever egotistic human had been speaking, Todd had turned and walked over to where the Dr kept a depleted zero point module on top of one of his filing cabinets. The wraith didn't know why he kept this particular one, but he was glad for it and happy to leave the human confused as he retrieved it and walked back to the device. Standing over it, aware that McKay was watching his every move with both curiosity and supreme annoyance on his face; Todd inserted the depleted power source into the recently activated machine and heard it click into place. Stepping back, he turned the machine around so that the human could see the lights on the front of it go up and down.

Rodney was in shock. "That thing," he pointed at the device, "It recharges ZedPM's?"

Todd cast him a very annoyed look as if to say "duh!" before going back to standing there with his arms crossed and a bored expression on his face.

Ignoring the sour wraith, Rodney was ecstatic. "Do you have any idea what this means?" he asked excitedly, moving around the table he'd been sitting at for the better part of the past five hours and rushing towards the now charging ZPM. "This is probably the single most important discovery since…since…"

"Lost for words are you?"

Rodney spun around. "Kate," he said, eyeing the woman that had suddenly appeared in his lab and was currently leaning again the door frame with a scowl on her face. "What are you doing here?"

Kate snorted and took another step into the room, pushing herself off the doorframe as she went. "Well, to be honest, I thought I might hide in here for a while," she explained darkly.

Rodney frowned. "Hide?" he repeated. "From what?"

Kate growled. "My brother has figured out a way to soup up his damned mistletoe."

Todd frowned. "And this is bad?" he asked, curious.

Kate glared at him. "Terrible," she jumped up onto one of the tables, ignoring Rodney's protest and turned towards the wraith. "You see, John's not stupid, although he'd like for people to believe he is. When he was at the Academy, he studied engineering and applied computer programming; got a degree both."

"Wait, hold on, stop," Rodney interrupted her, "We're talking about Sheppard right? John Sheppard? Since when does he have a degree in anything?"

Kate cast him a look that clearly told the scientist not to insult her brother. "Anyway," she glossed over Rodney's interruption and continued with her story. "My brother has decided to use his misguided genius to trip out all that mistletoe that he has squirreled away all over the city. He's rigged the lot of it with these little mini force felids. You get trapped under it and you're stuck there until someone else comes along. Meanwhile, he has it so an alarm will go off that'll let him know he's caught somebody."

Rodney paled at the thought. "Let me guess," he swallowed. "Sheppard won't let you go until you've…ah…done the deed."

Kate nodded. "Yep and it's got to be real. No pecks on cheeks; extra points if there's tongue."

"I do not understand," Todd said, causing the two humans to look at him. "What is so terrible about this, contraption, that Sheppard has invented?"

Kate sighed. "Mistletoe is that little plant I told you to look out for. Tradition goes that if two people get caught under it they have to kiss each other, well my brother's taken it a bit too far."

Todd frowned. "I see."

Kate made a face. "Yes," she turned back to Rodney. "So can I hide in here? John keeps trying to get me caught under the damned things with Mathew."

Rodney's face screwed up in contemplation. "Mathew, isn't that that new captain that just came off the Daedalus ?"

"Yeah and apparently John has it in his head that we should get together," she scowled. "I really hate him sometimes."

Rodney could sympathize but at the moment he didn't want to. "Hey Kate," she looked at him. "I'd let you stay here and all but I have to get this thing down to the ZedPM room," he pointed at the now glowing machine behind him.

Kate frowned. "Finally figured out what it does did you?" she asked.

Rodney nodded and grinned. "It's great, it recharges depleted -"

"That's nice," Kate cut him off, hopping down from her perch and looking up at Todd who had magically appeared just slightly to her left. "So, care to join me for dinner?"

"I do not require the need to eat," Todd reminded her having thought that he would just go back to his quarters for the remained of the evening.

Kate waved away his response. "It's a figure of speech," she informed him. "Basically I'm asking you if you'd like to keep me company while _I_ eat."

As the thought of spending yet more time with Katherine was vastly more appealing than spending the evening alone in his Spartan quarters, Todd nodded once. "That would be acceptable."

Kate grinned. "Great, come on, let's go."

Todd followed her out of the lab and towards the transport, surprised when Katherine walked right past it. "We are not taking this?" he asked as he instead followed her to the stairs.

Kate looked back at him as she started to descend. "It's all part of my plan to avoid that mistletoe I told you about. John's got some hanging outside the transporter as soon as you walk out into the mess."

"Ahhh," Todd hissed as he continued to follow her. Fortunately, Dr. McKay's lab was only a few floors above the mess hall and so that by the time they got there he was not so very tired.

"Hey Kate!" Laura called out as soon as she saw the woman emerge from the stairwell, waving her over towards the table where she, Jennifer and Lorne were sitting.

Kate saw her and headed their way, Todd following, only to not make it. Apparently, her brother had gotten craftier with his hiding places than she had thought because nobody would have thought to look up at the high vaulted ceiling of the dining hall. Fifteen feel from their destination and Kate found herself inside of a glowing force field. To add insult to injury, Todd got trapped with her.

"JOHNATHAN!!!" Kate yelled angrily even though her brother was, predictably, nowhere to be found. Angrily, she crossed her arms and huffed as her friends got up from their table and came to join her.

"This is inconvenient," Todd muttered from behind her as he reached out and tested the strength of the containment field. It proved to be quite able and Todd let his hand fall back to his side, pointedly keeping his mind away from the fact that Katherine stood less than six inches in front of him, so close that he could feel the heat from her anger coming off of her in waves. Her proximity, as always, drove his mind to wander this time to the explanation she had given him about what was expected of two individuals caught in this situation.

He would not mind kissing her. He would mind getting shot however, and that was exactly what Sheppard would most likely do should he act on the desire that had formed within his mind given their situation; a desire that reason quickly overrode.

"I don't think this is what the Colonel had in mind when he said he wanted you to get caught under one of these things," Lorne smirked as he looked in on the trapped Kate and the annoyed looking Todd.

Kate glared at him. "This isn't funny, Evan," she admonished. "Don't you dare laugh!"

Lorne chuckled. "Oh but it is," he insisted. "It's hilarious," he looked over the two of them, his inner mischief superseding his common sense. "You know; maybe you should just kiss him and get it over with."

Todd thought he felt his heart rate increase slightly at the suggestion and he looked down at Katherine in order to gage her reaction.

Kate stared at Evan as if he's grown a second head. "You're kidding right?" she asked him and, when his smirk only widened, she snorted. "As much as I'm sure kissing Todd would be an apt way of giving John what he so richly deserves, I really don't like the idea of giving my brother a reason to shoot him thank you."

Laura giggled. "So the only reason you don't want to kiss him is that you know your brother will shoot him if you do, right?"

Kate let out an exasperated groan. "Laura," she patronized the woman that she had quickly become friends with, "He is standing like two inches behind me. Can we not?"

Laura dissolved into giggled while Todd thought that the female brought up a good point. The only reason that Katherine seemed averse to doing that which would free them was because she disliked the idea of perpetually causing him bodily harm which, in light of this revelation, might be worth it in the long run. The idea was quickly abandoned as the figure of Sheppard appeared at the other end of the mess hall. The human took one look at their situation and let out a loud and explosive stream of explicatives.

"What the -" John hollered as he came over to his sister, Todd, Lorne, Cadman and Jennifer. He gestured wildly at the two trapped individuals. "How did this happen?"

Kate glared at him. "Oh the usual way," she said sardonically. "We were walking along and then poof, now we're caught. Let us out."

John matched her look and sent it back to her. "Why'd you get caught with him?" he demanded.

Todd rolled his eyes, a gesture that he normally abstained from doing but that he thought was appropriate given the circumstance. "If you think that this was premeditated, Sheppard, then you are sadly mistaken."

John had the good sense to look chastised. "Alright fine," he reached for the controller so that he could shut off the field. He pushed the button, "There, you're free," he looked at them and then reached forwards, grabbing Kate and dragging her a good five feet away from Todd.

"HEY!" Kate protested loudly, reaching her arm away from her brother and rounding on him angrily. "What the hell?"

John didn't back down and instead crossed his arms stubbornly. "Five feet minimum distance between the two of you," he ordered.

Kate glared at him. "Like hell!" she yelled. "You can't tell me how close I can or cannot stand to him John."

Her brother looked at her. "Don't you think it's creepy being that close to a wraith?" he asked.

His sister let out an exasperated cry. "He's not gonna eat me," she said heatedly, advancing on her sibling who took about three steps backwards. "Although, I might let him eat _you_ if you don't stop being so damned paranoid."

John gulped. "Been there done that," he sighed when her expression didn't change. "Oh fine," he gave up, "I don't care how close you get to him just don't, please for the love of God, sit in his lap again."

Kate scoffed. "I wasn't in his lap and it was your idea, oh brother mine," she poked him in the chest. "You told him to keep me warm."

John looked at the floor.

"Katherine is correct, Sheppard," Todd commented, feeling that as the conversation involved him he ought to make his allegiance known. The colonel looked up at him.

"Alight, I'm sorry," he mumbled, refusing to look at Kate before he glanced down at his watch. "Hey look, it's time to go."

Kate eyed him. "Go?" she asked, "Go where?"

Her bother smiled at her. "Its present wrapping time," he announced, looking meaningfully at Lorne who nodded before he turned back to his still slightly annoyed sister. "No girls allowed."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said darkly, glancing towards Todd. "Can I keep him?"

John mulled over the request before deciding that he really didn't want Todd to spend anymore quality time with his sister then he already had. John had been less then pleased upon finding out at dinner the night before that the wraith had spent the majority of the day holed up in Kate's room; it really didn't matter in his mind that Lorne had been with them. "I don't think so," he said eventually, eyeing the wraith out of the corner of his eyes and noticing that he now looked slightly disappointed, a good sign that he'd made the right decision. "I think us guys will teach Todd the fine art of wrapping things."

Kate snorted. "Right, have fun with that," she turned and jested for Laura and Jennifer to follow her. "Come along girls, I smell a girl's night in."

And so, the girls and boys of Atlantis plus one unhappy wraith, went their separate ways; Todd glancing wistfully behind him wishing fervently that he'd be spending time with anyone other than Sheppard.

~xXx~

Some hours later found the wraith still incarcerated inside Sheppard's quarters with all the other prominent males of the city standing in a corner whilst he watched the humans do a very poor job of wrapping various parcels in brightly colored paper. Currently, most of the packages were wrapped and the humans were all sitting around discussing who had gotten whom what although every now and then a side comment would be made and they would go off on a tangent. Todd tried to ignore them for the most part.

"So Colonel," Lorne turned towards his commanding officer, the image of Kate and Todd standing under the mistletoe coming to the forefront of his mind, "How goes it on the match making front?"

John shrugged. "Dismal," he sighed. "You know I rigged those mistletoe traps with the primary intent of getting my sister and that new guy Phoenix to you know…but so far she's being…" he glanced towards Todd who seemed to be ignoring them, "difficult."

"Well yeah," Rodney cried, crossing his arms and sitting down on Sheppard's bed. "If you were trying to fuck around in my love life I'd be being difficult to."

"Now hold on," Carson interjected before the Colonel could speak. "Ye're playing match maker for your sister? That's a bit much don't ye think?"

John shook his head. "Kate hasn't ever had a stable relationship and she hasn't been with anyone since she left Travers standing at the alter -"

"Kate almost got married?" Ronon asked, having not known this. "Why'd she call it off?"

Todd, who had refrained from participating or even listening to the conversation, could no longer hide his interest at the mention of Katherine; although, the talk of males that the colonel considered potential mates for his sister left a sour taste in his mouth that he couldn't rightly explain. "I believe she found the male she was to bond with unsuitable," he interjected, recalling the conversation he and she had had over this.

John starred at him. "How the hell do you know?" he demanded.

The wraith eyed him. "Katherine and I have discussed this," he said blankly. "I believe I was named after the male she was to become mated to."

John sputtered. "Holy shit," he announced. "Kate never talked about what happened with anyone, not even me," he eyed the wraith. "She talked to you about this?"

Todd glared at him. "That is what I said."

John opened his mouth to retort but closed it as a loud, insistent banging began at his door. Cursing, he got up and walked over; waving his hand over the door control before eyeing the woman standing there. She looked irked and was wearing pajamas - a black tank top with the word 'Naughty' written across the front in red letters, red and black plaid sleep pants that he thought might be his with matching slippers - and an epic looking frown.

"Kate," he asked, "What are you doing here? I thought I said -"

She looked dramatically down at her watch. "It's been four hours!"

John frowned. "Oh."

Kate nodded. "Oh is right, now," she peered around her brother, eying her target before returning her gaze to John. "I'd like to borrow Todd if you don't mind."

John looked skeptical, remembering why it was that he had decided to bring Todd with him to their wrapping party in the first place. "Why?" he asked.

Kate glared at him and leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms and her ankles. "Does it matter?"

"Yes," John countered, "As a matter of fact it does. You spend way too much time with him."

She rolled her eyes, opened her mouth and that's as far as she got before the lights went out and the entire city was plunged into darkness.

"Okay," Carson sounded from somewhere over by the window. "What just happened?"

"I have no idea," John muttered as he turned around, took three steps and promptly ran into something solid. "Ow."

"Sheppard, do not move," Todd commanded as the human bounced of his chest and stumbled backwards.

"I can't see anything," Rodney complained loudly.

Kate sighed. "No shit genius," she admonished as she walked around her brother and through the various other occupants of the room until she got to John's curtained windows. Pushing back the coverings, a meager amount of light provided by the double moons and the stars fell into the room. "There," she said, turning back towards the crowd of people. "That's better."

John looked around, walking over to his windows and pulling one open. Sticking his head out he looked over the blackened city. "The whole city's out," he informed them with a worried frown.

"Well that's not good," Lorne said as he went to stand besides his commanding officer, took a quick glance around the darkened Atlantis, before turning back inwards and pinning McKay with a potent stare. "What the hell happened, McKay?"

Rodney sputtered indignantly. "Why are you asking me?" he demanded.

"Because," Lorne rationalized, "Ninety percent of the time when something like this happens it's your fault."

Rodney opened his mouth to make a rebuttal before closing it, knowing that Lorne was for the most part right. "Well fine," he said haughtily. "But this," he waved at the blacked out city, "This I didn't do."

"Well alrighty then," Kate said mockingly pulling her head back into the room and turning to face the boys and the wraith. "So all of the lights in the entire city have gone out and we don't know why. Who besides me find this disturbing?"

Lorne raised his hand while Rodney, meanwhile, had gone over to Sheppard's computer which, because he has head of the military, was plugged into the main grid. "Ah guys," he called from the Colonel's desk, "We have a problem."

John walked over. "What?" he asked, looking at his screen and noticing something. "Hey, I have this thing plugged in," he complained. "Why is it telling me that it's running off its battery?"

Rodney sighed. "Because it is," he explained; a worried note of panic beginning to color his voice. "According to these readings nothing is on, not even the backup power."

John frowned. "How is that possible?"

Rodney shook his head. "I don't know, look," he brought up the main power grid which was reading zero, "In the past when our power has gone out there's always been some kind of backup system running; keeping the main systems up, broadcasting a distress signal or something like that…"

"Wait," Carson started forwards in worry, "We're not broadcasting a signal now are we?" he asked.

The Canadian shook his head. "No, that's just it. _Nothing_ is working. There is no backup power, no distress signal. It's like the city's dead. There's no power on anywhere; it's all been completely cut."

John nodded, understanding. "So," he repeated, "We have a problem."

"Yeah!" Rodney yelled and looked around at them all. "Look, I realize that not having any power is a bad thing but right now," he turned and pointed at the screen, "Its fifteen degrees outside -"

"And we don't have any heat," Kate finished already feeling the chill beginning to set in as she wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her arms.

John cursed, running his hand through his hair in thought. "Okay," he said, an idea forming in his mind, "The jumpers all have their own power sources right?" he asked, needing to hear the confirmation even though he already knew the answer.

Rodney nodded. "Yes, but I don't see -"

"Our radios should still work," John continued over the protesting scientist, "So we tell everyone to go to the jumper bays. Ten people to a jumper or something like that, tell them to crank up the heat while we," he gestured around at himself, his sister and Rodney, "Try and figure out what the hell happened."

"How do you know the radio's work?" Ronon asked.

"Because they run on batteries and aren't dependant on the city's power source for operation," Kate explained before her brother could even open his mouth, she frowned. "I'm kind of surprised nobody's tried to call us yet."

As if on cue, John's radio crackled. "Colonel Sheppard?" Woolsey's voice sounded through the room.

John pressed his radio. "This is Sheppard."

"Colonel what's going on?" the director demanded, his voice already betraying his panic.

"The power's out," John explained. "And I mean totally out as in there is zero power in the city right now expect for the stuff that runs on batteries."

There was a pause, and then they heard Radek. "Does Rodney know what happened?" the Czech asked.

"Why it always my fault!" Rodney yelled into his radio.

"Because it usually is Rodney," Radek replied, "You've got to admit. Ninety percent of the time when something like this happens -"

"It's because of me, yeah I know," the scientist grumbled.

"Right," John said and then turned back to his conversation. "It's bad, we've established that but," he looked around the room, "We have a plan."

"A plan?" Woolsey asked sounding, as usual, skeptical of anything that didn't come straight out of a manual and that was just thought up on the fly. "And what might this plan of yours be Colonel? Has this ever happened before?"

"Not exactly," John replied truthfully. "We've had power outs before but McKay says that this is a total blackout. So we figure we get everyone in the city to one of the three jumper bays. The jumpers all have their own power sources so they shouldn't be affected. Get in groups, turn up the heat and hang tight while me, Kate and McKay try and figure out what the hell happened."

"I'll get on it as soon as possible, Colonel," Woolsey replied and then the line went dead.

John turned back to the group of people in his room. "Alright, you heard the man," he looked at Beckett, Ronon, Lorne and Todd. "You guys get to the jumper bay. Nearest one is at the end of the west pier," he turned towards his sister and the scientist. "Come on, let's go fix the city."

~xXx~

"None of this makes sense," Rodney complained. They were down in the ZPM room and nothing; absolutely nothing he tried was working. The Canadian was growing desperate.

John peered over his shoulder. "Still nothing?" he questioned. They'd been at it for an hour now and the temperature was rapidly dropping. John rubbed his hands together to warm them before going over to see if his sister was having any luck.

Kate cursed as her cold, stiff fingers failed to grip the stylist on her barrowed tablet and she slipped, slicing through her finger. Waving her hand about and then sucking on it, she looked up at her hovering brother. "I got nothing," she complained, glancing up towards Rodney. "Do you really have no idea what could have caused this?" she demanded, tired, cold and in desperate need of a band aid.

Rodney glared at her. "No, I don't have any idea what could have caused this!" he shouted at her. "You know I'm getting really tired of being blamed every time something breaks in this city."

John sighed. "Okay we get it, this isn't your fault," he squeezed his sister's shoulder to show that she wasn't the only one suffering. "The fact is that you know how this city works better than anyone so, do you have any idea, anything at all, about what might have happened?"

Rodney snarled. "No," he shook his head. "Look, I don't know how many more times I have to say -"

"Have you plugged in anything recently?" John interrupted him, a headache already beginning to form as he rubbed his forehead. "How about that device that Todd helped us find? Did you figure out what it does?"

The scientist let out an exasperated sigh. "Of course I figured out what it does," he snapped at Sheppard. "It's a device that's supposed to recharge depleted ZedPM's and, while being useful, I seriously doubt that it has anything to do with why we don't have any power."

John groaned and turned back towards his sister whose face was screwed up in concentration. "What?" he asked her.

She looked up at him, pausing before she turned towards Rodney. "Did you, by chance, turn it on?"

The physicist glared at her. "Yes, I turned it on, even hooked it up to the main power grid but that's not the point, it's not working either so there couldn't possibly be any connection to…" he trailed off, his face going blank in concentration.

The Sheppard siblings looked at each other before turning as one to lock their eyes onto the furiously thinking Dr. Rodney McKay. "What?" they chorused.

"Its booby trapped," he looked up at them, the pieces of this highly inconvenient puzzle falling into place the more he thought about it.

John frowned. "What's booby trapped?"

Rodney rolled his eyes astonished at how dense the military leader of this expedition could sometimes be. "The ZedPM re-charger," he snorted. "I don't know why I didn't think of that before, of course the Ancient's wouldn't have wanted the wraith to be able to use their technology so they probably put some sort of, ah…biogenetic scanner into their technology so that the wraith couldn't use it."

John eyed him. "I thought you said you turned it on?" he questioned irritably.

Rodney frowned. "Well," he started defensively, "I would have figured it out eventually, but -"

"So _you_ didn't turn it on, _Todd_ did," Kate interrupted Rodney's ego trip.

The scientist glared at her.

"Right," Kate said. "So, since Todd turned it on, what are the chances that when we plugged it in it assumed that the city had been compromised and shut everything down?"

Rodney nodded and waved his hand around dismissively. "Yes, yes I've already worked that part out," he explained in a harried voice that left the Sheppard siblings in no doubt that he resented their ability to not be able to read his mind which meant that he had to stop and explain things to them. "We've seen the Ancients put traps on their technology before. One of the things they feared most was Atlantis falling into wraith hands; it's why they submerged the city. There must be an automatic shut down code somewhere in the city's main programming that shut down all power output as soon as we plugged in the re-charger."

"Okay," John said enthusiastically, "So this is all Todd's fault. Great, I can live with that."

Kate rolled her eyes, annoyed. "He couldn't have known that this would happen. John."

The colonel looked at his sister. "Yeah I know," he admitted. "But for argument's sake I'm going to blame him. Besides," he continued flamboyantly, "Todd's used to taking the heat whenever something goes wrong. He'll get over it."

Kate huffed and crossed her arms, not at all beyond showing her brother exactly what she thought of his use of their wraith ally as a constant and convenient scapegoat.

John eyed her, feeling slightly annoyed that she was always so quick to defend Todd; they didn't treat him _that_ bad. He had his own room, was allowed to pretty much move about the city as he pleased provided he was with someone and was treated with some amount of decorum. His thought ended abruptly when he realized that he'd gotten off topic.

"Moving on," he announced, "How do we fix it?"

Rodney looked down at his tablet, already starting the necessary reboot process. "I just need to complete the system's purge – which can only be completed from the control room – and then we'll be good to go."

John smiled. "All right," he exclaimed. "Some good news," he started to gather up the flashlights that they'd brought down here from the equipment room – prying the door open had been almost as much of a bitch as trying to find the damned thing in the dark. "Come on," he called out to them as he started towards the door, "Let's get this over with."

~xXx~

Inside the west pier jumper bay conditions were miserable. All along the four levels of jumpers that stretched along both lengths of the hundred foot room the gate ships were lit up, their back hatches open and their heating systems turned up to maximum so that the actual enclosed space of the bay was semi warm; still cold but bearable. The true misery involved the fact that Todd, who would have been only too happy to find a corner into which he could inscroll himself and sleep or meditate until Sheppard turned the power back on, had been corralled into residing in the jumper packed with the rest of the city's commanders and so far the one called Woolsey had yet to cease whining.

"What's taking them so long?" the balding human demanded as Todd watched him pace back and forth before the lowered hatch of their jumper, "Honestly," Woolsey began again. "They should be back by now."

Teyla sighed, her latent wraith DNA giving her the ability to sense Todd's growing agitation and she was personally astounded that the wraith hadn't snapped at the man yet. "Perhaps there was a complication that Rodney did not foresee," she attempted to waylay Woolsey's worry.

The bespectacled man shook his head. "Then why haven't they radio -" he paused as Todd sat suddenly bolt upright, his eyes wide and his nostrils flared. "Todd?"

The wraith ignored him; for some time now a presence had been sitting on the edge of his mind that he had not been able to distinguish. He had thought it to be the Athosian whom, he had noticed, had gotten particularly good at disguising her mental abilities and awareness from him. But now, as consciousness and perceptiveness began to creep up his spine, he began to suspect that it was another; and they were not alone.

Turning his gaze to the Athosian he tilted his head to one side, wishing to confirm his suspicions before he alarmed the humans. "Do you feel that?" he asked.

Teyla closed her eyes and pushed her mind forwards; seeking. She found what she was looking for at the very edges of her consciousness and opened her eyes to look into those of the wraith. "I feel a presence, multiple presences," she fixed Todd with a look. "They feel like you."

Todd nodded, knowing that this would be the case.

Woolsey, meanwhile, was completely confused. "What's going on?" he asked, looking between Teyla and Todd in question.

Teyla sighed. "There are wraith in Atlantis," she explained wearily as she would have liked to think that Mr. Woolsey might have been able to reach that conclusion on his own given the context of her and Todd's discussion.

Woolsey's eyes widened. "Wraith, in Atlantis?" he looked around. "How is that possible?"

Pushing the many levels of disorientation, confusion, hunger and anger to the side, Todd stepped out of the jumper and raised his feeding hand to taste the air – a practice that he had not needed to implement since before the end of the war. "Before the Great War," he began, wondering as he did just how much of the truth these humans would be able to handle, "When the Lanteans first began to fear us, several key officers among our ranks were taken as prisoners and secreted somewhere within this city to be studied and experimented on. I negotiated their release but, I suspect, not all of them were returned."

Jennifer frowned. His explanations, while enlightening and believable to some extent, made no sense given what they knew of the Ancient's war with the wraith. "I thought the wraith started the war?" she asked.

Todd snorted, lowering his hand and turning back to the humans seated within the gate ship. "Yes, the Lanteans would want you to believe that."

Woolsey stared at him incredulously. "So, what you're telling us is that not only did the Ancients start the war but that they kidnapped several of you to experiment on and that some of those wraith are now loose in the city?" he frowned. "I don't believe it."

Todd growled, leveling his gaze towards the human and snarling. "Believe what you want, it makes no difference to me. What you need to know is that there are now several wraith from my time stalking through your city without the knowledge of the time that has passed; to them the war has yet to be finished and they will use their anger, frustration and hunger to do as much damage as possible. A wraith from my time is far more deadly than any of those that you have met save for me."

"Your time?" Ronon asked contemptuously. "Why does that matter?"

Todd eyed him. "The wraith of a hundred thousand years ago were very different from those whelps that you encounter today; indeed there are few of us left. They were more brutal, feral almost in their ferocity as battle was an integrated part of our society. Only the strong survived and these, I can tell, are very strong."

"And how, might I ask," Woolsey leered, "Would you know what wraith life was like a hundred thousand years ago? That was a bit before your time I would think."

Todd sighed. The subject of his age and the importance he had in the galaxy because of it was not a topic that had been so far breached and he was inclined to keep it that way. However, he also knew that Woolsey would not let the subject go and he needed the human leader's compliance if he was to provide any semblance of protection.

"Among wraith," he started, "I am known primarily as the Eldest. The pseudonym suits me for I am the oldest wraith to still breathe and there is not a wraith alive today that has not heard of me," he paused, a smile ghosting his face. "Still, putting the name to my face, that is sometimes difficult."

Then entire jumper full of people looked at him, Lorne speaking first. "So," the marine ventured, "You're like the King Author of wraith?"

Todd looked towards him. "I do not know who that is and so you're analogy makes little sense."

"King Author," Lorne alliterated, "He was this roman knight that united the tribes of Brittan and became their first king. The point it that he's more myth and legend then reality which is kind of what I'm guessing you are to the other wraith."

The wraith nodded as this was a fairly accurate description of him. Stories of the Eldest were discussed in whispers and hushed tones in the very deepest parts of the hives. He'd heard some of them, been sitting right in the middle of the discussions listening to the young wraith tell tales of the events of his life like they were legends and remained anonymous. Very few wraith alive knew his given name and only a handful more could see him and know him and place him as the Eldest. The ambiguousness that surrounded him helped him to move and operate under the knowledge of those that would like nothing more then to see him fail; the fact that quite a few wraith now referred to him by his human name of Todd helped tremendously. In the current state of affairs of the wraith now, it was not good to be well-known.

Lorne, in the wake of this realization, felt rather humbled and, as he looked up at the wraith who was currently trying to scry out his fellows, he suddenly felt glad that out of all the wraith in the galaxy they'd managed to befriend it was him. The major had a feeling that before their job in this galaxy was done they were going to end up needing him.

Woolsey was less impressed. "Well," he began, "Since you are so advanced in years is there anything -"

The director was cut off as the entire city began to shake and Woolsey, along with several others, were thrown off their feet before the shaking stopped. Glaring up from the floor, the head of Atlantis saw that the wraith had managed to remain standing and, as he pushed himself up he demanded, of no one in particular, "What the hell just happened!"

The others shook their heads; even Todd was ignorant of this. What he was not ignorant however is that the other wraith had managed to get a lock on prospective prey and were headed their way very quickly.

"Get everyone inside of a ship and close their hatches," Todd instructed Woolsey who at first did not move which made the already impatience wraith snarl. "Do it!" he commanded of the human who still did not move and was instead staring at him in hatred.

"Why should I listen to you?" Woolsey asked, not inclined to be manipulated into one of Todd's traps again. "In fact, why should I take any of your advice?"

"They will die if you do not do as I say!" Todd growled, taking a step forwards and grabbing the impudent human by the throat, shoving him against the side of a jumper and pressing closer. "I cannot protect a hundred people from hungry wraith unless they cannot get to them."

Woolsey blinked and then gulped air as he was suddenly released. Sinking to the ground, having had his life flash before his eyes, he was hauled back inside the jumper by Ronon who looked down on him disgust before turned towards the wraith.

"The other ones," he said, "They're on their way?"

Todd nodded. "Yes. They know that there is a large volume of humans here."

Ronon nodded and turned towards Lorne, who had already moved to the cockpit and reached for the radio that would allow him to speak to the other jumpers. "Everyone, we've got company coming," Lorne announced, his voice echoing throughout the bay. "Everyone who doesn't want to die a horrible, gory death get inside a jumper and lock the back hatch!"

All around them the sound of the jumpers closing and sealing themselves could be heard and Todd stood back, nodding briefly to the Runner and Major Lorne whom both, in their eyes, thanked him before they too were cut off from his view. Alone, locked out from the others whom had all turned out the lights in their crafts in favor of darkness, the wraith who was ally to these humans stalked the room.

~xXx~

John, Kate and Rodney were halfway to the control room when the city shifted and threw them all off their feet.

"What the hell was that!" John screeched as he pushed himself off the floor and looked around. "Rodney," he asked the still slightly dazed looking scientist, "You all right?"

"Just peachy," the Canadian scowled sarcastically as he rubbed his head. "What was that?"

"Ah guys," Kate called, having managed to stay mostly upright by grabbing hold of a windowsill, had pulled herself up only to espy a terrifying sight. "We've got a problem."

John sighed, really not the mood to have anything else go wrong. "What now?" he demanded as he made his way over to his sister and looked out over the city, his eyes widening at what he saw. "Oh crap."

"What?" Rodney demanded, sliding into a sitting position and resting his back against the wall.

John turned towards him, panic written clear across his face. "The city's sinking."

"WHAT!" Rodney yelped and flew to his feet faster then he'd ever moved in his entire life. Now, standing besides Sheppard, he stared out at the sight of the sea water rising over the edges of the piers, "How -"

"The generators that keep the city afloat," Kate murmured, turning towards her brother. "They went out the same time as everything else only the city is just now starting to go under. It's the Titanic effect."

"Great," John threw his hands up into the air and spun away from the window, "Now what!"

Kate had another thought. "Hey guys," she looked around at them all, "Aren't the majority of the city down in the west jumper bay?"

John nodded. "Yeah, it's the biggest and…" he looked terrified, "It'll be the first to flood."

Rodney looked between the siblings. "We have to tell them," the color drained from his face. "Jennifer."

"I'll go," Kate volunteered, already taking off in the direction they'd come, turning back towards the scientist before she disappeared around a corner. "I'll make sure she's safe Rodney I promise."

The scientist squeaked and nodded.

"Buck up," John told him as Kate disappeared down the hallway. "Come on, we've got to get the power turned on so we can stop the city from going completely under."

Rodney nodded and allowed the Colonel to drag him off towards the control room.

Kate, meanwhile, raced through the corridors at breakneck speed. She had a lot of ground to cover and no transports to make her journey faster. The cold air seared her lungs, her legs burned as she pumped them harder then she had ever had the need to before. Never had so many lives been in danger that she would have to save; the responsibility of the task astounded her.

The jumper bay was quiet when she finally made it, cold and dark. "What the…" she looked around, a figure emerging from the darkness like a ghost. "Todd."

The wraith stepped towards her, not at all happy that it was she that his fellows had chosen to pursue for he well sense that it was Katherine that the others had locked onto. "Katherine," he rumbled; his senses on high alert, concern for her safety flaring before he could extinguish it. "You are being hunted."

She frowned at him. "I'm what?" she asked before shaking her head a more pressing concern then her passable demise begging her to ignore her own safety in favor of the safety of so many others. "Look, I don't care, the city's sinking."

Todd's eyes went wide, this new matter more pressing then the other as it had the potential to end more lives. "You are certain?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah, look I'll explain later but right now we need to get all of these people out of -"

A snarl cut her off as he hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, a cold spreading through her limbs as she turned. There, at the entrance to the jumper bay, stood two wraith who seemed to personify the very essence of brutal savagery. As they stalked closer, Kate felt herself back up out of sheer instinct to get as far away from these individuals as she could; her retreat lasted only a short while before she ran into Todd.

The Eldest of wraith could well understand Katherine's fear as she had never before encountered wraith such as these and he thought to assuage it by wrapping an arm around her middle and pulling her more securely to him; protecting her. Her back pressed firmly against his chest, he could feel her breathing return to normal and her fear abate as she settled into the cool, indifferent awareness that made her such a keen and deadly warrior. Releasing her, Todd stepped to one side as Katherine took to the other, both preparing themselves for the fight that was bound to come.

It was the larger of the two wraith, the one with a scrolling tattoo that began at his right temple and traveled downwards to his neck, that stopped in front of them first. Eyes darting back and forth, he looked between both wraith and human before finally landing on Todd. "High Commander," the wraith hissed, his voice raspy from hunger making the situation all the more dangerous.

Todd sneered but nodded nonetheless, a kind of cultivated civility that he had not practiced in a long while slipping back into place.

The wraith stalked closer, throwing a glance towards his unmarked companion whom was busy eyeing the human female in both lust and hunger, anticipation for both dripping from his thoughts in vivid detail. "Strange," the tattooed wraith started, tilting his head first left then right, as he eyed the ever stoic wraith whom commanded he and all others, "To find you here in the city of Atlantis."

Todd smirked. "The war ended, many thousands of years ago."

The wraith snarled. "You lie!" he screeched, his ever pressing hunger overruling all other senses and imposing upon the faith he had previously sworn to and only to the wraith that stood in front of him. "You betray us, you ally with them!"

Todd threw a look towards Katherine whom, he was relieved to see, had not moved her eyes from the wraith that stood in front of her. Turning back to the marked wraith, he attempted to explain. "She is not Lantean."

The wraith let out another hiss. "More lies," he growled. "I find it no wonder, Highborn, that deception comes so easily to you."

It had been many eons since Todd himself had been revered to as being a Highborn or had had that birth right mocked or attacked. For some reason, it made him angry and he advanced on the other maliciously. "Think what you want, common born," he sneered in malice. "But the truth is as I say. The war has ended, stand down and I will prove as such to you."

The wraith laughed. "Stand down?" he asked. "And why would we do that?" he stepped away from the High Commander and walked towards the woman who, at his movement, turned her eyes from her stalker which gave him the opportunity to grab her and hold her steady.

As the female struggled against the hold of his fellow, the tattooed wraith walked up to her and trailed a hand down her face languidly. "Such a pretty little feast," he purred, resting his feeding hand upon her chest in preparation.

He didn't get the chance. As the city shuttered and rocked again, Todd lunged forwards and grabbed the marked one by the back of his leather armor and pulled him away from Katherine. His enemy, for that was exactly what he had become the second he'd threatened her, flew away from him as Todd took up a stance before him, prepared to fight to defend the allies he could not afford to lose.

The tattooed wraith leapt to his feet and turned, snarling, towards the High Commander. "You defend the female?" he demanded, socked at the pure viciousness in the other's gaze.

Todd's eyes narrowed and moved forwards, letting his next blow do the answering for him.

While Todd was busy with the other wraith, Kate used the distraction to elbow the wraith holding her in the stomach. The force of her blow stunned him momentarily and he released her, his arms slackening as she grabbed one and flipped her opponent over her head. The wraith came up spitting mad and howling its rage as Kate took up ready stance and waited as the wraith rushed her. She ducked, his blow swishing over her head as she dropped into a crouch and kicked his feet out from under him. He landed on his back and Kate turned towards Todd, prepared to help him, only to discover that he didn't need it as was currently beating the other wraith into a bloody pulp.

Her attention elsewhere, Kate didn't notice that her wraith had managed to get up until he lunged at her and caught her around the waist, slamming her into one of the pillars that held up the next level of the jumper docks. Kate's head throbbed painfully and all she could see were stars before she was being dragged down and pressed fully into the pillar. Twisting, trying to get away, she saw an opportunity in the fact that she could see water lapping at the jumper bay doors. Kicking the wraith that held her, he loosened his grip on her just enough so that she could scramble forwards and press he door release for the jumper bay.

Todd's head turned and he dropped his opponent as water surged forwards and knocked both he and the tattooed wraith off their feet. The raging water swept them both backwards, slamming them into the far wall of the jumper bay and keeping them pinned there. Worried, Todd looked around and saw Katherine still struggling with her wraith who had managed to get her into a headlock. As the locking nature of the water subsided, Todd waded forwards to aid Katherine only to be dragged back by the other wraith who seemed to have a second wind. Now locked in his own struggle as the other attempted to reach his throat, he used his surroundings as a weapon and, pushing down, held the other under the water with every last ounce of strength he had left.

The tattooed wraith struggled and flailed, desperate for air until finally his body stilled and Todd released him. Breathing heavily, the still living wraith turned towards the spot where Katherine was waging a similar struggle only it was she that was being held under water. Pushing against the current, Todd moved towards her, reaching out and pulling the second wraith off of her and throwing him backwards with enough force that his body slammed into the door controls. With a thud the wraith struck the wall and the bay doors began to close.

Kate came up sputtering in the chest deep water that admittedly wasn't her best idea. Coughing and chocking, she felt two arms go around her waist and pull her still farther above the water. Looking up, she espied Todd looking down at her; the expression on his face almost but not quite worry. "Thanks," she managed to croak, her lips blue and numb from the cold; her entire body shivering.

Todd noticed the drop in her body's temperature and as a result, held on to her more tightly as he began to drag her towards the stairs that would take them to the next level. Climbing out of the now jumper bay sized swimming pool; Todd turned to her and lifted her face to his. "You are alright?" he asked.

Kate nodded, shivering. "I-I'm fine," she stammered, whipping the saltwater from her eyes. "We have to get to the control room t-to help J-John."

Todd nodded. "Yes," he agreed, himself growing uncomfortable as still more water ran off of him in rivets, the salt in the liquid making his skin burn. "I still sense that there are more wraith," he informed her, pushing away the pain as something that would have to be dealt with until their task was complete and Atlantis and her people were safe. "I believe they may be looking for Colonel Sheppard and Dr. McKay."

Course of action decided upon, both Kate and Todd shook off the cold and started off towards the control room. They didn't make it far before the other wraith caught up with them most assuredly not dead as the both of them had assumed. Having just rounded a corner three floors up from the jumper bay, it was Todd that was attacked, the other wraith leaping at him knocking Katherine away from him and into a wall as Todd turned to deal with his attacker. Unfortunately the other wraith had the advantage as his hunger, disorientation and anger drove him and caused his strength to multiply. As a result, Todd soon found himself in a situation that he had not been in since his days as a youngling first learning the art of war.

The wraith above him hissed in anger and anticipation as Todd felt the air being bled from his lungs. Desperately he fought to regain the advantage and eventually found it as he hooked his arm around the other's knee and pulled. The wraith fell backwards and Todd twisted around into a standing position, bearing down on the slower to recover other. As his opponent leapt up, Todd was ready and he caught the second wraith by slamming his feeding hand onto the other's chest. The force of the motion knocked the other off his feet and Todd used his momentum to slam other's back into the ground as he began to feed.

It was not the first time that Todd had fed from a fellow wraith and he had to admit that the life-force that flooded him now was more savory then any human he had ever tasted with the exception of one. Defiance, passion and strength were the qualities of one's essence that tasted best and this wraith had them in abundance; all wraith did. Humans, while able to quench a thirst, had them in lesser amounts and so did not satisfy as much as a feeding from one's own would. The only human that Todd had ever fed from that could match the essence of a fellow wraith was Katherine. Not even Sheppard who, Todd would admit, had certainly been the strongest normal human essence he had ever had, could not compare to the complete and total fire that his sister possessed.

The healing energy of his former opponent filled him, taking away the burning pain that had been induced by the exposure to the salt water and, when the second wraith was no more than a husk, Todd released his hold on the other's chest and stood, seeking Katherine.

He found her huddled into the wall where the now dead wraith's attack had thrown her. Walking over to her, Todd knew instantly that she was suffering adversely to having been submerged in the water for so long. The color had disappeared from her face and her lips were tinted blue a sure sign that her body temperature was dropping dangerously low. Coming to her side, Todd dropped into a crouch and pulled her inside the circle of his arms, making sure to press as much of her body to his as he could.

Kate jerked slightly as he reached for her, pulling her forwards. "W-what are y-you do-doing?" she stammered, the cold making it difficult for her to speak.

Todd soothed her, concentrating on raising his body's temperature to a level where his heat would be able to affect her. "The wraith are able to raise and lower our internal temperature to combat a variety of environmental conditions," he informed her, his voice a purr that echoed deep in his chest. "Be still a moment, Katherine, and I will warm you."

Kate relaxed into his hold. "W-what a nifty l-little tr-trick."

Todd chuckled only slightly. "Yes, it comes in handy upon occasion."

His arms tightened around her and Kate realized that he was better than her own personal heater. Wet though he may be, he was now incredibly warm, almost to the point where she was sure that it must be uncomfortable for him. "Doesn't being that h-hot bother y-you?" she asked, her limbs now just slightly warmer and her speech only slightly improved.

Todd looked down at her. "It is not particularly comfortable, no," he replied honestly. "But I find it more agreeable then the alternative."

Kate smiled against this chest, feeling the feeling return to her fingers and toes, her body warming. "Thank you," she whispered softly, gratefully.

Todd grunted and held her but a little while longer before he reluctantly released her. Drawing back, he regarded her and found that some of the color had returned to her skin and that her lips were no longer blue. Taking this as a good sign, and knowing that they could not afford to linger any longer, he stood and pulled her to her feet. Standing still for but a moment, he tilted his head towards her and instructed her with his eyes to look at him. "You are well now?" he asked, needing to hear her verbal confirmation that she was indeed no longer in danger of freezing to death.

Kate shook her head and remained silent as Todd stepped away from her, turning and heading once more towards the control room. "Come now," he called back to her, "We must be quick."

Steeling herself against the cold that was now manageable, Kate followed after him.

~xXx~

In the control room, John was impatiently holding onto a flashlight as Rodney, who had managed to restore power to only the basic control systems, shifted through the city's operating codes looking for the key that would let him initiate a system's purge. "Hurry up, Rodney," John called out to the scientist as he shifted his gaze to look out of the control room windows. "The water's over the piers. Soon the lower levels are gonna start to flood."

Rodney growled. "I'm going as fast as I can," he complained snappishly. "And can you please hold the flashlight steady!?!"

John groaned and turned back to the grumbling scientist, readjusting the light so that it highlighted the whole computer screen and not just half of it.

"Thank you," Rodney responded before giving a great yelp of joy. "Ha! I found it," he exclaimed triumphantly.

John looked over his shoulder. "That's great," he said, shivering. "How long before you -"

A low, menacing growl interrupted the Colonel mid speech and, as one, both he and Rodney looked wildly around the dark control room. "That doesn't sound good," John muttered as he removed the flashlight from Rodney's computer and aimed it towards the gate room below them. At first nothing caught the light but then, out of the corner of his eye, John saw movement and turned the white beam towards it.

"HOLY SHIT!" he exclaimed as the light landed on not one but three wraith who were looking up at him with hungry expressions on their faces. John didn't want to know how they got into the city, he didn't particularly care at the moment, and the sight of them pooping out of the darkness was enough to give him nightmares for the next month.

Rodney looked around wildly. "What?" he demanded, not quite sure why Sheppard suddenly looked so scared.

"Wraith," John hissed and then turned back around towards Rodney only to have his light fall on a fourth one standing just beyond the scientists. The wraith looked up startled and Rodney screamed just as John opened fire.

The wraith advanced through the bullets and got as far as the DHD before John finally killed it, letting the body fall where it may and turning back around to look down for the other ones. They'd moved, and, turning back towards the entrance to the control room, John heard them coming their way.

"Hurry up Rodney!" John called out as he fired blindly into the darkness, hearing an angry hiss that let him know he'd hit at least one. "Where's Todd when you need him?"

Spurred on by the sound of gunfire, Todd and Kate arrived seconds later, Kate immediately calling out to her brother. "JOHN!"

John paused momentarily in his firing. "KATE WATCH OUT!" he screamed before he resumed firing blindly into the darkness. "RODNEY, HURRY THE FUCK UP!!!"

Rodney groaned, always liking to brag about being able to fix things under pressure, found that being hunted in a sinking city by three wraith that had just popped up out of nowhere was just too much. "I'm trying!" he wailed, having taken refuge under one of the control consuls, as he punched away quickly on his tablet.

Moments later, his stress paid off and the backup generators and emergency lights kicked in along with the power to the gate.

John blinked as green light flooded the control room and suddenly he could see his targets, one of which was closer then he'd thought it was. "Keep going Rodney!" he ordered as he crouched down behind a control panel and took up aim.

Unfortunately for him, the wraith scattered now that they were visible and John cursed as he went after them. The three of them were backing down the stairs towards the gate when John stopped, aiming his P-90 at the nearest one. "Alright, that's far enough."

The three wraith hissed and turned around only to find yet another wraith and a human female blocking their escape. Looking between each other as if trying to decide what to do, they eventually focused in on Todd.

"High Commander," the largest of the three whispered and John's eyes narrowed, he hadn't been expecting them to recognize Todd.

Todd growled. "I understand that you are confused -"

One of the wraith took two steps down the stairs towards him. "You ally with the Lanteans?" he hissed, obviously angry.

Todd sighed. "The war with the Lanteans has been over for the better part of ten thousand years."

The only wraith to have not spoken yet, hissed. "You lie."

Todd glared at him. "Do I?" he said threateningly, advancing.

That was all it took before the wraith split up, each attacking one of the others. Todd ducked the blow from his attacker while Katherine was not so lucky and ended up immediately locked into combat fighting for her life. Anger poured though him at the sight of seeing Katherine being so brutally attacked yet again by a wraith that he doubted very much would simply kill her. No, were one of these wraith to win out over her in battle, death would be the last thing they offered her. Rage blinding him, Todd took two steps forwards and caught his opponent by the head, snapping his neck and stepping over the body, advancing towards the wraith that had just pushed Katherine forcefully into the stargate.

Kate hit the gate and ricocheted off, rolling to the side and managing to stay upright so that when her attacker came back towards her she was able to plant her foot to his sternum and send him flying away from her.

Todd caught the wraith as Katherine kicked him away, holding the other by the head, forcing him to his mercy. John, meanwhile had killed his wraith, shot it full of holes, and had, after taking one look down and the scene before him, scrambled up towards the control room. Practically falling over the DHD, John began to dial.

"Hold him, Todd!" John yelled as he quickly punched in the address to new Athos as quickly as he possibly could, looking down he could see that Todd was struggling to accomplish his request. John pushed the last button and then yelled, "TODD, DOWN!!!"

At Sheppard's order, Todd released the other wraith and dropped into a crouch as the stargate activated, the vortex shooting out over his head and catching his opponent before the other could get out of the way. As the wormhole settled into its normal harmless puddle, Todd stood and looked up towards Sheppard who gave him a thumbs up gesture that Todd had learned meant that he'd done a good job.

Seconds later the lights came on.

"Thank god!" John exclaimed, turning around and smiling at McKay who had crawled out from under the control panel he'd been hiding under.

As the city began to rise, Rodney looked up at the Colonel. "Always in the nick of time right?" he asked shakily.

John held out a hand to help him up. "Yeah, it always is."

Rodney looked around. "So where'd the wraith come from?"

John shook his head. "I have no idea," he turned and walked over to the balcony that looked down into the gate room intending to ask Todd about it only to find that neither he nor his sister where there. Footsteps sounded behind him and he turned, finding them both standing not too far away from Rodney. "So, Todd," the wraith looked at him and the Colonel opened his mouth to ask his question only to change course. "Why," he looked between the wraith and his sister, "Are the two of you wet?"

Kate laughed. "Well, you see, we got into a little fight down in the jumper bay and I thought it might be a good idea to drown them," she shook her head. "It wasn't my best idea."

John snorted. "So you opened the jumper bay doors? I thought nothing worked?"

Kate shrugged. "The manual override did."

John nodded, looking his sister up and down and frowning. "How come you're not frozen?" he demanded.

Kate blushed and looked down at the floor. "Todd," she replied.

For some reason John got the idea that whatever reason there may be for the fact that his sister wasn't going into hypothermic shock was something that he wouldn't be too happy about. "You know what?" he said, looking between the two of them, Kate who was looking at the floor and Todd who was looking at Kate, "It's Christmas so in the spirit of the holiday, whatever you did for her, don't tell me what it is and I won't shoot you."

Todd broke his gaze away from Katherine to eye the Colonel. "Much obliged Sheppard, I'm sure."

"Right," John nodded, turning to look behind him at Rodney before retuning his gaze to his sister and the wraith. "Well all of this has been tremendous fun and all, but I'd like to go to bed."

Kate snorted. "Bed sounds nice," she agreed.

Todd nodded. "Yes, rest would be beneficial to us all."

John grinned. "Just so you know," Todd looked at him, "We'll be waking you up so that you can open presents with us in the morning."

The wraith growled. "Must I?"

John nodded. "Oh yes, you must."

Todd snarled but he said nothing as the four of them began to head towards their quarters. He dreaded morning.

~xXx~

Somehow, and Todd had the vague impression that Katherine had had something to do with it, he did not get awoken by Sheppard so that he could sit idly in a corner whilst the humans unwrapped their gifts but was instead called upon sometime in the mid afternoon by Katherine. When his door chimed and he opened it to find her standing there he could not help smile down at her from his advantageous height.

"Katherine," he greeted, his eyes going over her form and noticing that she was no longer dressed casually but was now attired in her customary uniform. "Going somewhere?"

Kate nodded. "Yes and so are you," she informed him, looking up at him. "Your hive called this morning. Apparently they got into a little skirmish with another hive. I figured that you'd want to be taken to them so that you could help with the repairs rather than continue to stay here and suffer my brother's company."

Todd shook his head gratefully. "Your assumption would be correct," he tilted his head to the side. "When will you be ready to leave?"

"Whenever you are," she said, her eyes still locked on his. "Come on, I have a jumper standing by in the jumper bay."

Todd followed her out of his room and down the corridor. "You have drained the bay that was flooded?" he asked her as they walked.

Kate nodded. "Yeah, we did that this morning."

Todd glanced at her. "Before or after your…revelry?"

Kate smirked. "Woolsey made us do it before; honestly the man's an asshole. I hate him."

Todd grinned. "The feeling is mutual I assure you. He is my least favorite human within Atlantis."

The two of them boarded the transporter and, while Kate pressed the screen that would take them to the jumper bay above the control room, she asked, "Do you have a least favorite human outside of Atlantis?"

Todd sneered. "I do," he answered her, stepping out of the instantaneous transport and continuing towards the jumper bay.

Kate fell into step besides him. "Who?" she questioned, curious.

He glanced towards her. "His name is Koyla, or at least that is what Sheppard has told me. Your brother is familiar with him."

Acknowledgment appeared on Kate's face and she nodded, stepping past the wraith and heading towards the jumper that, as she had told him, was standing by. "He's the Genii that introduced you to my brother isn't he?" she inquired, wondering if Todd would be any more willing to talk about the experience then John had been. Glancing at him as she took her seat she figured that he probably wouldn't be.

As the hatch closed and the jumper began to lower into the gate room, Todd nodded once minutely. "He is yes," he replied in answer to her question, his mind travelling back to his years of imprisonment and his mood turning dark in the wake of it. As they shot through the gate and came out on the other side, he looked forwards and saw that what he assumed was his hive now loamed ahead of them looking very much the worse for wear.

He quickly changed the subject no more wishing to dwell on his capture then he wished to speak on the obvious damage to him hive. "You're…what is it called? Christmas was satisfactory?" he implored gently, looking to her out of the corner of his eye.

Kate nodded, guiding the jumper towards the open dart bay doors. "Yep," she grinned merrily, "Got everything I wanted."

Todd grunted. "That is good," he commented, standing as soon as she'd lowered the jumper into the dart bay.

"I have something for you," Kate called out before he could disembark and, surprised, Todd turned back to her. She held the object that she had fetched from a side compartment within the jumper out to him. "You're always telling me odd bits of information about the wraith," she handed it to him; "I thought I could return the favor."

Todd looked down at the heavy volume that she had given him, opening the cover of the book to see two loose leaf pages full of both the Lantean alphabet and what he assumed were the corresponding letters that belonged to her native tongue. "My thanks Katherine," he nodded to her and then was gone.

Kate watched him walk away before letting out a sigh and closing the hatch. Sitting down she lifted off and headed back toward the space gate.

Below her, Todd had stopped his retreat in the shadow of the hallway that led to the bridge. He watched her leave, his eyes still trained upwards even as he was joined by his Second, the wraith the humans called Kenny.

"Commander," Kenny greeted, coming to a stop before his superior and placing his hands behind his back respectfully. When his commander still did not look at him and instead remained posed, his eyes trained upwards at the now empty expanse of the dart bay, Kenny frowned.

"Commander?"

Todd's head snapped down and he looked at his Second irritably. "What?" he demanded.

Kenny bowed and handed his Commander a viewing screen. "Here is a list of all damages sustained during battle," he watched Todd scroll down the virtual page. "Below it are the lists of those systems that are currently being repaired, in order of their importance."

Todd nodded finding that, having spent so much time in Atlantis doing virtually nothing, being back into the tedium of everyday life was something of a disappointment. "Very well," he said, his voice grating as he looked over the screen more thoroughly. "I will see to these matters," he handed Kenny the book Katherine had given to him. "See that that is placed in my quarters."

The second bowed low and turned to leave whilst Todd left to run a full diagnostics of his ship, thoughts of Katherine dancing in his head as he walked, wondering when he might next see her.


	8. Unsaid

**A/N: **Here you go everybody, sorry it took so long. Anyway, I'd like to take the opertunity to thank my beta reader Violingrl07 without whom this chapter whould be much shorter and not as good. As always, read, review and drop me a line to tell me what you think. Cheers!

* * *

**Episode VIII: Unsaid **

"Well," John sighed as he and his team marched towards the gate, "All in all, I think that turned out rather well."

Rodney was quick to agree. "Yes," he nodded vigorously, "So much better then our other trading missions."

"That's because you kept your mouth shut this time, McKay," Ronon deadpanned.

John snickered whilst the Canadian looked slightly irked.

"Ha-ha, really funny," the scientists mocked the former runner, almost tripping over an uneven patch of ground along the dirt road they were following, "You know," he complained, memories of their last trading mission springing to mind as the most likely source for the native's snide remark, "It's not my fault the Fastions backed out of our trade agreement."

Teyla gave Rodney a plaintive look as though she could convey all of her pity for his lack of social grace or understanding through this one glance. "You insulted their deity, Rodney," she reproached as gently as she could while still betraying a twinge of annoyance.

"I did not," Rodney immediately defended himself, "I merely pointed out the very slim chance that their deity even existed. I mean, what kind of idiots worship an old wooden plow that someone probably found at a garage sale?"

A bug, some kind of flying insect, flew past John's head and he swatted it away hearing an angry buzz that almost sounded like protest. "I don't know McKay," the fly came back and he waved it away again, "That sounds like an insult to me," the colonel slapped his arm, "HA! Got you, ya little bastard!"

Rodney stopped walking and turned around, squinting at the Colonel coldly. "What are you talking about?" he demanded, slightly affronted by the man's last statement.

By this time they'd reached the gate and Ronon had stepped up to dial and punch in the IDC. Holding up his hand, John showed Rodney the smeared yuck that was the now deceased insect, "I killed a bug," he explained triumphantly.

Rodney rolled his eyes and beyond him, Teyla flashed the Colonel a smile before following Ronon through the event horizon.

"Right," the Canadian went on, "Well, anyway…"

John tuned him out as he walked past the irritating but necessary member of his team and through the gate. Woolsey was, predictably, waiting for them on the other side.

"Successful mission, Colonel?" the balding man asked hopefully as John and his team gathered around him, the wormhole disengaging behind them and the control returning to its usual state of relative calm.

John nodded, not wanting to drag out the confirmation any longer then he had to. The walk back to the gate from the village had been long and hot and what the military man really wanted was a nap and a shower, neither of which he could have until Woolsey was placated.

"Very," the colonel verbally acknowledged, "We got the grain and then some," he reached into his pocket and pulled out one of the berry-like fruits that the locals had given them and tossed it to Woolsey who, surprisingly, caught it, "They gave us these. They're really, really good; taste like strawberries."

Woolsey took a apprehensive bite, not as enthusiastic about trying new foods as his outbound teams were.

"They are called gaava berries," Teyla elaborated, adding what little extra information she knew about what they brought had back as informatively as she always did, "They are full of nutrients and are often given to those who do not feel well as a way to balance and strengthen their immune systems."

The bespectacled director of Atlantis nodded after swallowing and wiping the nonexistent mess on his fingers from where he'd gripped the fruit on the front of his uniform jacket. "Very well," he said, his tone only slightly less monotone then it usually was which was a good indication that he was actually quite pleased, Colonel, you and your team are off rotation for the next couple days so enjoy the time off and I'll see you at the briefing on Friday."

It was a dismissal, and all four of them were glad to hear it. As Woolsey walked away, John and his team slit up; Rodney off towards the infirmary to give the portion of the fruit he'd been given to his wife, Ronon off to either the gym or the mess hall and Teyla towards her quarters. Last to leave, John made a short inquiry with Chuck about his sister and found out that she was out on a mission with her team and Lorne before he vacated the control room and headed straight for his quarters.

Entering the darkened room, he crossed over to his bookshelves that were responsible for holding more odds and ends then books, turned on his stereo, turned down the volume and then headed for the bathroom. The shower did him good and, turning off the water and drying off, John changed into so comfortable clothes, laid down on his bed and was almost instantly asleep.

An odd, buzzing woke him up and, as John sat up on his bed and looked around the sound stopped. Frowning, the colonel rolled over and eyed the battered alarm clock on his bedside table. Personally, he thought that they were lucky to be on a planet with days were only two hours longer then Earth's. Reading the time to be roughly seventeen hundred, he got up and rummaged around for his shoes. Pulling them on he set out towards the mess hall.

The whole walk down, past the ever busy control room and through the various hallways of the city, John could swear he could hear somebody whispering only every time he looked around there was nobody there. Shrugging it off as the result of being hungrier and more tired than he had thought, John ignored it and kept walking.

"Hey, Colonel," he was greeted as soon as he walked into the mess and John smiled and waved towards his men before making a beeline towards the buffet table and filling his tray. Not bothering with a dessert as he knew that Kate never finished hers anyways, he left the line and headed towards his team's usual table.

John sat across from his sister, next to Lorne. "So," he asked, "How's Todd?"

Kate shrugged. "Wraith-y," was her casual and sarcastic reply as she really didn't know how exactly to answer that question. Ally he might be but it's not as though he was particularly forthcoming with the day to day tedium of his life. Kate just couldn't see him sharing much if someone were to casually ask him, 'So, what have you been up to lately?'

_He'd probably grunt and tell us 'working' and be done with it._

John eyed her. "What do you mean?" he asked her.

Kate looked up at her brother, curious and slightly confused. "What are you talking about?" she asked him before thinking, _My brother's finally gone off the deep end._

"I have not," John defended himself, slightly affronted that his sister would think that he was crazy.

Now, Kate was worried and - if the looks about the table were any indication - so was everyone else. "John," Kate leaned forwards, reaching out to place a hand on her brother's forehead, "Are you alright?"

He snorted. "You think I've lost it."

She frowned and looked around the table at Teyla and Ronon before looking back to her brother. "I don't -"

"You said-" John countered.

Kate shook her head. "The last thing I said before you started acting all weird was that Todd's wraith-y which was a response to your question," she narrowed her eyes in concern, "Seriously John, what's wrong?"

The colonel shrugged, leaning forwards to rest his elbow on the table and dropped his head into his hand. "I…don't know," he said slowly, "I'm fine," he looked up at them all, "Really. I'm probably just more tired than I thought."

_Bullshit, _Kate thought viciously, knowing her brother was holding something back but willing, for now, to let it go. "Okay."

_I believe he is hiding something, _Teyla thought as she leaned towards her friend and rested a hand on his back. "You are sure you are well John?" she asked.

Epiphanies were sometimes painful things and John sat bolt upright as though a particularly large quantity of electricity had been shot through him.

"John?" Kate questioned,_ What now?_

John looked around, hardly able to believe what he was hearing, or what he thought he was hearing. "You," he pointed at Kate before gesturing between both his sister and Teyla, "Both of you think that I'm not telling you something."

Kate frowned. "What? Are you reading our thoughts now?" she demanded, half in amusement, half in worry.

John smiled tensely. "Yeah, I think I am," he muttered under his breath.

"John?" Kate leaned forwards, "You think you' re what?" when he didn't answer she stood up and looked around the table, her eyes landing on Ronon, "Come on," she reached out towards her brother, "I'm taking you to the infirmary."

"No," John protested, holding up a hand to stay his sister as she reluctantly sat back down, "I'm fine," he assured them all 'hearing' a loud chorus of "Yeah Right's" from practically everyone he was sitting with with the exception of Teyla who thought, "If you're sure" instead.

Far removed from finding it alarming that he could now hear what the people around him were thinking - if just slightly creepy - John Sheppard was of the opinion that this was just too cool. Of course, common sense and a long history of events such as this told him that he ought to go to the infirmary right now and fix it however; as his teammates settled back down to their meals and conversation turned towards their latest exchange with Todd the wraith, John saw nothing but opportunity up ahead.

"So," Ronon asked, "What'd he want this time?"

Lorne shrugged. "What does he usually want?" he asked, _Greedy son of a bitch._

Kate sighed. "He wanted to know if we'd managed to get the ZPM re-charger to work properly," she informed the others. "You know, without closing off the city and trying to drown us all."

"Funny story," Lorne picked up, "He actually apologized for being the one that set that thing off last month."

John could no longer keep out of the conversation. "Todd apologized?" he demanded, disbelief coloring his voice, "Seriously?"

_Surprised the hell out of me too, _Lorne nodded. "Not in so many words but basically yeah."

"Wow," John crossed his arms and sat back in his chair, "Didn't see that one coming."

Lorne agreed. "I think we're rubbing off on him," he picked at his corn, "He's getting nicer."

"He's been a hell of a lot nicer since he met Kate," Ronon shot the woman a pointed look.

Kate blushed. "If you think that I have any bearing on Todd's mood or actions you are sadly mistaken," she argued.

Lorne snorted. "He's nicer to you then he is the rest of us," he shrugged, "Speaking of which, what exactly did he want to talk to you about?"

She put on an innocent look. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she said evasively.

_Bullshit, _Lorne eyed her, "Must have been important for him to ask you speak to you privately," he snickered, "Where'd he take you?"

John was now looking back and forth between his sister and the major in curiosity intermingled with both intrigue and horror. What the hell was going on?

Kate smirked mischievously. "Well," she grinned, "He's been in my room and now I've been in his."

Lorne dropped his fork. "He took you to the command quarters?" the major looked downright mortified, "Why?"

Kate let out an exasperated sigh. "Oh it's not a big deal," she brushed off Evan, and everyone else's, worry, "He just wanted to return the book I gave him."

"What book?" Teyla asked, intrigued not for the first time by the dynamics of Kate and Todd's relationship that not even the two of them seemed to completely understand.

Kate picked at her pie. "I lent him a book on Earth world history," she looked around the table, "He's always telling me odd bits of information about the wraith, I thought I'd return the favor." _And now he wants to know more, _she thought, _Typical Todd._

This last thought came as a kind of shock to John who would have never pegged Todd as wanting to know or caring anything about Earth history. "Did he read it?" the colonel asked.

Kate nodded. "Cover to cover," she looked down at her tray before smiling and looking up at Lorne, "He especially like the expert about the early Britons."

Lorne snorted and laughed, remembering how he'd likened Todd to King Author on Christmas Eve.

Around the table, both Ronon and Teyla also smirked at the reference whilst Rodney looked confused and John had come up with an idea.

"What say we call Todd," John suggested offhandedly.

His sister eyed him. "Why?" _What are you planning now?_

John shrugged. "Well, we're off for the next couple of days and I remember you saying something about the more we know about the wraith the better off we'd be," he looked at his sister, she was looking at him oddly, "Maybe we can get him to fill in some of the gaps in our understanding of the wraith."

"Okay," Kate announced, "Now I know there's something wrong with you. You get leave for two days and you want to invite Todd over so he can talk about wraith history?"

John decided to change his tactics. "We started a wraith wiki a while back that never got filled in all the way," he shrugged, "Besides, isn't it written somewhere that knowing your enemy gives you a tactical advantage or something?"

Unfortunately, Kate couldn't argue with that and actually found that the idea of Todd coming for a visit that wasn't centered around mass destruction, mayhem or because he needed them for something was kind of nice. _Wouldn't mind seeing him, _she thought honestly. _Wonder if I can get him to talk more about the what world was like when he was young?_

Technically speaking, John didn't need to hear his sister's thoughts to know that he'd won as the thoughtful expression on her face was more than enough. Still, the added insight that Kate was looking forward to a meeting with Todd made John slightly uneasy. Just like the position he'd caught them in down in Ford's cells and the fact that Kate was the only one out of the entire city that Todd frequently got within two feet of made him slightly nauseous. Personal space, as the colonel had defined it to the wraith when they'd first started working together regularly sometime last year, was a four foot bubble which he was not allowed to enter. Unfortunately for John, this hour long lecture seemed to go ignored whenever Todd was anywhere near Kate. Why he treated his sister differently than he did everybody else was just one of the things that John hoped this cultural sharing episode and his newfound gift might help explain.

~xXx~

To say that Todd was particularly happy with being called to Atlantis and then told only after he'd sent away his hive that Sheppard wanted him there for a social visit would have been a gross exaggeration. In fact it would be fair to say that they wraith was downright livid and John didn't need the ability to hear people's thoughts in order to see the anger rolling off of Todd in waves at having been tricked into this.

"What good could an exchange such as this possibly yield?" Todd demanded as he stood in a hallways just off the gate room, arms crossed and glaring at the Colonel.

John looked at him. Unfortunately his 'gift' didn't seem to work on Todd and the colonel couldn't honestly say he was surprised. The wraith being able to communicate telepathically and all, it was reasonable to assume that they could block their thoughts as well as broadcast them. But that was okay because he could still hear everyone else's and the wraith in front of him was apparently something that a great many people thought about often.

"You've said yourself that there's a lot we don't know about the wraith," John argued, feeling much more relaxed about this then he probably should be, "Well, now's your chance to impart some of your knowledge on us."

The wraith snarled. "And you brought me here for this?" he demanded.

John huffed. "Hey," he countered, "I asked if you were busy when I sent you the message and you said no."

Todd sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "There are different variances in the word busy, Sheppard," the wraith growled, "Was I currently engaged in anything of great importance or value? No," he gave the human a quelling look, "Was I engaged in something from which I would undoubtedly draw more enjoyment then I would do otherwise if I were to lecture you on the intricacies of wraith history? That is debatable."

John waved the disdain in the wraith's tone away and eyed the large alien standing angrily in front of him. "Oh come on, don't you ever get tired of just seeing us when something goes wrong or you want something?"

"I get tired of seeing you approximately three minutes after arriving here," Todd snapped darkly. "On average."

John glared at him. "That's cold," he said, crossing his arms to mimic the alien's stance and trying a different approach, "You know, the first time you met my sister she mentioned a good point. The more we know about you the more informed our decisions regarding you would be."

This time Todd did roll his eyes, an action he immediately scolded himself for as he reaffixed his sensory organs to John Sheppard's face. "And this is your reasoning?" he asked with a snort, "You have surmised that by knowing of our history and culture you might make better, more informed decisions in your dealings with me and mine?"

"Exactly!" John exclaimed, already able to see that Todd was eventually going to cave in and do what they, more specifically he, wanted him to do. "So, how about it?"

The ancient wraith gave up and decided that in this case it might just be better to humor the human. "If I agree to this," he said slowly, "How long would I be expected to remain here?"

John smirked. "Two days."

Todd's acquiescence came in the form of a half grunt - half sigh of extreme annoyance and John felt like doing back flips for joy that for once in his life he'd managed to get Todd to do something that the wraith really didn't want to do instead of the other way around.

The wraith, meanwhile, was accepting the trepidation creeping up his spine that by the end of the next two days he was going to regret this. Still, the quest for knowledge was not a sin and he had to admit that he was surprised that Sheppard had asked this of him before he wondered how exactly this transference of facts was to take place.

"How, Sheppard," he queried, "Are we to do this?"

John came down from his high and turned all attention towards the wraith. "Well a couple years ago we got handed a whole bunch of information about the wraith which he had just started to categorize when the wraith double crossed us so we've already got a good portion of the empty space in the archives set up," he studied the now curious looking Todd, "I figure you could work with the historians down in lab eleven on making sure the information we have is accurate and add to those subjects that are blank."

Todd considered this, finding that the thought didn't leave quite so negative a taste in his mouth as he would have thought. "Very well," he informed the human who seemed more pleased about this then he should.

"Great!" John exclaimed, taking one large step down the hallway before turning back for the wraith who as of yet seemed disinclined to move, "Well, come on," John called back towards the creature.

The leather clad alien growled, his patience slipping for the briefest of moments. _Insufferable human, _he thought viciously, falling into step behind the human. Ahead of him Sheppard stopped, turned and offered him a wolfish grin the reason for which escaped him and bade him pause.

"What?" he demanded tersely.

John shook his head. "Nothing," he singsonged, almost skipping down the hallway, "Nothing at all."

Todd sighed, he would never understand humans.

~xXx~

The archive room was not a part of the city in which Todd the wraith had been allowed to tread before and as such he found himself mildly curious about his surroundings. The room it's self was not unlike the archival databanks stored aboard a hive; large and oblong with a high ceiling and with rows of terminals in the middle of the room stretching down its length. The walls of the long room were slotted, each slot containing a particular file and if one wanted to find a particular file he or she would have to venture to one of the terminals and look up the archive index before he or she could proceed. Unlike a hive, however, there was vastly more space much of which was empty including but not limited to those sections that dealt with the history and culture of his race.

At one point in time, many thousands of years ago, Todd remembered when the culture and history of his race had interested the Lanteans so much so that they had lived among them in order to study and learn. Where the wealth of the information that they had gathered had disappeared to, he didn't know but had the vague idea that it had been deleted. The thought was mildly saddening as so very much of wraith history had been destroyed when the queens had taken control and for a long time Todd had hoped that some of it might yet still survive buried somewhere in Atlantis. As this was obviously not the case, the ancient wraith felt more alone then he had previously if for no other reason then there were precious few like him that could remember the old ways and fewer still that believed in them enough to honor them. Most wraith, regardless of age, were content with the way things were, were content in their ignorance about their past and content to do nothing but fight amongst themselves until the end of days. Todd was not so content and, standing here in this room shifting through the scant amounts of information still left about his species as a people, his resolve to set things right strengthened.

The wraith was bent nearly double over one of the information terminals when John finally managed to find it within his social schedule to go visit him. "Having fun yet?" he asked casually as he walked into the archive room and ventured over towards Todd.

Todd's head turned fractionally towards Sheppard. "You humans use the definition of that word far too liberally," he complained, annoyed. As unenthusiastic as he was about his current predicament he would rather do it alone and undisturbed then in the company and under the watchful eye of Colonel John Sheppard.

The man shrugged. "It's called sarcasm, I figured you'd be good at it."

Todd snorted but did not reply leaving John the opportunity he needed to study him. Earlier, he'd 'heard' Todd refer to him as an insufferable human so the Colonel knew that if he pushed Todd far enough past his point of control he could probably get quite a bit out of him. Pushing him that far however, had risks but for the payoff of actually having one up on Todd John was more then willing to take them.

Emboldened by the prospect of what awaited him should he succeed, John leaned closer to Todd then he ever had willingly done so before. Before he could speak however, he was rewarded with a strong flash of annoyance that hit him in the gut like somebody had kicked him. Frowning, John moved back away from the wraith and the feeling dissipated but did not entirely disappear.

"Am I annoying you?" he asked the alien, wanting to check his find before he tested it and got himself fed on or thrown against a wall.

Todd glanced at him in derision before letting out a low, long growl. "You annoy me quite easily Sheppard," he informed the human darkly.

John grinned. "So that's a yes?" he inquired. "I'm annoying you now?"

The wraith snarled, creasing his data input and turned angrily towards the entirely too pleased looking human currently leaning against the bench. "Do you delight in your torment of me for your own amusement?" he demanded, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides briefly before he crossed his arms and stood straight, towering over Sheppard as he had often done when his offspring had misbehaved so many centuries before.

John scooted backwards a bit and dropped his grin. As often as he saw the wraith now a days, the six foot plus leather clad alien never actually stopped being intimidating. More and more contact just provided the illusion that he was becoming tamer which John knew perfectly well was a front that Todd hid behind very, very well. It was times like this that he was reminded of the fact that Todd could very well kill him in about two second flat and with little or no effort.

"Sorry," he muttered, feeling both slightly terrified but more like a petulant child that had done something wrong. The idea of Todd acting a parent was a scary thought and even armed with the knowledge that the wraith had reproduced, somehow he couldn't imagine their wraith ally being very lenient even with his own progeny.

_Yes, I can tell, _Todd thought sardonically before he sighed and returned to his data inputting. "Your sincerity is, as always, severely lacking," he chided the human, turning John Sheppard from his thoughts entirely as he renewed focus on the task at hand.

John felt like shouting halleluiah. Not only did he now know that he could pick up on Todd's emotions through that cool façade he always wore but he'd managed to get another tangible thought out of his little wraith head. Well, okay not little but in light of his progress John was willing to poke fun at the alien just slightly more then he normally did.

"Are you going to stand there and observe every entry I make Sheppard, or do you want something?" Todd asked offhandedly even though inwardly he wished nothing more then for the human to leave him be.

John considered this, knowing full well that Todd wanted him to leave him alone and felt inclined to do exactly the opposite of that just to see what would happen. "Actually," he started and watched Todd almost hold his breath, "I'm hungry."

Todd fought the urge to roll his eyes and instead concentrated on what he was attempting to add to the existing entry on wraith interface technology.

John eyed him. "So I was thinking -"

Todd turned on him. "What do your dietary requirements have to do with me?" he demanded, thoroughly irked.

John shrugged casually. "Well, you have been down here a while," he explained, "I thought you might like to see the light of day," he looked down at his watch, "Well, actually more like the last rays of sunlight by now but still, same theory."

Todd willed himself to have patience with this one. "And why would I want to subject myself to the company of you and yours?"

"Well, you know a trip to Atlantis isn't complete without Ronon threatening to shoot you," the wraith looked unimpressed and so John tread onwards, "Lorne doesn't think you're so bad a guy." Todd still didn't look inclined to risk a journey down to the mess hall and so John scrambled for anything that might make him change his mind and came up blank. Sighing, he figured that the wraith just wasn't going to cooperate.

"I am waiting, Sheppard," Todd growled almost patronizingly, glaring down at the male intensely, "What motivation do you have for me?"

Knowing it was a long shot but trying it anyways out of pure desperation, he offered weakly, "Kate's back," and then waited for the irritation that was rolling off the wraith in waves to grow. It didn't, in fact Todd's annoyance with him faded and then disappeared altogether to be replaced with something else, something both confusing and odd considering the person it was radiating from; anticipation.

"Katherine?" Todd spoke the name of the woman who had often been on his thoughts these past few months since having met her.

John blinked at him, completely at a loss as to how the mention of his sister could completely change the wraith's entire attitude. "Yeah," he continued, "She and Lorne just got back from a recon mission. Said that she was gonna go take a shower, maybe catch a nap and then meet us in the mess for dinner which," again the colonel looked down at his watch, "just started about five minutes ago."

"Hmmnn," Todd rumbled, his thoughts wondering as he considered his options. His decision was made for him, however, as he felt rather then heard the soft tread of footfalls approaching the room in which he and Sheppard were standing. Turning towards the door ever so slightly, he saw the confusion flash over the male's face for one instant before the subject of their conversation walked into the chamber.

"There you are," Kate called in greeting to her brother, padding across the room to stand by his side. "I thought you were going to meet me and Lorne up in the gate room like ten minutes ago?"

John looked apologetic. Yeah, he had said that but the thought of coming down here to bug and possibly drag information out of Todd had been more appealing.

Kate raised an eyebrow and looked between her brother and the nearby wraith. "Let me guess," she began, amused by her brother's immaturity, "You would have rathered come down here to annoy him then wait for your precious baby sister?" she watched his shoulders slump just slightly, "Well at least now I know your priorities."

John looked sheepish. "It's not like that, Katie Beth," she gave him a look and he backpedaled, "Alright, it is like that but I asked him to come with me up to the mess hall."

Kate's eyebrow ascended farther towards her hairline. "And you think that he wants to subject himself to your company why?"

John glared at her. "I'll have you know -"

His sister waved away his words impatiently. "John don't kid yourself. You don't like him any more then he likes you which isn't much," she shook her head, "Just leave him alone and lets go."

John was sure that he was getting amusement from Todd right about now as Kate reached forwards and grasped his wrist, proceeding to drag him towards the door. John struggled and finally managed to pull his arm free at the last second.

"Alright, alright, I'll let him be," he turned back towards the wraith, who was smirking, "See you later I guess."

Satisfied, Kate pushed her brother out of the room and down the hallways, ordering him with a look to start walking before tuning back and almost gasping as Todd had moved from across the room and was now standing in the doorway looking down on her. Tilting her face upwards, she watched him raise a brow ridge.

"You wish to ask me something?" he asked, hoping his perception of her intentions was correct.

She offered him a gentle smile, almost rueful. "I know that you don't particularly like my brother or anyone else for that matter but -"

Todd interrupted her. "You would like my company Katherine?" he purred.

She fought hard to keep her cheeks from coloring. "Yes, I would."

A low, rumbling growl bubbled up from his chest as he looked down on her. "It would be my pleasure," he hissed, his tone dark but not with threat.

Kate smiled, her eyes lightening to an almost silver. "Well then," she took a step back farther out into the corridor as Todd took one of his own towards her so that the space between them remained the same, "we should go before John comes -"

"Hey!"

Both wraith and woman sighed and turned towards the advancing Sheppard. "Forget something?" Todd quipped as the Colonel came within normal speaking range and stopped some three feet in front of his sister.

John eyed the both of them dangerously. He was getting annoyance and something else from Todd that bordered on that funny butterfly in your stomach feeling that crops up whenever you're around someone you like, and Kate was busy calling him names in her head. Of the two of them, it was Todd's projection that most concerned him.

He turned to his sister. "I thought you were eager to get something to eat?" he demanded.

Kate rolled her eyes. "I am," she took a step past him, "Come on, lets go." _Asshole, _she added mentally_._

John felt better, or at least he did until Todd made to follow her. "I thought you weren't coming?" he asked after the wraith as the six foot four alien passed him.

Todd glanced back at Sheppard, pausing as Katherine continued to walk. "I received an offer to join you from a party I was much more willing to accept."

John blinked. "So she asks you to come and you say yes but I ask you to come and you say no?" he was confused. "You do know that we're all going to end up at the same table right? So you're going to have to put up with all the people that were your reasoning behind turning me down."

While this was true, Todd wasn't about to inform the Colonel of his real reasoning. _Katherine makes suffering the others worth it, _he thought before turning to Sheppard to offer a less damning explanation only to find the human looking at him oddly.

"Yes?" he inquired.

John just stared at him. The realization that was currently traveling through him told him that if left unchecked what he'd just uncovered had the potential to end very, very badly.

"JOHN! TODD!"

The wraith continued to regard the human in front of him for a fraction of a second longer before he turned and continued walking, lengthening his strides in order to catch up with the woman waiting at the end of the hallway. John sighed and followed. He'd decided against informing anybody of his new gift so that he could get one up on their friend and now he'd just found out that the wraith genuinely liked his sister. Sure Todd tolerated the rest of them, but his attitude towards them was always punctuated by need. With Kate, John had been able to tell that Todd actually wanted to spend time with her not out of greed or because she had something he wanted but because he liked her. There was an attraction there that John knew had every possibility of ending badly and while he'd known that there had been a bond between the two of them that included utmost trust, he hadn't figured on it having anything to do with friendship. Understanding, sure; mutual trust, shared interests and - dare he think it - minor affection, not a chance in hell.

John just wasn't sure he was ready for the connotations that came with one of his people being friends, real and true forever and always friends, with Todd the wraith. Fortunately for him, he was spared the continued need to dwell as soon as the three of them entered the mess hall and were hailed; John by his team and Kate by Lorne, Jennifer and Cadman. The two different groups were actually sitting at different tables and so, after standing in line to get their food, John went to sit with his team and Kate and Todd went to join her fellow major, the head medical doctor and Cadman the marine.

"Hey Todd," Lorne greeted the wraith dolefully, "Sorry by the way."

Todd was curious. "For what do you offer your sentiments of regret?"

Lorne shrugged. "For you being here," he explained. "Lord knows you probably have better things to do then fill in the blanks in our archive," he paused, frowning, "I still think Sheppard's up to something."

Kate and Jennifer nodded in agreement whilst Cadman, who had become the fourth member of their trio plucked a grape off of Kate's plate and popped it into her mouth.

"Good luck figuring it out," she said.

"I still think it's odd," Jennifer started, "I mean, Woolsey gives him two days of down time and he invites you over for basically a social call."

Todd grunted.

"Yeah, it is a little strange," Kate agreed, looking up, "There's still cookie dough on the ceiling."

Lorne, Jennifer, Cadman and Todd all hazarded a look up towards the vaulted ceiling.

"Huh," Lorne refocused on his plate, "Imagine that."

Jennifer cracked a grin. "Now the question is, is that left over from the wraith or our food fight?"

"Hey, we were throwing food at each other not at the ceiling," Lorne defended, mock glaring at the doctor before pointing up, "I blame the wraith."

The table grew silent for a moment before Jennifer turned to Kate. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the arrival of John. She frowned, "What's wrong?" she asked him as he slid into a chair across from Todd, "You get voted out of your table?"

"Ha-ha," her brother quipped before looking around at them all, noting that Todd's back seemed to have stiffened since he sat down, "No, I just wanted to talk to you all for a change," he defended offhandedly, "Besides, Ronon's in a bad moon and Rodney's sulking about something Zelenka managed to figure out before he did."

Lorne laughed at the thought and even Mrs. McKay seemed amused at her husband's expense.

"So what's up Sir?" Cadman asked, turning towards her now permanent commanding officer, "Figured out what team I'm gonna be on yet?" _Please let it be with Kate and Lorne, I can't stand the other majors. Teldy's a bitch._

John couldn't argue that one as it was true that Major Anne Teldy had a reputation for being a hard ass to anyone who wasn't on her handpicked team of all women. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that," he turned to Lorne, "I know we've been doing a lot of rearranging with your team lately and I just wanted to know how things are working out?"

Lorne sighed. "As long as you don't take Kate away from me I won't have any reason to beat you, Sir," the major quipped lightheartedly. "Unfortunately as much of a help as she is the only one that really gets her and is willing to listen to her without question - besides me - is Tyler. James is okay but even before he joined the team he and Sweeps both had problems with women in power. They hated Carter."

"She's a General now," Cadman commented, leaning forwards to grab another grape, "Brigadier General Samantha Carter. She's CO of the SGC."

"Yeah, heard about that, good for her," John leaned back, having always liked to discuss business in a casual setting rather then in a briefing room with Woolsey breathing down his neck. "Anyway, so I was thinking we could give James to Johnson and put Cadman on your team," he glanced around the table, "That work?"

Lorne nodded. "Yep, that'll work," he turned towards the now wildly grinning blonde, "Now listen here young lady," he teased, "You are to d exactly as I or my second in command here tells you to do, got it?"

Cadman saluted smartly. "Sir, yes Sir."

Kate giggled. "God, I haven't heard that phrase since basic."

At the mention of basic training every single military member at the table shivered. Jennifer sympathized and Todd suffered his confusion as something he could ask Katherine later.

"Oh, hey Kate," Jennifer looked up at the clock over by the food line, "We need to go, get you ready."

Kate sighed. "Yeah, we do," she looked up at Jennifer, "You still gonna do my hair?"

John, Lorne and Todd eyed her, confusion written on all three of their faces.

"She's got a date tonight," Cadman informed the three males with a smirk.

Lorne's eyes lit up. "Really?" he asked, leaning forwards, "With who?"

Kate blushed. "Matt."

John's grin nearly split his face. "Captain Phoenix?" he asked, excitement building. "See, I told you you'd like him."

Todd was confused. "What is a date?" he asked, a sinking pressure in his lower abdomen heralding the feeling that he was not going to like the answer.

Explaining Earth culture to Todd was usually fun and the mind reading colonel was currently getting intense feelings of curiousness from the wraith along with something else that he couldn't quite explain but really didn't care about. John just wanted the wraith's reaction to whomever offered up the explanation of Earth courting practices.

"A date," Lorne started, "Is usually a romantic engagement with somebody. Male asks female out. Female gets all dressed up and is escorted to either dinner, a movie or sometimes both before being returned to her abode where, depending on how the date went, the couple may or may not up the ante."

Todd frowned. "It is a form of courting?"

Jennifer nodded. "Yeah, courting usually tends to be a bit formal. Dating can be either casual or serious," she looked at Kate, "So, where's he taking you?"

While Katherine struggled to find an answer for her curious friends, Todd was fighting the feeling in his abdomen of mild unease. The idea that any of the human males in this city, or anywhere for that matter, would wish to court Katherine was not surprising. That she would accept was and he found himself seriously doubting any male was worthy of her with the exception of perhaps a few. In most simplistic terms, this news was making him unhappy and he neither wished to delve into why that was or think on it farther was nothing good could come from continued contemplation..

"There's some kind of harvest celebration that Atlantis Five got invited to on MX4 - 871 that their CO got Woolsey to approve," Kate explained to her brother, Lorne and Jennifer.

"Oh, an off world date," Jennifer giggled, "Sounds like fun. What are you going to wear?"

While the girls and Lorne engaged in a conversation about Kate's expectations for the evening and what she would or would not be wearing, John pretended to listen while really regarding Todd. To his immense surprise the feelings he was getting from the wraith were strong, angry and violent. Their alien guest was not happy about something and John wanted very much to know what it was doubting very much that it was his sister's date that the wraith was so thoroughly irked about. Unfortunately without actual words, the colonel had no idea what was going on inside Todd's head and so eventually gave up; silently hoping that the wraith would slip up again and he'd actually hear something.

As Jennifer and Katherine left the table to go prepare for her evening's ventures, Todd watched her leave through hooded eyes, his displeasure leeching through him much more strongly then he would have liked. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Katherine so closely resembled the females with whom he'd spent his youth or perhaps because she in some ways reminded him of those few females that had been out of his reach, whatever the reason the idea of her lowering herself to causally engage with such a lesser specimen as were the humans males of Atlantis angered him.

_These lesser males do not deserve her _his inner thoughts were harsh in the wake of his own over protectiveness of a female that he had no right to want for himself. It was idiotic to even entertain such a desire and he felt his fists clench in response to his own foolish thinking. She was out of bounds, trapped in a cage into which he could never enter and the only thought he could offer to sooth himself was that because of her caliber any human male she coupled with would be unable to please her.

John watched the wraith leave, heading in an opposite direction from that which the four friends had taken a few minutes previously. The military man had wished for an insight into the alien's mind and he'd gotten one the results of which were currently threatening to drown him. Todd, on some level and John didn't particularly care which one, liked Kate a hell of a lot more then he should. The wraith was jealous and as disturbing and utterly horrifying as that thought was John drew some small comfort out of the fact that Todd seemed aware of how completely destructive his own line of thought was.

John knew that he could pretty much trust the wraith not to do anything. Humans, he knew, weren't particularly attractive to Todd and deep down he suspected that the only reason Todd seemed to find exception for Kate was because he actually knew her on a semi-personal level. Attraction and affection were two completely different things and John knew that Todd knew the difference.

He didn't have anything to worry about.

~xXx~

Todd's retreat landed him back in the archive room and he stayed there through the night and well into the next day. It was well past the time the human's called noon before Sheppard came to find him and, after some harsh words and an hour long argument, Todd reluctantly left his self styled prison and was dragged forcibly upwards and back into the mess hall.

"You have been working entirely too hard," John informed the wraith who was stubbornly sitting across from him whilst the colonel ate lunch, "When I said fill in the blanks I didn't exactly expect you do complete the entire unabridged version of wraith history in a day."

Todd growled. "You are upset because I am doing as you asked of me?" he demanded dangerously, his teeth bared in threat which - by now in their acquaintance - didn't convey nearly as much malice as the action had upon their first few meetings.

John shook his head, a headache beginning to form in the back of his brain, a dull throbbing sensation that he shrugged off as he sought to explain himself to their ally. "I'm not upset," John countered, digging into his peas, swallowing and then continuing, "You, however, are."

Todd huffed. "I am not, I assure you."

John gave him a look. "You are a terrible liar," and, with an exaggerated sigh, the colonel leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms and mimicked the wraith's facial expression.

His mockery didn't do anything to sooth Todd's irritation and if anything heightened it. "You are mocking me," the wraith seethed, his spine stiffening in anger.

John coughed. "Well yeah," he exclaimed, dropping his arms and sitting back up to regard Todd, "You're acting like a brat."

Fortunately for John he was saved from whatever retaliation Todd might have come up with for his barb by the arrival of both Kate and Lorne who sat down without actually looking at either of them. It was only after Lorne caught sight of Todd's face that the male major realized they'd come in on the tail end of something huge.

"Why do I get the feeling that we just saved your life?" Lorne asked his commanding officer whom, for the first time in a long while, actually looked afraid that Todd might in fact hurt him.

Todd growled, his fingernails digging gouges into the top of the table.

John gulped. "Because I think you did."

_Wonder what he said? _Lorne wondered before turning to look at the incensed alien in curiosity. "What'd the colonel do now?"

"Hey!" John yelped, his terror gone now that Todd seemed to have relaxed only slightly and was back to his usual stoic, stiff and genuinely unpleasant self, "How come you automatically assume that it's me that's done something?!?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Because if it'd been him that did something stupid you'd be pointing a gun at his head," she eyed the two of them, wraith and colonel alike before nodding down at the claw marks on the table top, "I think it's fair to say that you said something to piss him off."

John glared at her. "Fine," he admitted reluctantly, "I called him a brat."

As one both Kate and Lorne burst into laugher and even Todd cracked a wiry grin. John bristled indignantly. "It's not funny!" he yelled, his headache from earlier compounding and making his entire body ache.

"Yes it is," Kate chortled, eyeing her brother, "Honestly you must have a death wish!"

Her amusement did nothing to lighten his headache and as a result john grumbled, needing to turn the conversation away from him and focus it on something else. His sister's nighttime activities from the evening previous came to mind. "So, Kate," he started, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to alleviate his hurting brain, "How'd the date go?"

Kate sobered almost immediately. "It was great," she forced a smile onto her face and her voice to sound happy. Years of playing political games and engaging in espionage paid off and she was quite sure that everyone believed her.

"Well that's good," John answered tiredly, resting his elbow on the table and lowering his head into his hand.

_Not really no, _Kate thought before smiling and nodding. "Yeah, the harvest festival was fun, we danced."

Lorne smirked. "Folk dancing, oh joy."

John looked at his sister. "You don't sound like you had a very good time."

Kate stared at him. "I had a great time," she frowned, "John are you alright?"

His head throbbed angrily and John shuttered a groan. "No," he finally admitted, the thoughts in his head so loud that he could barely hear himself think, "No, I'm not alright."

Todd leaned forwards, his extra senses picking up on the colonel's anguish. "Sheppard?" he inquired, glancing towards Katherine to see her worry over her brother's state flash across her face.

"Colonel?" Lorne asked, concern coloring his voice.

"I…" John rocked forwards, the pain in his head compounding upon everything else, his ears ringing and screaming things at him before the pain blissfully ended and everything went black.

John regained consciousness only to find himself in the infirmary which was, with the exception of an iratus bug nest, the absolute worst place to wake up in. Groaning, he opened his eyes and looked around first noticing Jennifer looking at him in concern before realizing that Lorne, Kate and surprisingly Todd were all circling the foot of his bed.

"What happened?" he croaked, his throat raspy and his headache returning only not so terrible as before.

_Dumb question Colonel, really. _"You passed out," Lorne answered, "Six hours ago."

John's eyes widened. "Six hours?" he demanded. "I've been out for six hours!?!"

Kate nodded. "Yep, unfortunately that's not the weird part," she turned towards Jennifer and nodded giving the doctor the go ahead to explain.

Jennifer sighed, the Colonel's attention turning to her. "I ran a scan of your brain when you got here," she informed him, turning to lower one of the screens from the ceiling so that John could see his test results, "This is your brain as it looks right now."

John frowned up at the screen. "That's not possible," he exclaimed loudly, his own voice hurting his head almost as much as the extra highlighted areas on the screen were.

Jennifer looked at him in pity, able to see his pain clearly despite how hard the military man tried to hide it. "Well, believe it," she told him sternly, gesturing at the brain scan, "According to this eighty percent of your brain is currently active," she turned back to her patient, "Colonel when this happened to Rodney, he was able to…do things. Have you -"

"I can hear what people are thinking," John announced suddenly.

Everyone, with the exception of Todd's, mouth dropped open. "Seriously?" Lorne implored, completely floored.

John nodded. "Yeah seriously," he winced, focusing in on each of them, "Jenn is feeling self conscious, you think this is cool, I can't get anything from you," he turned from Todd towards his sister, "And you…" his eyes went wide, "Oh my God you slept with him!"

Kate turned beet red and shrank away from both her brother and Todd, whom she'd been standing next to. "John!" she screeched angrily, pissed that he would have announced the end to her date's activities to the entire room.

"I'm sorry," John said, not sounding sorry at all as he twisted towards his sister to pin her with a look, "It's not my fault you had a terrible time last night and that that's all you can think about." His face screwed up into an unreadable expression before turning into one of curiosity, "Did he really only last six minutes?"

Kate looked mortified, her hands flying to cover her very red face. "JOHN!"

Lorne walked around Todd, whose spine had gone completely stiff, and awkwardly patted Kate on the shoulder. "It's okay," he told her, not sure exactly how else he should comfort her or what was appropriate or not given the situation.

John on the other hand smirked. "Serves you right for giving in so easily."

Kate had had it. "My sex life is not up for scrutiny Jonathan Patrick!" she yelled at him, "Besides, I know what your nickname is. Compared to you I'm a damned Saint!"

"She has a point, Sir," Lorne interjected only to be turned on by an angry Kate. "Right," he muttered, taking a step backwards to go stand with Todd, "Staying out of this."

Kate's attention refocused on John and the scrub clad colonel squirmed. "That's not the point -"

"No," Kate yelled, "The point is that you guys seem to be under the delusion that you're the only ones that suffer from long periods of abstinence. I haven't gotten laid in two years so forgive me if I was a little easier to convince then I would normally be!!"

John looked miffed and Jennifer and Lorne both sought to intervene before someone said something they'd regret.

"Um, Colonel -" Jennifer tired only to have the man start to talk over her, turning angrily towards Todd.

"And you!" the wraith blinked, a discernable expression of guilt settling on his face as John stared him down, "What right do you possibly have to be even slightly pissed off about this?" he pointed at Kate for emphasis.

Todd's back stiffened, if at all possible, more. "I do not know what you are talking about," he said carefully before adding, "I thought you could not read my thoughts?"

John huffed angrily. "I can't," he admitted, "But I can get generalized feelings and right now you are thoroughly miffed about something and I want to know what it is."

For the first time in his life, Todd felt uncomfortable and was, as a result, reluctant to answer. The truth was that the idea of Katherine mating anyone was fundamentally uncomfortable to think about given his appreciation of and for her. The thought that she, having engaged in such activities, had been left unsatisfied by a selfish male partner was positively maddening as Katherine deserved better. Of course, he couldn't tell Sheppard that, the Colonel would shoot him so he opted for a lie instead.

"Katherine deserves better then whichever male failed to perform adequately last night," the wraith intoned, keeping his eyes on the Colonel rather then on the gaping Katherine, stunned looking Major Lorne or baffled doctor.

John glared at him. "And just who might do her better, do you think?" he demanded, having the slightest idea that the wraith was about to say himself. John hoped he did, he wanted very much to shoot something and Todd was his favorite target. He just needed a reason.

"JONATHAN!" Kate yelled, completely and totally petrified over the topic which they were currently discussing. Not only was it embarrassing enough that the entire room now knew that she had been left hanging last night but now her brother was asking Todd whom he thought might have been able to do a better job at satisfying her. The thought that the alien might actually answer was just too much.

Todd rolled his shoulders. The first thing to cross his mind was the honest opinion of 'me' which he knew would be the last word he ever spoke if he were to answer Sheppard with the truth. "I do not know," he said aloud in a tone that he hoped conveyed his impartiality over this, that or the opinion that he really didn't care, "It is not my place to speculate."

John's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure you don't have any suggestion-"

THWACK!

John yelped loudly as one of the bedpans from the other beds bounced of his head. Rubbing his already pounding appendage he turned towards his enraged sister. "Ow," he cried, "What the hell!"

Fortunately for her brother, Kate was so angry that words refused to form and so she stood there trembling for a few seconds before turning on her heel and marching out of the infirmary. Her departure seemed to sooth the anger that was running rampant throughout the room and after a few moments Lorne followed her. At this second leave-taking in so many minutes, John finally calmed down enough to relax back into his bed and return his attention to Jennifer.

"So, what now?" he asked, feeling drained, tired and slightly guilty over how he'd treated his sister.

Jennifer fought to maintain her professionalism, because personally, she wanted very much to offer the colonel to Todd as a meal after the way he'd just jumped all over Kate. It wasn't his right and after a few seconds Jennifer was able to force calm into her voice and answer the man. "Well, for starters I'd like to run a couple of tests on your blood work, maybe do a tox panel," she turned towards Todd, "Are you familiar at all with human diseases?"

Todd nodded. "Upon occasion it is necessary for the commander of a hive to review the state of his worshipers' health. It is a trying task but a necessary one and over the years I have gained a basic understanding of those illnesses that typically befall humans native to this galaxy."

John looked between the two of them before his eyes came to rest on the wraith. "Wait, you're gonna stay and help?" he frowned. "Why?"

Todd's eyes narrowed. "I believe I know you well enough to know that the reason for you not coming forward with your new…ability is the same reason why you invited me here in the first place."

John squirmed, the wraith's gaze making him feel very uncomfortable. "Todd -" he started only to be interrupted by a snort of exasperation and annoyance from the wraith in question.

"You wanted to use your ability to, what is the term - ah yes, get one up on me," he affixed Sheppard with a potent glare. "Am I correct?"

The colonel's silence was answer enough and the wraith continued "Should I offer my assistance in developing a cure for you, I believe the outcome will be quite the opposite from the one you intended," he grinned wolfishly, "You will owe me Sheppard and I rather like that better then the other way around."

With that, the alien turned about and walked away with Jennifer following him the two retreating to her office to go over their options while John leaned back into his bed and sulked.

Why was it that whenever Todd was involved nothing ever happened right?

~xXx~

Kate was in her room throwing things when Lorne finally managed to catch up with her. As he was her best friend both he and Jennifer possessed the ability to open the door to her quarters and having done so the sight that met him was utter chaos.

"Kate?" he called, stepping timidly into her destroyed room as he looked around for the young woman in desperate need of comforting. He found her laying down, knees bent on her couch just to the right of the door.

Her eyes had been closed as she'd attempted to find her happy place when Evan had come for her. Popping and eye open, Kate turned her head towards her searching friend who was already walking over towards her. "Hey Evan," she muttered as he sat down next to her and gestured for her to shoot back so that her head could rest on his lap.

Lorne looked down at her and smiled. "Redecorating?" he teased.

Kate's shoulder's shook with laughter. "Yeah, you know I just walked in here and decided that I hated everything."

"There, see humor solves all ills," Lorne soothed, lowering his hand so that it rested lightly on her stomach. "Now why don't you tell me what you're really upset about? Is it just because your brother's being a dick or is something else?"

Kate sighed and looked up at Lorne's face hovering over her own as he looked down on her, her head pillowed in his lap. "It's…not just John," she admitted slowly, reluctant to say anything else even to him.

"So Todd?" he looked down on her and watched her face turn a very light shade of pink.

"Yeah," Kate breathed, "Todd."

Lorne shifted so that he drew away from her and coaxed her into a sitting position so that he could look at her. "Listen," he started, "I know that you don't know him as well as we do. You haven't been around to see him backstab us or double-cross us or blackmail us…" He trailed off, watching her face. "The fact is that Todd's been a hell of a lot nicer since he met you. I don't know what you did or how you did it but you earned his complete trust and respect, which is more then any of the rest of us have ever done."

When she remained silent, Lorne took it to mean that she was thinking and so continued. "And because you haven't been around to see him screw us over, I think you maybe see him a bit differently then the rest of us do."

"You have no idea," Kate mumbled, looking away from her friend and down towards her knee which was resting on Lorne's leg.

Evan reached out and lifted her chin upwards so that he could once more look her in the eyes. "Then tell me," he implored earnestly.

She sighed, her shoulders drooping. "It's not that simple," she tried to explain, "I…I shouldn't like him, not like I do. He's a wraith, most people would describe him as being about the ugliest SOB to ever live but I…"

Lorne breathed out heavily. "You think he's attractive?"

"Yes, no…oh hell I don't know," Kate struggled, leaning back to rest her back against the armrest while continuing to look at Lorne's honest face, "In the most basic sense of the word yeah I suppose I do. He's an alpha male there's no other way to describe him and I'm…drawn to him there's just no other way to put it."

Personally, Lorne could see what she was getting at. Kate was as much an alpha female as Todd was the apex alpha male. Strong gravitated towards strong sometimes with more power and pull then strong to weak. Teyla was an alpha too, but Todd wasn't anymore inclined towards her then he was towards any other human female. What made Kate special and what made the situation complicated was that Kate came closer to matching Todd in strength and ability then probably any other human female alive. Lorne was even willing to bet that she'd probably be evenly matched if pitted against most female wraith. The issue seemed to be that because she was stronger then normal humans and because she was so similar to Todd in personality that the wraith no longer viewed her as prey. She had risen to a whole other level where Todd was concerned and if he could manage to find her attractive physically it didn't completely surprise Lorne that Kate could therefore find the same appeal in him.

"You think I'm crazy don't you?" Kate asked after Evan had been silent for quite some time.

He looked up. "No, I don't," he assured her gently, needing her to know that he didn't blame her for being inclined romantically towards a wraith, since there was really nothing she could do about it. "I understand, Kate, I do. You can't help who you like, who you're attracted to and Todd is a lot like you and you're a lot like him. From the first time you met the two of you understood each other or rather, you understood him and he's just now starting to understand you."

Kate sighed. "Yeah but Evan, he'll never like me the way I like him. So yeah, we both know that humans and wraith can do the dirty but as far as we can tell wraith don't do affection. At least not to their food."

Lorne smirked. "Kate," he said seriously, "Todd wouldn't eat you if his life depended on it. I see the way he looks at you. Trust me, you're not prey to him, you're his equal."

Now it was Kate's turn to sigh this time in exasperation and concern. "But am I?" she asked, determined to have this out once and for all, "I mean, do we know that he thinks of me that way?"

"I think we've got a pretty good idea!" Lorne defended, "He treats you differently then the rest of us, he's actually nice to you he doesn't just tolerate you and he seems to genuinely enjoy and want your company. The rest of us he just tolerates out of necessity."

"Maybe," Kate allowed before she let out another sigh, "I don't know Evan, I think I'm just being silly."

"Emotions aren't silly Kate," Lorne argued, "They're not. You like him, as a person you think he's interesting and you want to know him better there's nothing wrong with that."

"He's wraith," Kate offered knowing that his species didn't bother her one iota.

Lorne gave her a look. "Does that really matter?"

Kate shook her head. "Not to me," she admitted, "But everyone else-"

"Screw everyone else," Lorne interrupted her, "They don't have to like him," he sighed, "Look, I'm not telling you to go after him because that would be a bad idea but just liking him isn't wrong and you shouldn't feel guilty about it and you shouldn't let your asshole of a brother make you feel guilty about it either."

Kate offered him a smile. "Thanks Evan," she stood, looking around at the mess she'd made. "I think I'm gonna skip dinner, I've got some cleaning to do."

"You can't not eat," Lorne got up as well and turned towards the door, "Here, I'll go get us something to munch on and you clean up. When I get back we can watch a movie or something."

Kate nodded. "Okay."

"Okay," Lorne agreed and then turned to exit. As he walked towards the mess hall he thought back over what they'd talked about, remembering both times that Todd had said out loud that he found her to be desirable. That the wraith was as attracted to her as she was to him Lorne knew to be fact, but he really didn't see where telling Kate this would help her. A relationship between them, whither it be purely physical or more emotional would be inexplicably bad for two reasons.

One; Lorne couldn't see Todd ever loving her. Two; while he might be able to look past the fact that Todd was a wraith the major knew that nobody else would be able to do so. Todd would always remain, to everyone in Atlantis, an enemy even if he did occasionally save their asses. He would never be an individual, a person and for that reason Lorne prayed that attraction is where the bond between Todd and Kate stopped.

If it ever became anything more, Lorne didn't want to think about what the consequences would be.

~xXx~

"Did you know that the botanists down on level eight all…"

Todd sighed. Because he was the only one whose thoughts didn't threaten to overtake Sheppard's brain, Todd had been volunteered to be the one to collect the various samples and what-have-you that Jennifer needed to complete her diagnosis. As a result, after a quick lesson in how to draw blood and operate the various equipment that these humans used, Todd had then subjected himself to listening to the bedridden human regale everything that he'd 'heard' over the past twenty four hours. It was unpleasant, and Todd tried very hard to ignore him as he really didn't care whom found whom attractive, who wanted to get with whom or who thought what of Mr. Woolsey.

"Sheppard!" the wraith snapped irritably before using the human's distraction to take another blood sample.

John turned to his left, yelping slightly at the pressure the wraith was placing on his arm and how not gentle he was being with one of Jennifer's longest needles. "Hey, watch it," John scolded the wraith as pain laced through his forearm and he felt his muscles clench in reaction which only made the needle's point of entry sting more. "So, like I was saying -"

Todd clamped down harshly on the colonel's appendage. "Sheppard," he hissed, "I do not care. Shut up."

John frowned mischievously. "Well, I was going to tell you what I've found out everyone thinks of you, but if you don't want to know, OW!" the wraith's grip tightened to the point that his arm started to turn blue, "Okay, okay I'll stop."

Todd sighed in relief and basked in the silence.

It didn't last long.

"So are you sure you don't want to know what everyone thinks about you?" John asked, knowing that were he the wraith he'd be jumping at the chance.

Todd willed himself not to strangle the human. "I do not care," he reiterated before adding, at the look on the human's face, "But you may tell me anyway as I'm sure you wish for me to know."

John grinned. "Great!" he announced as Todd withdrew the needle and went about bottling the various blood samples and other things into the containers Jennifer had given him. "Well Teyla feels a connection with you almost like you're our friend but not quite because you aren't. Ronon daydreams about shooting you at least once a day if not more although, and he'd never admit it, he does begrudgingly respect you for your fighting ability and that crafty mind of yours…"

Todd had to will himself to remain calm as he really didn't care what the human inhabitants of Atlantis thought of him, except for one and the wraith really didn't think that the colonel would be sharing his sister's thoughts of him with him any time soon.

"Rodney both respects and envy's you and thinks that you're probably the only person in the entire universe that's smarter then him. Lorne thinks we treat you unfairly, Woolsey hates you with a passion that makes Ronon's feelings for you look mild and did I mention that all of our women seem to find you attractive? Which is weird by the way because, I mean, look at you…"

Todd dropped the vial he was holding, the glass stoppered tube clattering to the counter before him and thankfully not shattering. The females in this city thought what of him? Although, granted, this news wasn't as surprising to him as it seemed to be for Sheppard it was still somewhat unpleasant to hear. Todd himself was an alpha male, even among wraith, and his very presence oozed sexuality. Of course female worshippers could pick up on this and when he was hive bound he tended to avoid the lower human inhabited portions of the hive for this very reason as he did not like having human females throw themselves at him. While he understood that the majority of his brethren found this ability of theirs to so easily conquered the pheromones of female humans enjoyable, he found the display rather tedious and without point. As a result, when he was in Atlantis he tired very hard to mask his alpha status which apparently hadn't worked as well as he though it had because Sheppard was sitting here telling him this.

Still, in light of this or perhaps because of it, his curiosity surrounding the only person in this city for whom he cared, of her reaction to his presence and status as a primary male who, when present, overpowered all others, tugged at him.

"And Katherine?" he asked throwing all caution to the wind in his need to know what she thought of him.

John's rant stopped and he looked up at the wraith. His back was to him so that John couldn't have read his face, or at least attempted to, if he'd so desired. "Why do you care?" he asked, recalling that Todd had said that he didn't care and wondering why Kate's opinion of him was any different then anyone else's.

Todd shrugged as if to offer the opinion that it truly didn't matter and that he was simply curious. "You have mentioned everyone else save for your sister," the predator replied nonchalantly, "I assure you I was merely curious."

John considered this. He supposed, in the light of knowing that his sister considered Todd to be a friend and vise versa, the wraith wanting to know what she thought of him really wasn't so terrible a thing to ask. It certainly explained why her opinion meant more to him then anyone else's. Still, some of the things he'd gotten from Kate before and after Todd come here were very curious, some even slightly alarming.

He could tell that Todd had given up on expecting an answer from him when the wraith made to leave, currying the samples he'd taken to Jennifer for analysis. It was because Todd didn't press the matter that John finally coincided to tell him what he knew

"She thinks you're interesting."

Todd stopped, turning back towards the colonel who was wearing a contemplative expression as he continued.

"Like a Chinese puzzle box; she wants to solve you. You're on her mind constantly, even when she dreams. She thinks that you're not so terrible looking for a wraith…"

So he was as much a puzzle to her as she was to him and her need to solve him was great, he could read as much from Sheppard's face. The confirmation that she, more then any other female in the city, seemed to find him attractive caused lust such as he had not felt since the human Ford had forced him to touch her to spread like fire through him. He concentrated on the Colonel's face, the human seemed to be thinking hard about something, and Todd held his breath wondering over what more there was to come if indeed anything at all.

"She want's to know everything about you," John whispered

Todd nodded, this came as no surprise to him. "Katherine has always been interested in the wraith, since first we met."

John shook his head. "No, not the wraith," he clarified, "You. She wants to know about you. She looked you up in the Atlantis archives, found some things, figured out how old you are, she wants to know about you. In her head she calls you the High Commander or the Eldest, she doesn't think of you as Todd. Thinks the name doesn't suit you, thinks you deserve something more…more."

As Sheppard's voice grew fainter, Todd could tell that the human was now contemplating more to himself then to him. The wraith took this as an opportunity to walk away, his own thoughts swirling as he thought back over the knowledge Sheppard had bequeathed him. Katherine wanted to know him, wanted to know his past, was motivated enough to go looking for the information she craved rather then simply wait and hope for him to tell her. This in particular grabbed him and endeared her ever more. His past was complicated and that she would not think of him in her own mind by the name that her brother had given him made him realize that she had the potential to know him better and more thoroughly then even his closest companions and allies whom had known him all his life. The reality that he wanted her to know him, know of him made him ponder over what exactly he should tell her about his own history before he decided that the thought of her knowing it all raised as much lust within him as did his knowledge that she found him attractive.

~xXx~

Jennifer McKay was tired. Scrubbing her left hand over her face as she picked up and frowned into her empty coffee cup. "Damn," she muttered, placing the ceramic mug back onto her lab table and blinking the sleepiness from her eyes.

"You have something?" Todd asked, coming to stand directly behind the doctor, peering over her shoulder.

Jennifer shook her head. "No, not yet," she answered wearily, blinking at the brightness of the screen that had begun to hurt her eyes several hours earlier.

Todd made a grunting sound. "We must hurry," he urged her, glancing quickly towards the isolation room adjoined to the lab in which they now worked. Shad been moved down here some hours pervious after he had begun screaming with the pain of having too many voices inside his head.

"You seem awful concerned about the Colonel," the doctor observed, turning on her stool to eye the wraith behind her who backed up as soon as she moved. I didn't think you cared about him."

Todd snorted. "It is not Sheppard's well being that concerns me but rather the effect his illness has on others."

Jennifer frowned. "Others?" she questioned before something in her head slid forwards and clicked into place with startling clarity, "You're doing this for Kate."

Todd's spine straightened and he bore down on the human woman with much more menace then was absolutely necessary. "You understand the gravity of what you accuse me of?" he asked dangerously, noting with surprise that the doctor didn't shrink back.

"I told you once before that compassion isn't a weakness," she reminded him sternly, "I know you're capable of it, I've seen it. Why is it so hard to just admit -"

"She is Sheppard's sister," Todd ground out tersely wanting nothing more then an escape from this conversation and berating himself for allowing the woman to see past that which he so carefully guarded.

Jennifer snorted. "Is that all she is to you? John's sister? Kate's a person you know, she's more then -"

"Do not think that I do not know this," Todd hissed in anger, his own warring emotions over what he felt if anything for the woman plaguing him after what Sheppard had told him of her thoughts. "We have gotten off track," he began after calming himself, turning back to those screens that surrounded he and the doctor, "Come, Sheppard is losing time."

Jennifer eyed him but returned to her work allowing the matter to drop for now. Refocusing her eyes on the data scrolling in front of her she began searching through her results yet again before a sudden motion caught her attention.

"Oh my…" she began and hurriedly pulled up the area of the screen on which she had seen the disturbance. Scanning over it quickly, she felt the hair at the back of her neck move and took it to mean that Todd was standing directly behind her again.

"Do you see that?" she asked him, pointing at the screen, "Is that what I think it is?"

Todd nodded. "A parasite, although I can guess that it was not so large initially as there is no point of entry large enough on the colonel's body to allow for it's size," he looked askew at the doctor, "Perhaps it entered through his bloodstream and then grew larger."

Jennifer watched the screen in horror. "It's…feeding on the electrical impulses in his brain," she turned wilding to the wraith, "That's why he can heard our thoughts. This organism must have needed more electricity to grow so it turned on the dormant parts of his brain."

Todd agreed. "Yes, but how do we now turn them off?" he questioned. "Your human brains are not meant to be compatible with the abilities the Colonel now processes. They are putting a strain on his body that is slowly killing him."

Jennifer thought quickly. "What we need is an antibody or something," she turned back to the computer and brought up the archives to begin scanning for diseases that matched the colonel's symptoms.

"There," Todd stopped her, pointing to a description halfway down the screen. Jennifer clicked on it.

"Of course," Todd breathed, "I have heard of this disease. It is not uncommon among the people of this galaxy however when they contract it they hardly gain the ability to hear the thoughts of others."

Jennifer considered this. "John can operate Ancient technology, could that maybe -"

"Perhaps," Todd interrupted her his mind already working on a solution, "We do not have time to investigate this disease farther doctor as Sheppard has precious little time left."

"We need a cure all," Jennifer announced, spinning from the computer screen to observe her patient who was curled up into the fetal position on his bed, "Which we don't have."

Todd considered this. "I do," he announced and then reached for his belt buckle, a move that seemed to alarm the doctor.

"Um, Todd," Jennifer stammered as first his belt then his bracers came off, "What are you doing?"

The wraith glanced over at her noting her elevated temperatures and smiled at her embarrassment. "While the manner in which we feed does have some effect on our ability to heal, the energy we draw from humans simply fuels the process."

Jennifer turned beet red as Todd shrugged out of his battle coat and began to work on the fastening of the long leather robe under it. "A-and?" she questioned shakily not sure she wanted to see whatever was underneath all that leather.

Todd cocked his head to once side, finally pulling off the last of his restrictive clothing and moving over to the table were the blood drawing instruments lay. "Our ability to cure ourselves lies in a chemical antigen found naturally in our bloodstreams," he made a fist and inserted the needled into one of his veins, "A cure all if you will."

Jennifer stared at him not quite contemplating what he was telling her right away but as soon as she did her embarrassment melted away in the wake of what this meant. "So the feeding process just speeds up your healing ability?" she asked as she took the proffered blood sample from Todd who had begun to dress, a fact for which she was grateful.

Todd nodded. "In the case of serious injury such as bullet wounds we require more energy to heal then our bodies naturally produce. It is why injured wraith feed so greedily. Viral infections and the like such as what is affecting Colonel Sheppard are taken care of by the antigens in our blood and do not require a feeding to fuel them."

Jennifer nearly hopped up and down in joy. "So we don't even have to find the chemical in your blood, technically we just give this," she held up the sample of his blood, "To John."

Todd nodded. "Yes, may I suggest you hurry."

She didn't need to be told twice and spun around on her heel to go administer her wraith provided cure all to the ailing Colonel. He fought her a bit as she got near him, no doubt due to the pressure of her thoughts entering into his head but eventually he stilled enough for her to stick him with the needled and pump Todd's blood into an artery on his neck. Returning to the lab, she turned back to Todd.

"Thank you," she told him sincerely, eyes moving over the now normally dressed wraith.

He bowed his head in acknowledgment of her gratitude before turning on his heel to leave, he needed rest before he could return to his hive and thankfully for him he had quarters here in Atlantis.

~xXx~

John was feeling much better and almost back to his old self which he was trying to explain to Jennifer. "I feel fine, really," he assured her, nodding vigorously, "So can I-"

Jennifer shook her head, the antic's of the Colonel never ceasing to amuse her. "No John," she told him sternly, "You can't go back to your room and you won't be allowed back on active duty until I clear you."

John yelped. "So clear me!" he demanded, "I'm fine."

The doctor sighed. "You've just recovered from a parasite that not only turned on the inactive parts of your brain but messed around with your brain's chemistry," she reminded him before adding, "The extra activity and altered chimerical balance affected your behavior. You do know that you've managed to piss quite a few people off don't you?"

John sulked and leaned back in his bed, picking at one of the two blueberry muffins on his breakfast tray. "Kate," he muttered brokenly.

Jennifer snorted. "Yeah, and Todd," she looked at him, "When I do release you, you might want to make apologies your first priority."

The bedridden colonel sighed. "I'll apologize to Kate, I shouldn't have gone off on her like that," his voice trailed off into a mumble, "She's a big girl, she can do whatever she wants. It's not my place to say…"

Jennifer nodded. "Good," she encouraged him and then turned to complete the finishing touches on her report over all of this.

"But I'm not apologizing to Todd."

The doctor turned back, crossing her arms and settling in for an explanation, her report was just going to have to wait. "And why not?" she asked.

John looked at her. "He's Todd," he offered by way of an explanation as if just that fact could explain everything, "If I say I'm sorry for asking him to come to the city -"

"Tricked," Jennifer corrected, "You tricked him into coming to Atlantis so that you could use your ability to basically spy on him."

John sulked. "If the situations were reversed I'm sure that he'd -"

"Todd's a wraith Colonel, he doesn't need a parasitic organism to infiltrate his brain in order to read people's minds he has that ability already," she pierced him with a look, "And if he did take advantage of that ability like you did don't you think he'd understand us a hell of a lot better then he does?"

"Eh," John looked conflicted, "Okay, so maybe he does keep his thoughts to himself. I'm still not apologizing -"

Jennifer sighed. Both she and Kate, as his next of kin, had agreed not to tell the colonel the full details of his recovery until he was cleared for duty. In light however of the fact that the man was being more pigheaded then usual, Jennifer decided that now would be a good time to tell him.

"You do know that Todd's the one that saved you right?" she asked offhandedly and watched the expression on his face change to one of confused mortification.

"What?" John demanded, so totally not in the mood to owe Todd his life yet again. "I thought you figured out -"

"I did," Jennifer cut him off, "But I'm not the one that came up with a cure."

John gulped, closing his eyes and groaning. "So I owe Todd…"

She nodded. "Yes."

He felt like crying but opted for more information instead. "Hey doc?" he opened his eyes and looked at her, standing next to his bed with her arms crossed and an expression on her face of extreme patronization. "How exactly was I cured? You said that you used a transfusion, how exactly did that work?"

Oh boy, Jennifer was not looking forward to explaining this part of the explanation in any more detail and thankfully she was saved the need to as at that moment his well wishers decided to come pay a visit.

"I'll leave you to talk," she said and bowed out of the group leaving Teyla to be the first to turn to John.

"It is good to see you well again," she smiled at him before asking, "No lingering echoes of what we are thinking?"

John shook his head. "Naw," he sighed, "I'm back to being just another clueless male."

"Welcome back," Ronon grunted good-naturedly.

John nodded, looking around and locking eyes to his sister. "Hey guys," he said to his well wishing teammates, "Could you…"

"Yeah," Ronon agreed and nodded towards Teyla, "Let's go. We'll be back Sheppard."

"Right," John said and then turned towards Kate. "Look," he started apologetically, "I know that I've been acting a little weird lately and that I might have said a few things-"

Kate cut him off with a wave of her hand as she walked over to him and sat down on the edge of his bed. "Hey," she said, a light smile on her face, "You just had a parasitic bug crawling around in your head fucking with things, I think you retrain the right to act a little off."

Happy as he was to hear this he still felt the need to give her a proper apology. "Katie Beth," he said seriously, taking her hand in one of his and holding her eyes, "You know that I've never been good at this, but I've always been better about it with you. I am sorry for what I said and for how I said it and where I said it…" he looked up at her, "I just wanted you to know-"

"I love you John," Kate said, her tone matching her brother's in sincerity as she leaned forwards and hugged him, pulling back after a while and twisting her face up into a playful grin. "But you're right, you suck at this."

John's mouth dropped open. "Why you little brat!" he mocked, "Here I am trying to be serious and you go and make fun of me!"

Kate grinned. "You deserved it after what you did."

He sobered. "Yeah, I guess I do," he looked up at her, "So, you wanna talk about -"

"Feeling better Sheppard?"

The colonel looked up at the same time that Kate twisted around and together the two siblings beheld the smirking form of Todd standing at the foot of his bed. "Yeah," he said, "I'm doing better."

The wraith inclined his head. "Good."

John sighed, his conversation with Jennifer coming back to haunt him. "Listen," he started, "I owe you…an…apology."

Todd quirked a brow ridge. "Do you?" he asked, his surprise evident in the sounds of his multi-layered voice.

John nodded reluctantly. "Yeah."

The wraith looked nonplused. "I am waiting."

John snorted. "What? You're actually gonna make me say it?" he demanded.

"That is the point of an apology is it not?" Todd inquired finding great amusement in all of this.

The colonel withered. "Yeah alright," he held his breath and then let it all out in one long sigh, "Look, I'm sorry for tricking you into coming here with the intention to use my ability to read your mind so that I could get one up one you," He glared at the wraith. "Happy?"

Todd smirked. "Very much so."

Kate looked between then two of them in bewilderment. "I swear," she muttered, "The two of you…" she trailed off, not being entirely able to finish that sentence.

In the wake of his sister's befuddlement, John decided to throw them both for a loop. "While I'm apologizing," he looked up at their alien ally, "I suppose that I should also thank you."

Kate rounded on him before Todd had the chance to say a word. "Jennifer told you how we cured you?" she demanded.

Her brother shrugged. "She suggested that I should tell him I'm sorry and when I said no way in hell she used it against me," he explained before frowning, "She didn't tell me all the details though."

Before Kate could open her mouth to waylay an explanation, Todd chimed in.

"There is a chemical antigen within the bloodstream of every wraith that naturally cures us of any and all viral and parasitic diseases," the wraith explained.

John looked at him. "So what? You had Jennifer take a sample of your blood and find this chemical and then reproduce it?"

Kate made to give Todd a signal to shut him up but failed.

"The answer was much less complicated then that," Todd continued, "A simple transfusion was enough."

"A simple…" comprehension flooded him and John yelped, throwing Kate off the bed and stumbling backwards into Todd who's arms wrapped around her waist to keep her from falling. "You mean you put your blood into my bloodstream!?!"

Todd smirked, releasing Katherine however reluctantly and turning back towards the colonel, aware of how this new information was effecting him and finding it all quite comical. "Yes."

"THE HELL!" John screeched, not liking this at all, "That's just fundamentally…I don't want wraith blood in my system!"

Kate rolled her eyes dramatically. "John," his attention never left Todd whom she could tell was enjoying this, "Your system's not going to retain any wraith DNA. It took the chemical in his blood that cured you, used it, and then scrubbed it from your system. You're fine."

John relaxed but not by much. "Still," he exclaimed, "Couldn't you have, I don't know, synthesized it?"

"There wasn't time," Todd explained, still thoroughly amused, "If we had you would now be dead."

John shoved off the wraith's reasoning with a scowl. "Oh like you'd miss me."

Todd grinned. "Oh indeed I would," he informed the now flabbergasted colonel, "Your antics do so amuse me."

"My…" John was irked and in retaliation grabbed one of his blueberry muffins up off his cast aside plate and chunked it at the leering alien.

Todd ducked the edible projectile just as Jennifer came back into the room, a look of anger and disappointment on her normally kind face.

"You!" she screeched at John, "Did you just throw food in my infirmary?"

John looked sheepish. "I-"

"And you!" she turned on Todd who didn't look guilty at all but instead looked rather smug, "You're disturbing my patient. Get out of my medical ward!"

Todd bowed to her wishes. "As you wish," he inclined his head and turned towards Katherine, "I spoke to my hive before coming here, my transport should be on it's way. Would you be so kind as to accompany me to the pier?"

Kate smiled. "Sure," she replied and then turned towards her brother. Kissing him on the forehead, she gave him a motherly look, "Now John. No more throwing things and behave. Do what the doctor tell you to do any maybe she'll give you a lollipop."

Her brother grumbled loudly not finding this at all amusing. He crossed his arms moodily as Todd and Kate left his room before settling in to hear the lecture from Jennifer about his disruption of her infirmary.

~xXx~

As predicted, Todd's transport was waiting for him by the time he and Kate made it out onto the east pier. The back hatch opened and Todd walked forwards as she turned to go, expecting that this was goodbye.

"Katherine," Todd called, staying her before she could retreat into the city.

She turned back to him a look of curiousness on her face as what she guessed must be one of Todd's sub-commanders descended the ramp and handed Todd something that from this distance looked like a box. Taking it, Todd turned and walked back to her holding out the something for her to take. She looked down and fought the urge to gasp as what he was giving to her.

It was a journal, leather bound and once she's opened it, handwritten in a script that she had never before seen. Looking up at the wraith before her she narrowed her eyes in silent question.

"My history Katherine," Todd informed her knowing that it was too late to be second guessing the wisdom in the gift he had just given her, "It is all I can give you…for now."

Her face took on a look of shock and surprise and Todd allowed that image to brand into his mind as he turned away from her and followed his third officer back onto the transport leaving Katherine alone on the dock.

As the wraith craft lifted off, Kate studied carefully the book that had been given to her before turning to make her way to the archive room. The letters that riddled the pages and could be found written minutely beneath detailed pictures of landscapes and buildings that she'd never seen was beautiful almost reminding her of Arabic script in their fluidity. Quickly bringing put a search of all known written languages her eyes widened when they landed on a sample of writing that matched that which filled the volume in her hand.

Early wraith script, their language as it had looked before the Ancients came to assert their culture into theirs. This was history as Kate had never known it before and flipping through the pages as she downloaded the translator from the archives to a removable disk that she could upload on her computer, she was able to catch the pronoun I quite frequently.

The knowledge made her smile as she realized that Todd had just handed her something that he had written himself by his own hand about his own life and no matter how tedious or boring the following pages would or would not prove to be, Kate was going to read them all.


	9. Lost in Space

**A/N: **Here you go, another chapter that's been embellished to make it even better then the first one. Not much has changed with this one other then I added a scene to make it longer and changes some words and sentences around. Other than that, it's pretty much the same but the scene I added has lots of Todd/Kate goodness so I hope you all enjoy it and if you do, I want to hear about it so, when you're done, don't forget to review. Happy reading and cheers!

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**Episode IX: Lost in Space**

"Are you absolutely sure that this is a good idea?" Rodney asked as he leaned forwards and looked out the front windshield of the jumper at the stationary hive. "I mean, think about what happened last time we tried this out on the wraith. It didn't end so well."

"Yes, thank you Rodney," John said, steering the jumper to the left a bit as they neared the forward most dart bay. "But your wife's gene therapy is still the best idea we have to end the threat of the wraith," John paused and then shook his head. "God, that still sounds weird."

"Well, I know, I mean Jennifer's been working on it for…" Rodney trailed off, "What sounds weird?"

"Nothing," John said as they cleared the outer hull of the hive and began the landing process. "It's just, well…I'm still getting used to the fact that you're a married man."

"I got married two months ago!" Rodney sputtered indignantly.

"It is still a lot to adjust to Rodney," Teyla soothed, "I must admit that I too was rather shocked that you actually went through with it."

Rodney puffed up like an indignant peacock. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Teyla, realizing that she had said something to anger the scientist, attempted to correct her mistake. "It is nothing Rodney, only that I cannot imagine that you are the easiest person to live with. Marriage is a great compromise and - since I've known you - compromise is not something you handle particularly well."

"She's got a point," Ronon interjected.

Rodney looked sobered. "Oh, well yes I realize I've been rather arrogant in the past but Jennifer's more than worth not getting my way all the time."

John snorted. "You see, that's another thing," he twisted around in his chair to look back at the scientist as he gently lowered the jumper into an empty dart space, "Ever since you've gotten together with Jennifer we've all been wondering how you did it."

Rodney glared at him as Teyla and Ronon stood to exit the craft. "What do you mean?"

John smirked as Teyla opened the hatch release and he followed her and Ronon out into the landing bay. "Well you see," he said as he looked up and watched Kate land the second jumper, "It's just that you're the nerdy scientist guy and your type never gets the girl."

Rodney glared at him. "What are we, in grade school? This is real life Sheppard not one of your corny science fiction movies."

"They're not corny," John said defensively before they were joined by Kate and the now Jennifer McKay, "Hello ladies; pleasant trip?"

Kate gave her brother a look. "Yes actually," she said in a hyper sounding falsetto, "I got to talk about things, personal things, without you biting my head off."

John winced, the memory of how he'd grilled his sister after her date last week filtering through his head. He'd apologized true, but then he'd made the mistake of bringing it up later in a less then supportive tone which she was now mad at him for. Fortunately for him, the colonel was saved the trouble of stammering up an acceptable apology as a squad of drones came round the corner thus heralding Todd's impending arrival.

The wraith that appeared out of the gloom, however; was not Todd.

"Kenny!" John called cheerily turning towards the wraith as he approached them.

The Hive Second stopped just short of the humans and sighed, lifting his eyes briefly towards the ceiling before once again lowering them to their faces. "Must you call me that?" he hissed, annoyed.

John shrugged. "Well," he began, "You could always tell us your real name and then we could call you that."

The Second snorted in derision and disgust. "Few humans have ever proven themselves worthy enough to know the names of wraith," he sneered at the gathered group in front of him. "I doubt you and yours will ever earn such a right."

"Well then, Kenny is just gonna have to do then," John responded with a toss of his shoulders as if to suggest that he didn't care at all one way or the other.

Kenny rolled his eyes, wondering as he did how it was that the Hive Commander ever found the patience to be around such as these for any length of time. "Come," he bid them follow as he turned and stalked back towards the living portions of the hive.

As they walked down the corridor, Kate stuck close to the back of the group and took the opportunity to thoroughly look over her surroundings. This wasn't her first time on a hive; it wasn't even her first time on this hive, but last time she hadn't left the dart bay and the two times before that the hive had been earth bound. Here, in space, floating in the black the organic ship seemed to seep energy, the very walls themselves pulsing with different colored lights and the whole of the hive buzzed with its own unique life force. Kate wondered, as they rounded a corner, if her brother or any of his team had ever stopped to observe their surroundings enough to notice any of this; probably not.

"So where's Todd?" John asked Kenny as they walked along the hallways towards what he assumed was the meeting chamber they'd been in the last couple of times, the one with the fruit bowel and the candles.

"The Hive Commander is tending to important issues and has been, regrettably, detained. He sends his apologies for not meeting you," Kenny answered dutifully, repeating the missive that his commander had instructed him to provide for the humans should they inquire after him.

John frowned, the distinct impression that Kenny wasn't telling him something singing through him in response to the explanation the wraith gave them. "Everything alright?" he asked.

Kenny scowled. Why was it that these humans were more inquisitive then all of the others in the galaxy combined? "Yes, everything is fine," he copied the colonel's terminology hoping that this reassurance was enough to placate them.

The rest of the journey was silent and as soon as they got to the antechamber directly off the bridge, Kenny bowed them into the room before quickly scurrying off with the excuse that he was gone to fetch the commander. Looking about the room, John and his expanded team settled in for the wait, arranging themselves around the long, solid wood table that sat perched in the center of the small chamber.

Kate took a seat near the door after walking around the circumference of the room once, leaning back in her chair and propping her feet up. "So, Kenny's hiding something," she announced after she'd gotten comfortable, looking around the table to notice that everyone else had done the same.

Ronon grunted, taking his gun from its holster at his side and laying it on the table top in front of him. "Yeah, got that."

John frowned slightly. "Wouldn't be the first time," he glanced down the length of the wooden slab and smirked at his sister, "So what'd you think?"

Kate looked around once more before turning back to her brother. "It's nice," she said sardonically, her eyes taking in the detail which had gone into the arrangement they now sat at, "Wonder who lit the candles?"

"Worshippers most likely," Teyla informed her releasing a sigh that she had not been aware of previously holding. "There are several hundred in almost every hive. They reside in the lower levels and act as servants for the ranking wraith."

"Ranking?" Rodney asked, casually playing with his wife's hand were it lay in his lap, "What they have ranks now?"

Teyla nodded. "Yes. When I was queen I was required to learn the different ranks by sight. There are many and the rank of the officer often depends on his age. A hive commander cannot be any younger than ten thousand."

"Good to know," Ronon deadpanned, playing with his weapon and spinning it on the tabletop.

Teyla looked towards Kate knowing that the young woman was interested in such things. "The social structure of wraith is a fair bit more complicated then at first we thought," she said. "The instruction that Todd gave to me was not boring and was actually quite riveting at times."

Kate smirked. "I can imagine."

The Athosian smiled at her. "Yes, if you would like -"

Her words were cut short by the sound of stomping footfalls that announced better than anything the approaching arrival of wraith. Creasing all conversation and looking instinctively towards the door, the team held their breaths as the sounds neared, collectively releasing their stored breathes as soon as Todd's large and intimidating form darkened the doorway.

"Ah, Colonel," the wraith commander greeted, much more cheer in his voice than normal, "I see you have made yourselves comfortable."

John nodded. "Just waiting for you."

Todd hissed lightly, amused. "I apologize for my delay in meeting with you; there were…things to do."

"I bet," John answered, his voice clearly betraying his skepticism of this fact.

Todd let the human's impertinence slide as he walked fully into the chamber and looked around at its occupants. Sheppard sat easily at the table's foot with both doctor's McKay to his right while the runner and Teyla sat to his right. The last member of their party, Katherine whom he was quite pleased to see, looked the most comfortable out of the six and sat in a chair one removed from the runner. Pulling out the chair at the head of the table, Todd gestured for his second to sit to his left before leaning back and regarding the male opposite him.

"Now," Todd began, "As I understand it, you are here to discuss an advancement in the gene therapy that we tried once before. I trust that I need not remind you of the disaster that befell me and mine the last time we ventured down this road."

John frowned. "No, I think I remember just fine," he ground out before turning towards the doc and nodding for her to explain.

"Actually," Jennifer started, looking nervously at the wraith as if afraid that he'd try to eat her if she told him the compromise she'd had to make in order to make the treatment work, "I've been working on that specific part of the therapy for quite some time now and I think I've come up with a solution."

Todd's interest peaked and he glanced at his second to see that even he, impassive as he was, was just slightly curious. "Oh?"

"Yes," Jennifer continued, still slightly nervous about having to present her finding to the wraith at all so soon after discovering that it wouldn't outright kill him. "The problem with our previous attempt was that the shock of suddenly having to rely on solid food was too much for your systems to handle all at once so I…slowed down the process a bit."

"In what way?" Todd questioned, truly curious to hear what the humans had come up with this time. Really the humans of Atlantis were an ingenious race; it was too bad that they were so impatient; quick to take action without thought or consequence to the result of so rash a decision or its total fallout. These humans, like their ancestors, thought very little of the results of their various impetuous decisions unless they directly affected them. They rarely spared a moment's thought to how the rest of the world, planet or galaxy would cope with some of their more drastic actions.

"Um, well," Jenn stammered as she fumbled on the edge of telling him what she'd managed to come up with. "I've been able to develop a series of treatments that slowly alters your eternal composition and chemistry so that your body accepts the ability to consume and process food."

"And how is this any different from the last method?" Todd inquired, wondering as he did why the human female seemed so nervous.

Jennifer blushed and looked down at the table for second as she pondered a way of explaining it so that he'd understand. "Okay," she said after a while, "The problem last time, as I said, was that we tried to do too much too fast. Your digestive system did activate but your body didn't accept the changes to your system like we thought it would and that's what made you sick. This new treatment takes much longer but it was the only way I could be certain that there wouldn't be any nasty side effects."

Todd tilted his head to the side. Ah, so this is why the doctor was so nervous because she believed that he would not be willing to trial the treatment if it did not produce instant results. When would these humans learn that he was infallibly more apt at waiting, if in the end his goals were achieved, then they were?

"How long?" the wraith asked after a moment in which he thought of the humorous nature that was they're fear of him having to wait in order to gain something.

"Well," Jenn continued, "You'd have to get a shot once every two months roughly for the next two years. The shots are staged, each one containing a more potent dose of the serum then the last with the object being to slowly adapt your body to the various components involved in consuming and digesting food. For example one of the first shots turns the glands in your stomach on that produce the chemicals needed to break down food. Another shot farther down the line turns on your…waste processing system."

Todd looked at her.

"It means that you're gonna have to learn how to pee standing up," John called out and watched comprehension dawn on the alien's face.

"Ah," Todd said and then looked at the doctor, "Will it work?"

"Well, it hasn't killed our test subject yet so my guess is yeah, it'll work," Jennifer said confidently.

"Test subject?" Todd quirked a brow ridge and looked askew at Sheppard.

"First mission Kate went on, she saved our asses and we got to take a wraith home to play with," John explained. "Well, he's not dead yet so we figure that it's working. Actually, he's rather fond of vanilla pudding come to think of it."

"Is he now?" Todd smirked and turned towards Katherine, regarding her appreciatively.

Kate offered the predator a small smile and John frowned. He wasn't the only one, apparently Kenny thought his commander's actions towards Kate were strange too because the wraith second was busy glancing between the two of them as if trying to sort out something and being unable to do so due to lack of evidence. Nether John's nor Kenny's contemplation lasted long however as without warning, the whole hive lurched forwards.

"Shit!" John exclaimed as the table began to slide towards, everyone else scrambling away from the heavy wooden monstrosity as the whole of the ship tilted. Cursing, John threw himself to the side just as the table crashed against the far wall of the room.

"What the hell is going on?" Rodney screamed as the hive shook again and then everyone was thrown back the other way. The lights went out and then everybody heard a crash and the splintering of wood before everything went still.

John groaned and rolled over, opening his eyes to a flood of eerie orange and purple light. He'd landed on Rodney and the scientist was grumbling loudly about it. Sitting up, he looked around. Everyone was on either on the floor or, in Jennifer's case, on top of somebody else. The doc had landed on top of Ronon and John didn't immediately see his sister but figured that she had to be around here somewhere. She had been sitting closest to Todd by the door, maybe she was in the hall. John turned and saw that the table had managed to turn itself on its side and was currently barricading the doorway.

"Everyone okay?" John called out, holding his head in one hand as he stood shakily. "Sound off."

"No, I'm not okay," Rodney complained, "You fell on top of me Sheppard and I'll have you know that you're far from light."

John glared down at him. "Everyone else?"

"Fine," Ronon grunted, helping Jennifer to her feet before going over to assist Teyla whose head had cracked against the wall.

"I am well, John," Teyla answered as Ronon gripped her forearm and hauled her to her feet. Her head was throbbing a bit but she saw no reason to worry the Colonel and so remained silent on the account.

"Me too," Jennifer answered before she crossed the room and began to check her husband for injuries. Satisfied that Rodney was unharmed, despite his insistence to the contrary, she moved on to Teyla.

"Kate?" John called out as he turned towards the outside hallway and began to pick his way through what was left of the chairs and candles.

Because she'd been sitting so close to the entrance when the ship had lurched forwards both she and Todd had toppled out of the room. Fortunately they'd managed to avoid getting crushed by the table but, and Kate couldn't decide if this was good or not, that meant that Todd was now on top of her and for some reason he hadn't moved yet.

"Kate!" John called out, with more urgency this time and Kate's brain finally wrapped it's self around the fact that Todd's weight didn't feel all that bad. In fact…

"KATE!"

She shook herself out of the stupor she was in and groaned. "I'm fine!" she yelled as she felt Todd began to push himself up. Opening her eyes, she flashed them to the wraith's face and saw that he was eyeing her strangely.

"You are uninjured?" Todd asked; his multi-toned voice reverberating deeply within his chest as his mind rushed forwards to trap the memory of her beneath him and preserve it.

Kate's breath caught. "I'm -" she began as he drew away from her completely and settled into a crouch by her side, still peering heatedly down at her.

"Having fun down there are we?" the inquisitive and highly amused voice of her brother sounded above her and both Kate and Todd turned to eye the man who was currently looking down at them; his arms crossed and resting on the edge of the overturned table.

Kate glared at him. "Yes, we're having oh such fun," she announced scathingly knowing that she would have to play off their situation as one of un-comfortableness or risk another interrogation from her overprotective brother. "I love being thrown from a room, narrowly avoiding a renegade table that could possibly crush me only to get squashed by a wraith."

John quirked an eyebrow and turned towards Todd noting as he did that, unlike previous instances where he'd come into physical contact with Kate, the wraith did not look in the least bit guilty about it. "Landed on top of her did you?"

"It was not intentional, Sheppard," Todd said as he gracefully rose to his feet and held out a hand to aid Katherine in returning to a once again vertical position.

John's eyes widened at the gesture knowing for a fact that the wraith had certainly never offered to help any of them stand up before. He seemed to have done it unthinkingly which was even more disturbing.

Kate continued to give her brother a cold shoulder as she let the wraith pull her to her feet. "Thanks," she muttered and Todd nodded, the dark consuming expression in his eyes now gone, before she turned towards her brother, "What happened?"

The fact that Kate had actually, for a time, held Todd's hand - his feeding hand too which was way beyond creepy - temporarily conquered John's mind and impeded upon his ability to speak.

"John?" Kate called waving her hand in front of her brother's face.

"Colonel?" Todd mimicked Katherine's tone and expression if not her concern.

John snapped out of it. "So," he said, turning to the wraith and putting the whole thing into the back of his mind as something that he was reading way too much into, "What happened, ya think?"

Todd shook his head. "I do not know. Perhaps something to do with the engines," he paused and looked at Sheppard. "Stay here. I must see to matters and will then return to you."

"You do that," John muttered, stepping back so that Ronon could shove the table away from the door enough so that Kate could get back into the room and Kenny could slip out of it, following his commander as the former stalked towards the bridge. "We'll, just wait here."

John heard Todd grunt from down the hall and turned around to face his team. "Okay, Chewie," he called out to Ronon, "Help me fix this table, I'd like to sit down while I wait…"

~xXx~

"What do you mean we're stuck?" Rodney exclaimed, glaring at the wraith.

Todd sighed and restrained himself from rolling his eyes. "My hive was recently involved in a battle between my alliance and another faction. We sustained heavy damage but I had believed all that to have been repaired before I agreed to meet with you. Apparently this was not the case as there was a malfunction in one of the engines. We still have sub-light propulsion but we are - by my calculations - some three weeks away from the nearest gated planet."

"So we're stuck here!" Rodney demanded.

"That is what I just said, yes," Todd growled at the human before turning to the doctor, "And you wish to remain mated to this one for life?"

Jennifer snorted and looked at the floor. "He has his moments," she said meekly.

Todd harrumphed before turning to Sheppard. "I have arranged quarters for you and your companions in the lower section of my hive. If you will follow me," he turned abruptly and left the humans no choice but to follow or be left behind. The sounds of footsteps behind him let him know that they'd decided to follow and, eager to have them stowed away so that he could return to more important issues, he quickened his stride.

When his Engineering officer had first told him that they would not be going anywhere anytime soon, Todd's first thoughts as to what to do with the humans was to stash them away with the worshippers. A quick assessment of the variances in personality between the Atlantians and those humans that inhabited his hive and worry over their reception and treatment made him change his mind. His hive's worshippers would not understand the independence and individuality of Sheppard and his team and the Atlantians would not in turn be willing to understand the ways of those that were not like them. Katherine might, the Athosian perhaps but Todd could see nothing but strife coming from the others.

As a result, the chambers he led them to were spare rooms in the lower station usually reserved for the lowest chaste of the hive's crew. Because rank depended on age, these quarters were small, fitting two bodies into one room and did not contain any extra facilities such as bathing chambers or amenities. If the humans wished to bathe then they would be forced to use the public pools on the level above them and he indicated to them were the nearest lavatory was before he left them to their own devices.

"So what now?" Ronon asked Sheppard who was standing next to him in the hallway.

John shrugged and took the chance to look around. The corridor they were in reminded him of the steerage section of an old cruise liner. The movie Titanic popped into mind as being the most similar to the location they now found themselves in and John had to say that he honestly wasn't impressed.

"At least we're not with the worshippers," Rodney observed as he trotted over to one of the doors that Todd had indicated them to choose from. Keying in the combination that the wraith had given them, he poked his head inside as soon as the door slid open. "God, these things are tiny!" he complained, looking around the Spartan room in disgust.

Kate snorted, walking over to open another one of the doors and actually walked inside. "What did you expect?" she asked, taking in the bare space and the two narrow beds that looked more like oblong nests in that their frames were growing right out of the floor. She moved forwards, testing the cushioning of their potential sleeping arrangements by sitting down on one of them. She smiled; it was surprisingly soft and molded to her frame like one of those Temperpedic beds back on Earth.

"Better than this," Rodney exclaimed loudly. "I mean, we are here as guests."

Teyla sighed, already growing tired of Rodney's complaining. "I think we should be grateful that, as you said, we are not with the worshippers," she said, entering the room that Kate had ventured into and unhooking her P-90 from her vest, laying it down on the trunk standing at the foot of the bed.

John had to agree. "Yeah," he breathed and turned towards Ronon, Rodney and Jennifer, "Alright, we pair up. You with your wife, Chewie you're with me, Teyla with Kate. Let's get some rest and hope that somebody comes to get us when it's time to eat."

His team nodded and went to their assigned rooms, closing the doors and locking themselves inside.

~xXx~

"Commander."

Todd looked up from the terminal at which he was working, trying to get the communications systems online. "Yes?" he inquired of the wraith, head of human affairs, who stood before him.

The wraith took a step towards his commander and bowed. "Commander, one of the Atlantians has been asking questions."

Todd's eyes narrowed. His ship had been stationary in space for over a week now and this was the first he had heard of his guests. Personally, he was surprised that they had not caused more trouble by now. "Questions?" he repeated. "What do they wish to know?"

The wraith sneered at the memory of the black-haired female asking him how a hive was structured. "She wishes to know the social structure within a hive; how it works," he growled. "She is most inquisitive."

"She…" Todd hissed, knowing instinctively which of his human guests would be inclined to make such inquiries. "Katherine."

"Which is that?" The officer asked, having not troubled himself to learn the names of the humans and wondered over the fact that his commander would have bothered.

Todd's mind retracted and fled to the recent memory of what she had felt like under him before he abruptly pulled back, turning his attention back to the matter at hand. "Katherine," he repeated her name and then pressed a description of her into his subordinate's mind.

The wraith nodded. "Yes, that is her."

"I thought as much," Todd completed the coding he had been compiling and shut down the terminal. "Have you answered her?"

The tone in which the commander made his inquiry gave the younger wraith the impression that he did not mind her asking questions. This confused the wraith as it was beyond him why a human, particularly an Atlantian, should be instructed into the intricacies of hive life. "I have not," he answered truthfully, knowing what the consequences would be if he were to lie.

Todd nodded. "Good," he replied and then looked towards his officer. "Do you know her location?"

Again his commander's tone surprised him and made him wonder. "She is in the bath I believe. The humans, at least the females, usually are at this time," he smirked. "They are very modest these Atlantians."

Todd's expression darkened at the thought that any one of his crew might have seen Katherine less then properly attired and he scolded himself for neglecting his duty to check up on them before now. Seeking to rectify this oversight he stepped down from the terminal platform and stood commandingly before the subordinate.

"Have a female worshiper go and fetch Katherine," he instructed, "Bring her to me."

The wraith bowed in submission to his elder. "And you will be, Commander?"

Todd considered were it would be appropriate to take her without arousing any undue questions. "I will await her in my quarters," he levied. "Have her brought to me there."

The wraith knew better then to question his commander but found it odd that he would request her to be brought to him there when, as far as he could tell, the commander had no intention of claiming her. Humans were taken to the living chambers of high ranking wraith for one of two reasons either to serve as a valet in the case of a male or for the release of carnal tensions in the case of a female. To his knowledge, the Commander frowned on the practice of taking females for such reasons and, searching his memory, the wraith knew that no human regardless of sex had thus far been taken to or been in the Hive Commander's quarters.

"It will be done," the wraith answered his Elder and, pushing his thoughts aside, went to do as he had been bid.

Todd relaxed as soon as the other's presence left him and he made a quick retreat to the bridge to inquire over their position with his second before incarcerating himself into his rooms with the order not to be disturbed. He had heard the questions in the subordinate's head, seen the uncertainty. While he supposed that it was correct in assuming that his room was probably not the best place to have Katherine brought it was nonetheless private which, for the moment, he cared more about then any of the rumors that would certainly flood his ranks upon learning that he had had a female sent to his chambers.

Stepping back and looking around his living space, Todd compared it to his guest quarters in Atlantis. The space was certainly larger, not to mention filled near to bursting with the odds and ends that had taken his fancy over the millennia. His chamber in the Lantean city was bare and reflected nothing of himself whereas the room in which he now stood could be described more or less as a visual representation of his thoughts and dispositions; an extension of himself as it were.

His musings were cut short as he felt the approaching awareness of the subordinate wraith and, turning, he stood ready in the center of the main chamber as the doors were opened and his underling marched in. The wraith stopped and bowed low to his commander and then stepped back, allowing Todd his first view of Katherine since he had escorted she and her team to their rooms their first day here.

"You may go," he commanded the other wraith whose eyes, unlike Katherine's that stayed fixed to his, had never left the floor. The wraith retreated and Todd began to circle the woman left with him, his eyes drinking her in. "You have been asking questions," he observed, pausing at her back and taking stock of the fact that she was no longer attired as an Atlantian but was now garbed in a gown no doubt provided for her by one of the female worshippers. As with the majority of their costumes, her outfit left much of her skin bare but was actually quite modest in terms of what the others wore. Todd let his eyes slide over her skin as this was the first time he had ever seen this much of her.

Kate nodded, her eyes darting about the room she had been brought to and examining its contents, drawing the conclusion that she had been brought to Todd's room.

He circled her again, coming to stand once more in front of her. "What is it you wish to know?"

Kate sighed and offered him a teasing smile. "Everything?"

Todd laughed before moving away from her and gesturing at one of the seating arrangements concealed by a partition and tucked away into a corner of his room. "Sit," he instructed her, watching her walk over and do as she was told before retreating to yet another crevice and retrieving a number of books and other manuals that might prove beneficial. Returning to her, he set those things he had gathered down on the empty cushions near to where she sat.

"You may stay here and look over these materials at your leisure," he stepped back, a pleased look on his face as she had already selected a script to read and had begun to scan it eagerly.

Kate looked up. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I must return to matters concerning the integrity of this ship," he answered, taking a step before pausing and turning back. "I will be on the bridge for the foreseeable future. If, when you are done, you wish to find me, I will be there."

He watched her nod absentmindedly before letting out a soft hiss and turning on his heel to stalk towards the bridge. As he walked, the humming life of the hive buzzing around him with every purposeful step he took, he contemplated the wisdom in his decision to allow her to stay in his quarters. True, that if he were to put her in one of the common areas of the hive he would most likely be subjecting her to scrutiny and sexual advances made on the part by his crew. Still, leaving her in his private command quarters was a risk although more for him then for her. He could well picture Sheppard shooting him if the human were to find out were exactly his sister was but in light of the alternative rather thought it was worth the risk.

The thought of bodily harm coming to him as a result of Sheppard's protectiveness of the woman now curled up in his chambers reading, made the wraith commander sigh. Never before in his life had he found human females to be attractive in anything more than the base sense of the word. In point of fact, outward appearance was not enough to draw his attention or interest in anything but the smallest instinctive amount that was unavoidable given his sex. Attractiveness, beauty and the quality of allure were all things that increased depending on certain traits of personality. It was these attributes that were capable of drawing his attention and keeping it, the length of which depending on their potency.

In the past, those females of his own kind with which he had kept company with for any notable length of time tended to be rather headstrong, stubborn, passionate, intelligent enough to keep up with him in conversation, strong enough of body to put up a decent fight, and in most cases had a bit of a temper. It was his longstanding opinion backed by thousands of years of observation that none of these traits could be located in a female human in sufficient enough quantities to be of any note or worth.

Unfortunately for him, Katherine seemed to be the exception and had displayed, on more than one occasion, large quantities of each. All in all, her attributes were not subjects on which he liked to dwell because the simple fact of the matter was that she was a human from another galaxy and was also, in relation, John Sheppard's sister. Those two things, although he would admit that it was more specifically the latter one which caused him grief, made her something which he could not touch and should not, if he had any sense at all, even entertain wanting.

The memory of her beneath him sprang unbidden to mind and Todd cursed his own lack of self control at his inability to suppress that particular retention and keep it from flitting across his brain at the worst possible times. It was in instances such as this, when the remembrance of her warmth and the exact manner in which the curves of her body fit perfectly to the angles of his, that his good sense decided to take leave of him. With a snarl that startled a good number of his officers that were busy working on various operations in need of renovation, Todd inserted himself into the thick of the repairs needing something, anything to draw his attention and mind away, ignoring his crewmembers' looks of interest and inquiry.

~xXx~

The book was fascinating and Kate was sure that the fact that she thought so was candid proof that there was something wrong with her. No one should find so much enjoyment from reading a book about how a hive was structured but Kate quickly found that, while extremely analytical and oft times overly technical, the way in which Todd described things was riveting. Kate was so engrossed by what she was reading that, in hardly now time at all - or at least, what seemed like no time at all - she was done and had read the whole volume through. With a sigh, she closed the handwritten account and placed it off to the side before reaching for another. She paused however before she could select a different text and took time to consider where exactly she was.

As she'd previously discerned, she was in Todd's room which were the command quarters on the hive but unlike her last encounter with him in his room while she and Lorne had been on a different hive, these set of rooms appeared to be the ones in which he actually lived and spent time rather than just slept in. Getting up from her seat on the couch looking thing she'd been seated on that was shaped sort of like a U and concealed partially behind a partition, she made her way out into the room proper and looked around. It occurred to her that Todd might not like to have her poking around his personal space but, Kate decided, he wouldn't have left her hear by herself if he didn't trust her enough to do so. Thus, the curious woman let herself walk around the large, oddly mist-free space and tried very hard to take in all that she was seeing.

Todd was, apparently, just as messy as most other males she knew and there were heaps and piles of various things all over the place. She wandered over to the far side of the room and climbed the two wide steps that led upwards to where his bed was situated in a corner, the bedclothes and other coverings thrown everywhere haphazardly; there was even a pillow on the floor. The sight brought a smile to the corners of her mouth and she continued on in her exploration after only a moment's pause.

There was a doorway off to the right, opposite the foot of the bed which itself looked like it had been grown right out of the floor and, after stepping through it, Kate found herself in what must be a bathroom of some kind. Various lights and other illuminations turned on as they sensed her presence within their walls and, looking about, Kate espied a rather large tub that had been sunk into the floor of the hive over in a corner. Upon farther examination she realized that the pool looked a lot like a hot tub in that it had various seats arranged around the outside of it as well as a multitude of water jets spurting out of the sides and bottom of the tub in various patterns and arrangements. Briefly she wondered if the tub would fill with the same green tinted mineral water that filled the bathing pool down in the lower portions of the hive if she stepped into it. She decided against it however and turned away, walking back out into Todd's bedchamber and then back out into the main room.

She turned to her left and saw that there was a table there along with three chairs that, like the bed in the other room, appeared to have been grown directly out of the floor. There was, like every other flat surface in the room, a great many things piled up on top of the table top including but not limited to a wraith stunner which had been taken apart and was in about eighty pieces, a pair of bracers that looked a little different than the ones Todd normally wore, about two dozen viewing screens all of which were currently not displaying anything, a map, three books and three of those finger guard things that she knew the wraith sometimes wore. Fascinated, she wandered back over to the couch she'd abandoned, settled back down into it and then picked up another book that looked promising - this one was about the social structure of a hive - and started reading.

About three hours later, Kate had worked through over half of the books that Todd had selected for her and was getting kind of tired not to mention hungry. With a dramatic sigh because, really, she didn't want to stop and reverently wished she could just tell her body to suck it up and stop making grumbling noises, she closed the volume she'd started on not twenty minutes previously and put it aside; preparing to extract herself from the cozy little next she'd made for herself. The sound of the door opening, however, stayed her and she settled back down and listened intently wondering if it was Todd that was coming back or if it was perhaps someone else.

Todd was in a bad mood. Not only were the repairs to his much damaged hive not going as well nor as smoothly as he might like but there was also the pressing fact that he had apparently grossly overestimated the intelligence of his officers. The whole insignificant lot of them were moving wretchedly slowly and no matter how many times he tried to explain how to effect the necessary repairs both faster and more efficiently, his efforts seemed to be wasted. Simply put, he was very nearly ready to simply slaughter all of them for their stupidity and the elder wraith was so agitated over his underlings lack of common sense and basic understanding that he, at first, forgot that when he had left his quarters hours previously, Katherine had been in them. He was reminded of that fact however as, three steps into his chambers, her scent assaulted him and the awareness of her presence tingled at the back of his mind.

He walked towards the spot where he had left her, vaguely realizing that she must have moved and walked about because, while her smell was strongest in the farthest corner of his room, the ghost of it lingered everywhere. Todd swallowed hard, perhaps having her in his quarters for so long a time had not been the wisest of ideas.

"You are still here," he said bluntly when, at last his eyes landed on her. She was curled up on the seating arrangement, her legs tucked under her, her skirts pooled about around her and two stack of books one to either side of her. He eyed the larger of the two piles. "You have read all of these?"

Kate nodded. "I have."

Todd quirked an eye ridge. "And?"

Kate shrugged and looked down at her lap. "I liked them."

Her behavior seemed out of place to him and Todd cocked his head to once side as he studied her. "What is wrong?" he inquired after a moments contemplation, frowning.

Kate looked up at him. "Nothing," she said, dropping her eyes again. "It's just, you seem…annoyed. Maybe I should go -"

"No," Todd said quickly, startling her and causing her to look up at him in question. "Forgive me," he apologized, looking down on her. "I have simply…had a very trying day."

Since Todd apologizing and Todd talking about the tedium of his daily life were things that had never happened before, Kate considered how best to respond. She was curious and admittedly, she wanted to know what had happened to him since he'd left her in his room but she wasn't quite sure how to ask. Casually conversing with Todd was not something that she'd had much practice at and, the one time they had talked like it looked like they were about to, Lorne had been with her and they'd been in Atlantis in her room and not on a hive in his.

For a moment, Todd thought that he might have allowed himself to become too familiar with her in disclosing the origin of his mood but, then Katherine surprised him. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked innocently, genuinely seeming to be interested in what trials he had gone through during the time in which they'd been apart. Her regard and interest begged of him to answer honestly and so, after sinking down onto the end of the cushioned bench upon which Katherine herself rested, he sighed and began to speak.

"I have cause to reconsider the intelligence of my officers," he said dryly, scowling at the memory of their inability to grasp a simple concept that he had diligently explained to them he didn't care to remember how many times.

Kate smiled softly. "I'm sorry," she said, meaning it despite her amusement over the fact that Todd had apparently decided that he _did_ want to talk about it. "What did they do?"

Todd's scowl deepened and he crossed his arms and sat angrily back against the back of the divan. "The repairs are talking longer than expected mostly due to a great many of my officer's incompetence. I have explained how to progress things countless times and yet they still do not understand. I do not know how much more plain I can make my instructions before I must do it for them."

Kate frowned and shifted in her seat, bringing her knees up to her chest whilst she wrapped her arms around them. "Maybe it's not their fault," she suggested, eyeing the still very evidently annoyed wraith. "You are smarter than probably any other wraith alive, maybe what makes perfect sense to you is still a bit complicated to everyone else."

Todd had not thought of that and, when he said as much, Katherine smiled and turned her head away and told him that most people with genius IQ's habitually forget that not everyone around them is as smart as they are. The two of them fell silent after that and Todd was content to let them stay that way if not for the odd rumbling sound that suddenly came from Katherine even though her mouth did not move at all. "What was that?" the wraith asked, curious and concerned that something may be wrong.

Kate smirked. "It's my stomach; it's telling me to eat something," she released her knees and made to rise only to have Todd rise with her. She dropped her eyes down t the floor. "I should go," she said softly, her voice betraying the fact that she didn't truly want to leave yet no matter how loudly her stomach growled it's instance that she put something in it.

Todd eyed her, sensing her reluctance to depart from his company. The knowledge brought a warm feeling to him that he didn't care to try to explain. "Stay," he beseeched her, taking a step towards her. "I will have food brought for you."

Kate looked up at him. "I wouldn't want to impose," she stammered, not quite sure why he was offering; he couldn't possibly want her to stay _that_ much could he. "I've been here for over five hours and you've probably got better things to do then sit and talk with m -"

"I assure you that I do not," Todd interrupted her curious as to why she wished to get away from him when he had been sure that, not moments before, she had not wanted to leave. "Please, Katherine," she looked up and their eyes met. "Stay, I would enjoy your company after having to deal with those that I did today."

Hearing Todd say 'please' caught Kate so off guard that she immediately consented and sat back down on the settee. Across from her, Todd lowered himself back down into a sitting position as well and then turned to regard her. "What is it you would like to consume?"

Kate blinked and opened her mouth. "A-anything, I'm not picky."

Todd nodded and sent the mental command to the officer in charge of human affairs who had first brought Katherine's inquiries to his attention before returning his own attentions onto the female sitting only a few feet away from him. "I trust my texts have adequately answered your questions?" he inquired, once more opening himself up to a conversation with her that he would not otherwise have with any other human.

Kate nodded absentmindedly. "Mostly."

Todd frowned. "Mostly?" he repeated, echoing her. "What else is there that you would wish to know that is not covered in these volumes?"

Kate, again shrugged, feeling like she'd insulted him somehow by insinuating that, while she'd read almost all of his books, she still had yet more questions. "It's nothing," she said softly. "Forget I said anything."

Todd didn't want to forget; her curiosity concerning his race was one of the many things that endeared her to him and if he could, he would have her know as much as her heart truly desired. "Do not think of your inquires as a bother to me," he informed her. "I would not have offered to assuage your curiosity if I had minded," he gazed at her. "Ask your questions Katherine; I shall answer them to the best of my ability."

Kate couldn't believe that he was being so compliant and immediately asked the first question that sprang to her mind. "How, exactly, did the whole thing with wraith worshipers start?"

Todd considered how best to answer her as he was not all too sure of the exact details himself. "I do not know who, exactly, began the practice but I can guess as to how the situation came about," he looked up and saw that he had Katherine's utmost attention which he decided that he rather liked. "During the war with the Lanteans, we wraith came into contact with many cultures of humans that had not previously known that we existed and who, like we ourselves had been centuries before, did not possess anything like the type of technology we wielded. These humans already regarded the Lanteans to be close to if not the same as gods and so, that we were their equals, meant that we must be as well."

He paused and frowned. "I do not know which queen it was that turned the situation to her advantage but I do know which one was responsible for learning how to convert an unwilling human into our serve. She was punished for it I assure you."

Kate made a face. "Why?" she asked, frowning just slightly.

Todd blinked at her. "What do you mean?" he asked, not quite sure why she sounded surprised that the queen responsible for inventing such a procedure was aptly punished for her transgression.

Kate shrugged. "It's just, it seems odd to me that any of the wraith would care how a worshiper was converted as long as they were."

"Perhaps not all would and indeed, there were many that did _not_ care but I did," Todd informed her, understanding her confusion. Katherine looked up at him in confusion and he explained. "I was High Commander of all wraith during the war and I did not believe and still do not believe in forcing anyone, human, wraith or otherwise into doing something that they are not already freely willing to do."

Kate pondered this, morbid curiosity welling up inside of her. "What'd you do to her?" she asked before she could stop herself.

Todd breathed a heavy sigh. "I beheaded her."

Kate looked at him. "You beheaded her?"

He nodded. "I did."

Kate fell silent and looked down at her lap, thinking about what he had just told her. As High Commander, Todd could've easily gotten somebody else to kill the queen for him but the fact that he'd done it himself meant that he's cared enough to see to the matter personally. It spoke volumes about him as an individual and Kate was still pondering over the connotations of it all when the door opened and a male worshiper walked inside. He was holding a tray of food and, at the sight of it, Kate's stomach let out a mighty growl that literally echoed.

Todd glanced at her in amusement and mentally commanded the worshiper to put the tray on the table and then to leave. Once the door had closed behind him, Todd stood and offered his hand to Katherine to help her do the same feeling the still as of yet unexplained warmth spread through him as he felt her hand slid into his. "Your meal," he announced to her as he brought her to the table and released her hand only after she has seated herself. Moving away, he walked around to the other side of the table and sat down in one of the other chairs. Only then did he realize that Katherine's tray had been placed in what was probably the only clear part of a flat surface that existed in the entirety of his quarters.

Kate noticed as well. "Funny," she said, as she picked up her fork which was actually more accurately a spork and dug it into the stew that had been delivered for her. "I didn't think there _was_ any place to put a try in here."

Todd shifted uneasily, feeling mild embarrassment wash over him at the state his quarters were in. He did not normally entertain in them and so had no reason to clean up after himself and in truth, if it were anyone else, he would not care what they thought but it was not. It was Katherine and he suddenly realized that he cared a great deal about what she thought of him in all situations and in all areas. "My apologies," he began, stiffening as he attempted to explain the haphazard mess that was strewn about them. "I do not usually have -"

Kate waved him silent. "It's fine," she told him, finding it cute that he would care what she thought about his living space. "I've seen worse."

Todd cocked his head to one side. "Have you?"

Kate nodded. "When I was a kid, I swear john and David had a competition going as to which one of their rooms could get the most messy before dad came and ordered them to clean it."

Todd frowned. "David?" he asked, having never heard ether she nor Sheppard discuss such a person before.

Kate nodded. "Yeah David, he's my…" she trailed off, a thought occurring to her. "John's never told you that we have another brother has he?"

The wraith shook his head. "No, I was unaware that there was a third Sheppard sibling."

Kate rolled her shoulders and took another bite. "David's the oldest then John and then me," she swallowed and looked up at him, a curious expression on her face. "Do the wraith have brothers and sisters like we do or is everyone related to everyone else?"

Dr. McKay had once asked him a similar question and while he hadn't been inclined at the time to answer the human he felt inclined to now answer Katherine. "We have bloodlines, families, the same as you humans do or, at least, we did. There are still some bloodlines that are pure but, as you suggested, there are many wraith who have many relations most of whom they have never and will never meet."

"And you?" Kate asked, and intense curiosity prodding her to probe deeper into this line of questioning. "What about your bloodline?"

Todd smirked. It had been many hundreds of years since anyone had asked him questions about his bloodline but, regardless of time elapsed, his pedigree was impeccable. "I was my motem and sire's first born and the eldest of six," he informed her, noting the way her eyes lit up at the knowledge; apparently he was a favorite subject of hers. "I have two brothers and three sisters. My motem was the High Queen both before and during the war with the Lanteans."

Kate's eyes got wide. "So you're like, wraith royalty?"

Todd inclined his head. "I am highborn, yes."

"So if your mother, motem," she corrected herself, using his word for mother and ingraining the term into her head, "was the high queen then, you really are the king of the wraith."

Todd grinned, her analogy of his importance and standing amusing him both in its correctness and in how she seemed to react to it. "Sheppard's epithet for me is correct enough I would suppose to being a close proximate of my actual importance and standing."

Kate sat back in her chair, awed. She was about to say more when the door to Todd's quarters opened and Kenny walked in. the much younger wraith too about three steps and then stopped, his eyes looking up from the screen he was holding to lock onto her and stare at her in open and unabashed shock. Clearly he was surprised to see her where she was.

"Yes?" Todd inquired, breaking through his second's stupor. Kenny looked at him and pushed all manner of surprise to the side and bowed respectfully.

"Commander," he said reverently, coming out of his bow and stepping towards his commanding officer, holding out the viewing screen to the elder wraith to take. "The list of repairs still in need of your immediate attention."

Kate caught the emphasis on the word 'immediate' and took it as her cue to leave. "I'll just go now," she said, standing and moving away from the table as Todd looked up at her but remained seated. He didn't look happy to have her leave but seemed to know that their time together was indeed at an end.

"Here," he said, picking up a book from the table and holding it out to her. "For you to occupy yourself with while my attentions are occupied elsewhere and I am unable to answer your inquiries."

Kate took the offered volume and, holding it tightly to her chest, took her leave from them room.

Todd watched her go and felt saddened at her departure; he would have dearly liked for her to remain in his company for quite a bit longer.

Kenny looked down on his commander. "Is it wise, Commander, to allow the female Sheppard to spend any amount of time in your quarters?"

Todd's head snapped up and he glared at his second. Standing he bared down on the youngling. "Are these not my quarters and am I not commander of this hive?" he asked, his voice low and clearly betraying his agitation at the younger wraith for asking such a stupid question.

Kenny bowed once again and took several steps backwards before raising himself and looking directly at his commander. "You are but, her presence here will be seen as suspicious given the normal reasons why female humans are sent to or allowed to spend time in a commanders quarters."

Todd snorted, affronted that this would be the conclusion to which everyone jumped. "That was not why she was here."

Kenny inclined his head. "I know this but, should Sheppard discover that his sister stayed for any length of time in your chambers might make him even more…difficult to deal with."

Todd snarled and stalked past his second angrily. "I entrust you to make sure that he does not become aware that we have spent this time together," he charged his second before he swept from his room and made his way towards the engineering level of his hive.

Kenny followed at a sedate pace, content that he had belayed any more quality time that his commander might be inclined to spend with the female human from Atlantis. The wraith second in command had observed his the Eldest's inclination towards her and knew that it would be best for all involved if his fascination with her was stemmed now before it was allowed to fester. If allowed to grow and develop farther, Kenny did not which to think about the amount of complications and troubles it could and most certainly would cause. He would do everything in his power to keep any amity from developing between the Eldest and Katherine of Atlantis.

Absolutely everything.

~xXx~

After two weeks, the Atlantians had been fairly successful in finding their places within the structure of hive life. The doctor spent her days in the medical bay with both the medical officers and those wraith who were in charge of human affairs. The woman, Jennifer, had been easily persuaded to expand and compound the knowledge of those two groups and Kenny was now under the impression that this hive knew more about human behavior and biology than any other in the galaxy. The insufferable McKay, why the mild mannered doctor would choose him for a mate escaped him, had ended up - after only a few days of doing nothing - assisting them with their repairs.

The remaining four more physically fit members of the Atlantian team had taken to spending their days with the crew ranks of wraith in their daily activities. In the mornings they would eat their meal in the worshiper's hall and then they would train for the rest of the day. In the evenings they would sometimes be included in group activities - there was one table game that the officers liked to play that Sheppard has said was similar to a human game called Risk. Both he and his sister Katherine were fairly good at it and had won their fair share of matches much to the surprise of the crew.

At the moment it was midday and as such, Kenny had wandered down from the upper decks to observe the crew as they practiced their battle skills. In the ring now were two of the younger sub-commanders and the female Sheppard. Kenny had to admit that the woman was good. Every blow she blocked and every attack she countered as she danced round and round across the sparring floor taking out each of her opponents with fluidity and grace that the Hive Second had never before known a human to possess.

"She is very skilled."

Kenny looked up, craning his neck in order to see whom had spoken and espied the Commander standing just above him. "She is," Kenny agreed as he lowered his head back to the fighting floor bemoaning the fact that the commander was here to see her at all. So far, his plan on separation had been successful but now, with the commander here to observe her, Kenny had a very good inclination that all of his effort was about to be for not. It seemed as though the Eldest was as captivated by her as ever.

Todd grunted in response and moved past his Second so that he could take a seat besides him. The training chamber of his hive was larger than most probably because he insisted on large amounts of physical training as well as mental stimulations. Too many hives were lax in their physical prowess and as a result Todd had taken it upon himself to correct this flaw at least in those hives that he controlled. He was actually quite proud of his arena and, as he leaned back against the wall, lifting one of his booted feet up to rest on the seat in front of him, contented himself with the watching of Katherine Sheppard.

Her session ended eventually, the outcome being that she managed to best the younger of the two wraith whilst she and the older came to a standstill. A draw was better than a loss and after bowing to her opponents in gratitude; she walked off the playing field and handed her stave to the runner who was up next. Todd contemplated leaving before she could see him but decided against it, willing himself to remain calm as his dealings with Atlantis would no doubt provide frequent contact with her in the future and now was as good a time as any to regain equilibrium in her presence.

Contrary to his suspicions, she did look up and about the chamber and see him, but she did not seek to join him. Instead she simply nodded to him formally in acknowledgment of his presence and then went to sit besides one of the wraith with whom she had just spared. Todd frowned, his eyes narrowing as she and the young wraith leaned towards each other in conversation.

"Something troubles you?" Kenny asked, the unpleasant feeling of having failed washing though him as he knew before he had even asked his question, what troubled his commander.

Todd's eyes flashed away from Katherine to rest on the curious face of his Second. "Why do you ask?" he queried wondering if perhaps he had let something of his inner emotions slip.

Kenny rolled his shoulders, a gesture that he had learned from his commander and that his commander had learned - ironically - from these humans. "You have been watching her since you arrived," he commented offhandedly, careful to keep any accusation from his voice and thoughts lest his commander hear him; he did not want the elder wraith to know of his attempts to keep him away from the female seated below them. "Is she so captivating?"

Todd let out a long, low hiss that conveyed some but not all of his confusion over the emotions and feelings that the woman below them stirred within him. "Words cannot say," he muttered eventually fully aware of what emotions his Second must be reading from him. "She is an enigma."

Kenny eyed his commander, the years in which he had been in service to this particular wraith affording him the knowledge that the female must truly be complicated if so ancient a wraith had not worked her out by now. His commander was not called the Eldest for nothing and his age had afforded him a great many things including insight into the inner workings of the human species collected and expanded upon by thousands of years of observation and study. If still the woman Katherine bade him pause and gave him thought to ponder on then Kenny was willing to wager that she was unique out of all humans alive.

That did not mean that he was inclined to look past his commander's unhealthy obsession with her. Unique she might be, but she was still human and that would never change.

When the runner's turn was up and Sheppard refused the stave Todd thought that perhaps he had been still and idle for too long. Standing, he made his way towards the arena floor and gave the signal that he was to fight. As he was not dressed for spar he compensated by removing his battle coat and leather robe handing both off to one of his officers before selecting his weapons of choice and stepping forwards into the circle.

The gathered wraith all held their breaths wondering which one of them the Hive Commander would choose as his battle partner. There were legends surrounding this one, the wraith that they all served. He was ancient, older than even the most senior queens and had thus earned the rank of elder. He had been high commander during the Great War and was rumored to be the greatest warrior to have lived. The task of fighting him, even in a spar, was not a comfortable one and each wraith wished that he would not choose them.

Todd smiled at the apprehension on each of his officer's faces. No, they did not want to fight him, they dreaded it and even Sheppard and the runner looked reluctant to try their hand at undoing him regardless of how great he knew their desire was to cause him injury. Indeed, the only one that held his gaze and did not look away as his eyes flickered over them was Katherine. She looked neither intimidated nor afraid of the weapons he had chosen and so, when he walked up to her and handed her a matching set of the fighting daggers he had picked, she did not look away, did not flinch and instead accepted both blades and rose gracefully to her feet. Entering the circle, she stood opposite him and took up her ready stance, her body as tense and as perfectly controlled as his.

Kate honestly wasn't surprised that Todd had chosen her as his opponent although she couldn't say the same for her brother, Ronon or any of the other wraith. They all looked floored and, as she and Todd circled each other, she could feel the collective anticipation and trepidation in the room as the two of them moved.

Todd lunged first, spinning in towards her almost too fast for her to catch but she did. Raising her arms she blocked both the upwards and the downwards cuts from each of his daggers respectively, the strength of his blows causing her arms to reverberate before going numb as her mind focused all its concentration on the fight at hand. She knew, as she blocked him yet again, that he was testing her and suspected that he had wanted to do this since watching her fight Ford. Not wanting to disappoint him, after he made another swipe at her, she pivoted on her right foot and planted her left booted heel against his chest and kicked, sending him away from her.

Todd recovered quickly and then ducked as she finally came after him, waiting for her to get within range and then reached out to lock her neck into place within the crock of his elbow. Her response was a low blow to his stomach with the butt end of her left dagger before she dropped down into a crouch and swiped his feet out from under him.

He landed on his back and had to roll out of the way as she brought her dagger down and embedded it cleanly into the ground were his head had been seconds before. Regaining his feet, he used her position to attack only to get kicked again as Katherine successfully pulled her weapon free from the floor and proceed to stand, ready once more.

A grin spread over Kate's face as Todd came at her again this time managing to collide with her so that she dropped both her daggers. Not to be outdone she back flipped away from him landing in a splits position, grasping both her daggers from the floor where they'd fallen, coming up just in time to strike. As she pulled back she took note and satisfaction in the fact that the wraith was now sporting a long gash over his chest from one shoulder downwards almost to his hip.

Somewhere someone, Todd thought it was Sheppard but he couldn't tell who, yelled and with renewed fever he looked up from the mark on his chest that had already begun to heal towards the woman who had put it there.

"First blood Katherine," he hissed, his eyes dark with battle lust, drinking in the matching expression on her face.

Kate smirked darkly. "Point to me," she breathed, rushing him and embroiling them both into locked combat.

They were evenly matched and, while Kate knew that he was holding back some of his strength, he was not doing the same with his skill. Back and forth they moved, covering every inch of the sparring floor before finally one of his blows landed and Kate felt a sharp pain travel over her arm followed by the sensation that was blood dripping from her wound down the length of her arm. Pulling away only long enough to survey the damage, she cringed at the long slice that was now running down her right appendage from shoulder to elbow.

"My apologies Katherine," Todd growled, his voice deep and reverberating through the silent chamber. "We may stop if you wish."

Her darkened eyes, now a deep charcoal rather than her normal storm grey, flashed up to his and she snarled. "I don't think so," she hissed as she made her next attack and, catching him off guard for the briefest of seconds, stuck him twice in quick succession before drawing back for another shot.

Todd had to admit that goading her was probably not the best idea in the world but he found, that he could not help it. The fervor she had for combat, the fire in her eyes that had caused them to darken to a shade only one or two hues lighter then black, the fact that she had been the one to draw first blood, heightened every sense he had as he suddenly became aware of conditions that would not normally fall under his blanket of observation. Like how her skin was flushed from their battle and appeared to contain more pigmentation then usual or how the sheen of perspiration accented her form and served to draw his eyes to the ever enticing bow and dip of her physique which was, in itself, perfectly poised and taut; ready and able to do onto him a substantial measure of harm in but a moment's time. All of this in combination with the range of emotions that he had already developed for her - respect, trust, amity and a kind of affection that he could not yet name - increased the amount of pull she had on him already so that now, admittedly, he was enthralled. She was beautiful in her deadliness, exotic, wild and so very passionate that Todd could no longer deny the fact that he wanted her.

As he felt first one and then another of her strikes land on him, felt her blades slice at him and saw the fire in her eyes flash and then blaze more brightly in the wake of her triumph, the wraith backed away from her and discarded both of his daggers - several people yelped and ducked as the blades flew over their heads. Coming back towards her unarmed, he rendered her bladeless in one stroke and used his strength to turn her about and hold her still, one arm across her chest and the other grasping tightly to her shoulder with enough force to draw blood from the pressure of his nails digging into her skin.

Kate let out a hiss of pain and responded to this new assault by flexing both of her elbows back, gouging them into his sides and causing his hold on her to weaken enough for her to twist away from him. He caught her by the hip and spun her back towards him just as she ducked and hooked her right leg around his using the combined momentum of her move and his pull to send them both crashing to the ground. She maneuvered quickly, one leg trapped under him, and reached out to grab one of her fallen daggers and, pressing her knee into his sternum brought the blade swiftly to his throat and held.

"Yield," she commanded of him, pressing the blade farther to his throat and waiting to see what move he would make next.

Todd was breathing heavily and could feel the deliciousness of her weight atop of him even as he felt the edge of her dagger nick the skin of his neck. Flicking his eyes back up to hers, he allowed his body to relax in a show of submission to her victory.

"I yield," he hissed feeling the desire that had began to build as he'd fought her peak. Before he could act upon it however; she pulled away and, upon reflection, he concluded that her retreat had been for the better. Sitting up, he rested his forearms on his bent knees and regarded the reactions to his loss at Katherine's hands in the chamber about him, the awareness of the others coming back to him in a rush as the distance between Katherine and himself widened. She had retreated back to the company of her brother and teammates whilst his wraith had begun to look at one another in contemplation and curiosity; some of the braver individuals amongst his crew even daring to whisper to one another amongst themselves. This action worried him slightly and, as he stood, he sent out his mind to collect the thoughts of those about him and gauge their reactions to his defeat. What he found soothed him and caused his concern to bleed away: his crew's opinion of him was in no way diminished by his loss at the hands of a human female as they all, with the notable exception of his second in command, thought that he had been holding back.

Which, he supposed, was true to an extent. He had not utilized the full intensity of his strength but, contrary to what the rest of his crew believed, that was the only thing that he had not used to his full ability. All his skill and grace, his finesse and flare for combat had been employed in their spar and still Katherine had beaten him. Wraith did not like to admit defeat to those who were less than they were and so, that she had emerged triumphant against him only furthered the belief that he had made upon their first meeting that Katherine was, truly, his only equal among the humans of Atlantis. Shaking his head to clear it, Todd left the arena floor and went to the place where he'd lain his outer garments to rest. The situation he now found himself in with Katherine was a delicate one and would have to be treated as such if he choose to proceed and, at this stage in his realizations, he was not so sure that such a move would be either wise or worth it.

More information would have to be gathered before such a decision could be made with any certainty.

As Todd was busy getting redressed, John was busy examining his sister's arms, neck and abdomen for the various cuts, nicks and gashes that her little tiff with Todd had rewarded her with. "What on earth were you thinking?" he demanded as he forced her to sit and then promptly grabbed her right arm and proceeded to go over the two very frightening cuts that ran down its length. "_Were_ you thinking?"

Kate snatched her arm away. "I'm fine," she tried to tell him, not at all in the mood to be subject to her brother's over protectiveness. Not when adrenaline was still coursing through her veins with such force or while her mind was still focused on what Todd looked like underneath all his leather. That last thought left a flush upon her skin that had nothing to do with her exertion.

"You are not fine," Teyla interrupted before John could argue with her as the Athosian rather thought that stating simple fact would serve better as persuasion then simply arguing. "Come," she insisted, "You must go see Jennifer."

Kate huffed and stood, backing away from her friend's suffocating hands. "I'm fine, really," she assured them all, "I was made to take stuff like this remember?" she retreated more; "I'm just going to go take a bath and then get some rest. I'll see you all at dinner."

"But-" unfortunately for John she disappeared before he could comment farther and so, without his sister to harp on about the wisdom of accepting a challenge from Todd, the colonel instead marched over to the wraith who had challenged her and began to interrogate him.

Ronon watched him go, his mind going back to the look Todd had pegged Kate with before she had left him and come back to them. "Think we should tell Sheppard?" he asked Teyla knowing that the observant woman wouldn't need any more of an explanation to know what he was talking about.

She sighed. "Do you mean should we tell John that humans and wraith are compatible?" at his slight nod she sighed yet again. "No Ronon I do not."

The former runner looked her over before turning his attention back to Sheppard who was currently threatening to shoot a smug looking Todd who was only too happy to remind the colonel that he didn't have a gun and was furthermore on _his_ hive surrounded by wraith. "Think we should tell him the other thing?" he asked after a while.

To this, Teyla had to honestly think. "No," she said eventually after going over all of their options and their possible outcomes in her head. "I see no reason why we should inform the Colonel of Todd's interest in Kate."

Ronon grunted. "Interest?" he turned towards her as she looked up at him. "That," he pointed to the now empty arena floor for emphasis, "That wasn't interest, Teyla you saw the way he was looking at her," Ronon sighed. "That was desire. He wants her."

It was Teyla's turn to eye the floor before she cast her gaze up to her fellow native. "Yes," she said evenly, "He does, but I do not see what good could come from telling John of this."

The Setedan snorted. "It'll give Sheppard reason to shoot him, seems like a good enough reason to me."

"Even you will have to admit that Todd has been the best ally we have had against the wraith," she hissed, careful to keep her tone low so as not to alert either of the arguing males standing some twenty feet to their right to the subject matter of their conversation.

"He _is_ wraith," Ronon stressed, feeling the need to drive this point home. "He only helps us when it's in _his_ best interest," he took a step towards Teyla and lowered his voice still farther. "What happens when he finally does take control of all the hives in the galaxy?"

Teyla's breath hitched. "We do not know that that is his eventual goal," she countered.

"The hell it isn't," Ronon bit out. "Todd's the greediest son of a bitch that I've ever met. He always wants more power, why do you think he puts up with us and keeps helping us take out other factions of wraith? He doesn't want there to be anyone around that could challenge him and when the rest of the wraith are either gone or under his control who do you think he'll turn on?"

Teyla couldn't deny that his reasoning was sound based on what they knew of the wraith but since her subterfuge as queen; she had come to view Todd as being different then his fellows. "He is not the same as all wraith Ronon," she said with conviction. "He will not turn on us."

Ronon resisted the urge to growl. "So you're willing to stake Kate on the fact that he won't turn on us?" he demanded.

Teyla looked fearfully at him. "What are you talking abo-"

"A wraith that wants a human companion isn't going to just let her go because she's an ally," he said, leaning forwards. "If he can't get her to come to him willingly then you know as well as me that there's nothing to stop him from using force."

"Todd is not like other wraith," she stressed again. "He does not find human females to be attractive and the only reason he takes exception to Kate is because she is his equal. Ronon," her voice calmed, "During my time as queen he told me what he thinks of the companion trade. Trust me when I say that he does not approve."

Ronon growled quietly. "And you're willing to bet her life on the fact that Todd won't force her?"

Teyla nodded, knowing this to be true. "He may be many things Ronon but he is steadfast in his opinions and beliefs. He is not going to change them for her. Believe that he will not move forward, that he will not pursue her. She is colonel Sheppard's sister, an Atlantian, and you would be fooling yourself if you think that he is not fully aware of those facts. Pursing her would not be in his best interests. Desire passes and fades with time. He will do nothing."

Ronon sighed, willing for the moment to grant Teyla his acquiescence. "Fine," he agreed, "We won't tell Sheppard," he turned on her, "But if he does anything, makes any advance -"

"Then I will concede that you were right and that I was mistaken," Teyla snapped.

"Fine," Ronon repeated, he and Teyla moving off to go extract Colonel Sheppard from his argument with Todd before he forgot that he was on a hive full of wraith and did something stupid.

~xXx~

For the next few days Todd stayed away from the humans as he did not want or need to have another confrontation with Sheppard. He did, however, send a worshipper to tend to Katherine after their rather vigorous spar and to report back to him her condition. He was pleased to learn that she suffered no serious injury and that what wounds he had inflicted upon her were superficial. The lacerations that she had given him had already healed by the time he'd managed to return to his room that day.

The repairs to his hive were going smoothly and for the first time in a long while, Todd had to admit that the pressing matter of maintenance was not enough to hold his interest for any length of time. Instead, he found that his mind would often wander back to his confrontation with Katherine or to any other of the various memories he had with her in them. She was becoming a distraction and, unlike in previous years when such as this had happened, he did not find that he particularly minded all that much. To dwell on her was quickly becoming his favorite pastime and so it was that against the better judgment of his Second, on the eleventh day of their stay onboard his hive, he sought her out.

As he recalled from his conversation with the head of human affairs so many days pervious, Katherine would most likely be bathing at this time and so steered his steps towards the public washing chamber. Along the way he was cast several strange looks from his crew and officers which he choose to ignore as he felt he owed them nothing by way of an explanation for his actions. Also during the walk he took the liberty of calling one of the worshipers to him. As it was uncommon for any of the worshipers to see him even though they knew of his presence and had ingrained it into their daily lives, the young woman that answered his mental call looked positively terrified as she stood before him outside of the bathing room.

"You need not fear me," Todd rumbled in an attempt to draw crease to her constant trembling. "Now, I require assistance from you."

The woman gulped. "W-what assistance might that b-be my Lord?" she asked shakily.

Todd sighed, his attempt at waylaying her fear obviously having failed. "You will go and find the Atlantian named Katherine. You will ask her if she has any plans for this evening and, should her answer be no, you will tell her that upon completion of her bath she is to come to me," he looked down on his servant's bowed head and sneered, "And do not call me Lord."

"Yes, my-" she gulped and paused, uncertain as to what to call him now and so settled on using his rank, "Hive Commander."

Todd nodded his head in approval before sending the messenger on her way, turning on his heel and stalking back up to the wraith occupied portions of his hive. He had heard rumors from his officers that both Katherine and Sheppard were relatively skilled in the table game employed by wraith as a way to test their tactical skills. He had been surprised to be told this and now he thought that asking Katherine to play such a game with him would be a suitable alternative to asking her to once again spar with him. He did not need another lecture from Sheppard nor the slight guilt he had retained over causing her injury and so had settled upon this next course of action.

He would also not make the mistake of taking her to his room again as that too had earned him an interrogation although not from Sheppard but rather, from Kenny who had consistently and continually argued with him about his having let Katherine stay in his quarters for any length of time and what the connotations of it all was. Apparently there were many and Kenny had been only too pleased to list them all off; Todd had started to ignore and then evade his second after the younger wraith had reached his sixtieth reason for which his commander's free time should _not_ be spent in the company of Katherine Sheppard. No, instead he would take her to the officer's lounge; a large well furnished and comfortably adorned room just below the bridge that was reserved for the leisure activities of the highest ranking officers on the hive. As that number was sitting at a comfortable six excluding himself and his Second and as he knew that three of his highest officers had other evening engagements in which they liked to participate involving worshippers, he knew that her presence there would not cause so large an alarm or suspicion.

His motivation for the actions that he had already put into motion was, simply, the sudden and overwhelming desire to spend time with her which such an activity as this would easily accomplish. Where his longing sprung from, Todd neither knew nor cared but he found himself a slave to it and that, for the first time in his life, was not so terrible a thought to him. In fact, he found that he looked forwards to once more having a conversation with Katherine quite a bit more then he looked forwards to doing anything else.

As he entered the leisure room and chose a seat in one of the back corners of the room, the hive commander sat down and soon found himself impatient, inwardly wondering how long it would before Katherine was brought to him. He did not have to wait long and, moments later, found his mind was filled with the questions and curiosities of those few wraith that were currently sharing the room with him. Looking up, he caught sight of her as the female worshipper hesitantly brought her forwards. Unlike her guide, the Atlantian woman did not look afraid to suddenly find herself amongst so many powerful wraith and was instead curious while the woman whom she followed was visibly shaking in fear. The difference between the two human females made the Hive Commander smile slightly as he stood and turned to greet her.

"Katherine," he hissed lowly, sketching her a slight but formal bow.

Kate eyed him. "You wanted to see me," she responded to his formal greeting not bothering to keep the minor surprise nor the intense curiosity from her voice.

Todd nodded and sank back down into the cushioned seat upon which he had previously sat. Relaxing himself and allowing more insouciance to show in his posture then he ever had when in the presence of his Atlantian allies before, he waved a hand over the likewise pillowed seats across from him. "Please," he enticed her, "Sit."

Kate sat and had to admit that she was more than slightly confused by the way he was behaving. For starters he looked relaxed which, if she remembered correctly, Evan had told her was something Todd just didn't do. He was always stoic and stiffly impassive; rigid and uncompromising in body language and speech. He did not lean, did not slouch and did not do anything like what he was doing now. Apparently she wasn't the only one that found his behavior a little off, a quick glance around at his wraith found them looking at him oddly too.

His head bobbed slightly as he watched her look around before settling her eyes back on him. "Does my manner confuse you?" he asked her teasingly.

Kate looked at him and deciding to skip the word games and get right down to the point. "Why am I here?" she asked him bluntly.

Todd sighed. "You are here because I would that we were to know each other more adequately," he looked her over noting how, once more, she was wearing clothing representative of his culture rather then her own. He found that he preferred her in fashions native to his stars then in ones native to hers, they complimented her better and enticed his eyes to wonder for freely then they could when she was dressed in her uniform or some other earth made garment.

"You are different then the other Atlantians," he offered anew, feeling that he at least owed her a partial explanation if not one of full disclosure, "You do not see me and mine as simply creatures that you must destroy. You have, in the past, asked numerous questions as to hint at your desire to know of the wraith as a people rather than just a faceless enemy."

Kate snorted. "Is that all?" she asked feeling as though she wasn't quite deserving of the honor he was now giving her.

"You do not feel worthy of my acquaintance, Katherine?" he asked, wondering if he was correctly interpreting the downcast to her features as inadequacy.

"I'm human, you're wraith," her response proved him correct.

He frowned. "And does this fact matter so much to you?" he inquired.

She shook her head. "Not to me, no," she admitted.

"Ah," he breathed, "Then you are concerned for the reactions of your peers?"

She looked around. "Yours too," she nodded towards two of his wraith who had been watching, and she suspected listening, to them since she'd sat down. "To the humans of this galaxy you aren't anything more than nameless if regrettably not faceless tyrants who rule over them with iron fists. To us in Atlantis you're mostly just faceless enemies that need to be exterminated. On the other hand, humans to you regardless of origin are just lesser intelligent cattle that can be herded and corralled at will."

Todd's eyes swept over his wraith, narrowing and giving them silent orders to go back to their own business before he returned his gaze to Katherine. "My wraith are long dead Katherine," he informed her truthfully. "Those whom think and behave as I do are long since dust; very few of them remain. Trust me when I say that I do not care what those that live now think of me."

Kate let out a breath that came out in a hiss. "Be that as it may," she began, "You might be different but those that serve you -"

"Do as I say," Todd interrupted her patiently, "Most wraith seek to be led whether it be by a queen or by a strong commander. Do not concern yourself with them; they will abide by my ruling."

She shook her head, a wiry smirk of disbelief at his arrogance smearing her face. "How about your other hives?" she asked plainly, "Do they do as you say when you aren't there to rule them?"

Todd observed her quizzically, wondering where she was going with this line of questioning. "They would be foolish not to," he informed her, his eyes searching her face for any sign as to what she was thinking only to draw blank. "I am curious" he asked her, leaning forwards just slightly, "Why you care so much about how I conduct my hives."

Kate snorted. "It's proven fact that the majority of wraith think little or nothing of humans -"

"I am not all wraith," Todd asserted, an angry tone to his voice that betrayed his displeasure at once more being compared and likened to 'most wraith'.

Kate bowed her head in leniency. "I know that," she soothed him, "That's not my point. My point is that since humans are food at best to the vast majority of wraith in general, when we're not proving sustenance we're just creatures to be either overlooked and ignored or to be destroyed and exterminated because we dare to challenge you. The wraith have a long history of destroying those worlds that challenge them not for food but for pride. How then, does this make you any different than the Ancients?"

She paused and studied his face. He didn't look like he could decide whether to be mad at her for comparing him or any other wraith to the Ancient's they so hated or whether he was intrigued or not by what she had to say. Taking a deep breath, she continued.

"The Ancients liked to play God. They liked to be the ones to decide who advanced and who didn't, who lived where and who got to live at all. They were admittedly brilliant there's no contesting that, but they were also arrogant and completely consumed by the belief that they knew best for everyone. In my world that's called tyranny and from what I've seen of the wraith as a whole, they're not much different," she concluded.

Todd didn't know what part of her speech made him more angry. That the wraith should be compared to those who had tried so very hard to wipe them from existence or that in the very farthest parts of his mind he had the sinking feeling that she was right. "The only reason you humans fear us," he began in rebuttal, "Is because we cull."

Kate offered him a one off smile that quickly dissolved off her face. "Not exactly," she argued. "If you just culled us, for food, then yes you would be feared just like any other prey fears it's hunters but you don't. The wraith use their method of feeding to inflict pain, convert unwilling humans into their service, and destroy entire civilizations just because they dare to challenge you. All life as the right to enough food to live, but you take in excess and that is wrong by natural law not just some moral guide that we brought with us from Earth."

For the first time in a long while Todd was feeling decidedly guilty which was not a feeling he was used to entertaining in any conceivable sense of the word. Katherine had a decent point and faced with this new evidence her earlier comment about his race being no different from those they hated suddenly seemed more plausible and entirely more dissatisfying. "I will concede that the leveling of worlds that look to challenge us is a bit tyrannical," he allowed with a slight and respectful nod of his head, "But beyond that-"

"What?" Kate interrupted him defiantly, "Your race depends on mine to survive and that's fine. Like I said, every creature that breaths is entitled the right to eat in order to survive. If the wraith only fed when they needed to there would be a hell of a lot more humans out there then there are. You use your feeding as a weapon, a weapon used to exert control over everyone who is not one of you."

"And this is why you and yours seek to take that power away from us?" he concluded, his voice a dark hiss. "Your gene therapy would remove this weapon from our arsenal."

Kate nodded. "Yes. Granted, it probably won't stop the lot of you from destroying worlds that would defy you but it would certainly make lives better for most of us."

His eyes narrowed. "How would it improve our lives?" he questioned, "Your reasons for doing this are self serving and nothing more."

"Who are you to decide who has the right to live or die? Who has the right to advance or not?" her eyes flashed, "The Ancients, both ascended and non with the exception of maybe one, like to think of themselves as beings of some higher and greater worthiness; like they're better than us and everyone else simply for being. Compared to them however, your arrogance is far more condescending."

Todd leaned back in his seat, crossed his arms and growled. This was not the conversation he had brought her here to discuss and yet somehow they had managed to get into not only a moral debate but a historical one as well. There were various reasons why the wraith culled and she'd pointed out a fair number of them none of which were the original reasons why his species had taken to their current feeding arrangement. Sitting here, comparing the then and the now in his head, the ancient wraith was forced to face the conclusion that his race had gotten rather egotistical about their own importance. Wraith, however, were prideful creatures and did not like to admit to being wrong or to having made mistakes. That their entire culture, which had come to completely revolve around their cullings, was one big terrible mistake was not something that Todd was willing to entertain and so he slipped into the same reasoning that the rest of his race upheld whenever faced with this particular moral dilemma: he was right and she was simply misinformed and therefore wrong.

Kate didn't need her brother's briefly lived mind reading ability to know that she'd managed to piss Todd off. The wraith was glaring at her with his arms crossed wearing an expression that he usually reserved for either her brother or Woolsey. Fortunately for her, she didn't care if her words made him mad becasue he'd needed to hear them. For as long as she'd known him, which she'd admit wasn't long, he'd shown deep derision for the arrogance of the Ancients and yet he and his were just as guilty of playing God as they were. She wouldn't deny that they had the right to feed to live and if they only used humans in this manner then there wouldn't be a problem but they didn't and it was those other reasons that made the wraith so hated. Unfortunately she knew that she wasn't going to change his mind on this overnight and so, after sighing heavily, she stood.

Todd looked up. "Where are you going?" he demanded, more brusquely then perhaps he meant to but his anger was still mostly in control of his attitude. Still, he did not desire for her to leave.

Kate looked down on the sulking wraith. "I think I've overstayed my welcome don't you?" she asked plainly holding her gaze to his evenly.

His hard gaze softened. While he would admit that she certainly had more sense of when to fold then her brother did, he also had to admit that were she any other human he would have already dismissed her with a growl and a hiss. The fact remained however, that all through their by now lengthy discussion not once had she condemned him for the fact that his survival revolved around the painful termination of members of her own species. Sheppard had often damned him for this fact claiming that he was wrong for no other reason than his chosen food happened to be able to think and didn't want to die. Katherine did not judge him for this, did not hold it against him that in order to live he had to take the lives of humans to do so.

Above him, she held his gaze for a fraction of a second longer before turning to take her leave. Todd rumbled his displeasure - which was not quite a growl - and stood quickly, darting out a hand to stay her and wrapping his fingers around her wrist before she could completely distance herself from him.

Kate gasped, her eyes widening a fraction as she felt Todd's vice like digits close around the skin of her right wrist and hold her in place. His skin, despite being cool to the touch, seared her with from their contact and she turned to him; question burning in her eyes.

"Stay," Todd breathed, unwilling to release her from his hold until he was certain she would not try to depart from him.

She searched his face and found nothing but sincerity reflected back at her. "But you're angry with me," she argued, not quite sure why he would wish for her to remain after the turn their conversation had taken.

He hissed. "You are as much entitled to your beliefs as am I," he brushed away her objections. "Stay, Katherine. We do not have to discuss such matters, believe me it is not the reason for which I summoned you."

She held his gaze and narrowed her eyes in curiosity. "Why did you summon me?" she asked him.

Todd let out a low rumbling noise that could almost be called a purr. Stepping closer to her he willed her back into a sitting position before releasing her wrist and retaking his seat. Looking at her across from him, he gestured towards two of his officers who were engaged in the same game he had intended for them to play. "My officers tell me you are familiar with the intricacies of this diversion," he watched for her reaction, saw her relax somewhat from her alert state and settle back into a comfortable position.

"Yes," she answered slowly, finding it hard to believe that playing a game was the reason he'd originally had for asking her to be brought to him.

Todd smiled. "Would you consent to play, as my opponent?

Her breath caught at the thought that should she say yes she would be spending time with him in an activity that didn't involve weapons, war, him needing something, something going wrong or anything else other then leisure and fun. It actually wasn't so terrible an idea and if she were honest with herself she knew that it was a scenario she had often played for herself over and over again in her mind.

"Katherine?" Todd's inquisitive voice woke her from her thoughts.

She looked up. "I would like that," she said sincerely and watched his face break into true pleasure for the first time since she'd met him.

"Good," he hissed and waved his hand in indication for a table to be brought to them. The playing surface was arranged between them by one of the male worshipers that lined the walls and stood ready to do the bidding of he and his officers.

When all was ready and the pieces arranged, he looked up at her and saw that her eyes were already alight with the endless possibilities that lay spread before her. Settling back and turning his own mind to the game at hand, he knew without even having played the first move that for the first time in a long while he was about to be truly challenged. Smiling, he reached forwards and moved his first piece across the board before moving back and allowing Katherine to do the same.

~xXx~

"So it's been fun," John said to the wraith who stood at the end of the ramp leading up to his transport. "Really, but let's not do it again anytime soon."

Todd snorted in amusement. "Agreed," he hissed, "I have had quite enough of you, Sheppard, to last a very long while."

John grinned. "Glad we agree," he looked back on his team all of whom were waiting rather impatiently for him to finish up his conversation with Todd so that they could dial the gate and go home. He turned back, "So, in light of all this, I shouldn't expect to see you any time soon right? Say, at least a month?"

This time the wraith outright laughed. "You shall see me whenever the situation arises, Sheppard," he informed the human who frowned. "I will however, endeavor to make sure that a sufficient amount of time has passed before I subject you once more to my presence."

"Oh good," John breathed a sigh of relief and then turned once more to his eagerly awaiting team. "Okay guys," he called out, "Say good-bye to Todd. We won't be seeing him for a while."

Rodney looked like Christmas had just come early. "Oh thank God," he exclaimed, "I've had quite enough of wraith thank you."

"Rodney," Jennifer scolded her husband and nodded towards the now smirking wraith. "Not when he can hear you."

The doctor's manners and mild personality personally made her less irritable then the other humans and Todd felt the need to repay the kindness that she always offered him. "Do not concern yourself with my feelings, doctor," he soothed her, "I assure you that I am as eager to be rid of your mate as he is of me."

Jennifer felt better and nodded her appreciation to the wraith who nodded back.

Teyla was next to offer her good-byes and did so with a formal bow that was the way of those native to this galaxy and that included the wraith. Similarities between customs whether they be human, wraith or other life form were unanimous throughout the Pegasus galaxy even if they did sometimes have variations. She was rewarded by a low and graceful nod of his head which she supposed was the closest a wraith would ever get to actually bowing to a human.

Ronon was less formal. "I won't miss you," he told the stoic, leather clad creature who sneered in response.

"I wouldn't expect you to," Todd glared at the Setedan before his gaze turned to Katherine. "And you?" he asked, curious as to what manner of farewell she would give him if any.

Kate smiled at him. "I won't miss you either," she lied through her teeth and saw his face fall but a fraction that she was willing to bet went unnoticed by everyone but her. "But I wouldn't be opposed to seeing you again sometime soon."

So, she would not long for his company but unlike the others she would be against his appearance in the near future. Todd supposed that in some manner this was encouraging although not as blatant as he would have liked to hear from her. Nonetheless, he offered her a bow of valediction same as he had offered the Athosian only more pronounced as he bowed from his waist as if he were sending off an equal which he was. The surprise over his action was evident on the faces of both Teyla and the runner while the significance of what he had just done was lost on everyone else. Holding his pose for a fraction of a second, he straightened and turned back to Sheppard.

"Until we meet again," he rumbled, still pleased with Katherine's farewell.

John nodded. "Yeah," he answered dispassionately.

"Can we go now?" Ronon yelled, his irritation over this whole good-bye session grating at him almost as much as Todd's bowing to Kate.

John sighed and turned away from the wraith and started walking towards his team. "Yeah, we can go," he turned to Rodney, "Dial the gate."

The Canadian scientist jumped at the chance and scrambled over to the DHD and began inputting the symbols to Atlantis' address. The gate activated and John pulled out his IDC, punched in his code and then waited for the radio contact that he knew was to come. On cue, Woolsey's voice filtered into his ear just as the sound of Todd's transport's engine roared to life signaling the wraith's departure back to his hive.

"Colonel Sheppard, is that you?" Woolsey asked.

John sighed. "Yeah," he replied, "It's me."

There was a pause and then, "We were beginning to give up hope. Where have you been?"

"Todd's hive," was his response, "Listen, I'd love to tell you all about it after we all get a shower and some rest."

"Understood," Woolsey replied, "I'm lowering the shield. You do know that you and your team will have to be checked out in the infirmary first?"

"Yeah, we got know," John said irritably, "Security and all that jazz."

"Right," Woolsey answered, "Shield's down Colonel, come on home."

"Oh thank God," John muttered under his breath and then turned to his team. "Right guys, it's infirmary first and then bed. Come on, let's move out."

Teyla, Rodney, Jennifer, Ronon and Kate were only too happy to comply.

~xXx~

After an hour in the infirmary, a bath - sixteen days worth of not taking showers on board a hive had all more or less turned the whole group of them off of taking showers - a couple hours of sleep and then the debriefing from hell and Kate was back in her room reading through Todd's journal again. Having spent so much time on a hive, learning how it worked and how it's society was structured, made his descriptions and just the overall ambiance of his written words take on new and profound meaning to her. Not to mention she'd now read the damned thing enough that she no longer needed to translate anything and was pretty certain that she could speak wraith as well as read it.

A knock on her door drew her from her thoughts and she put the leather bound tome down on her bedside table before getting up to answer the door. "Hey Evan," she greeted, standing back to allow her best friend and fellow major to enter the room baring a tub of ice cream and two spoons.

He flashed her a grin. "Hey," he responded in kind and held up the frozen treat that he'd pilfered from the kitchen. "Feel up to some company?"

Kate smiled and led the way over to her bed and sat down, moving the journal to her bedside table as Lorne took a seat opposite her and crossed his legs Indian style. "So?" she asked, taking the carton from his hands and prying the lid off before taking up the spoon he offered her and digging into the delicious strawberry goodness.

Lorne looked at her for a moment before picking up his own spoon and likewise digging in. They sat in silence for a few minutes just eating ice cream and enjoying each other's company before the major could no longer take it. "So you were on a hive for two weeks," he began, "What was that like?"

The woman across from him laughed and smiled. "Strange would be the word I'd use if I had to pick one," she informed him, taking another bite.

"And if you could use more than one?" he prompted.

She let out a sigh. "Enlightening, eye-opening, curious," she paused and looked down, eyeing her bedspread with intense concentration. "Fun."

"Fun?" Lorne repeated; his voice incredulous. "How is spending sixteen days on a hive surrounded by wraith fun?"

"It wasn't all that bad really," she assured him, "Once we settled into a routine, we spent most of the day sparing and training with the crew."

Lorne snorted. "Bet Ronon loved that; a legitimate excuse to pound the shit out of a whole bunch of wraith."

"Yeah he was in heaven," Kate agreed and then sobered, "John nearly had a heart attack when I sparred with Todd."

Lorne almost spit out his ice cream. "You what?" he demanded, shocked and slightly impressed despite his better judgment telling him that that probably hadn't been a good idea.

Kate nodded slowly. "Yeah," she smirked, "I drew first blood. Sliced him from his right shoulder all the way across his chest to his left hip."

Lorne digested this information. "So," he started, "I take it you are now aware of what a wraith looks like when not cocooned in absurd amounts of leather?"

A blush tinted her cheeks and she grinned girlishly. "Yep," she confirmed.

Her friend looked at her carefully. "Is he as solid as he looks?" he inquired honestly curious.

She nodded vigorously. "Oh yeah," she breathed heavily, "Most of the wraith, from what we saw, are well built but fairly thin and lanky. Todd's…not. Yeah he's tall but his shoulders are wide and he's built more like Ronon."

"Huge and bulky," Lorne concluded and received a nod before studying her, "I take it you approved?"

Again her cheeks stained pink. "Boy did I," she confessed, "I think he got me more flustered then the exercise," her mind flashed back over how he had looked, bared to the waist, as he'd circled her. "His entire back's covered with tattoo's," she informed her friend, "And he's got another one on his right shoulder that goes down almost to his elbow," a silly grin plastered itself onto her face. "It's nice."

Lorne sensed trouble coming from all of this and his mind traveled back to the conversation they'd had over this issue not too long ago. "But," he started apprehensively, "You're still not gonna pursue anything right?"

Kate laughed and looked up at her friend. "Yeah right," she chuckled, "Like you could see me chasing after a wraith," she snorted, generally amused by his apparent concern over this. "Rest assured Evan, no I'm not gonna go asking Todd out on a date. Besides, this is an entirely one sided thing. The chances of him actually liking me, like liking me, are slim to none."

_God I hope so, _Lorne thought to himself as he washed the worry from his expression and settled back to talk of other things. "So," he picked up again, "Other than the fact that you think Todd's got a really nice upper body, what else happened?"

Kate smiled, took another bite of ice cream and went on.

~xXx~

"You wished to see me Commander?"

Todd looked up from the map of space that his alliance controlled and turned towards his respectfully waiting Second who stood just inside the door to his private quarters. "Yes," he answered the other, motioning him towards him with a simple flex of his wrist.

The Second walked towards him slowly, coming to a rest besides his commander and waited patiently for the elder to speak. When he did not, Kenny concluded that he was lost in thought and so sought to pull him from his reverie. "Commander?" he questioned lightly and as unobtrusively as he could.

The senior wraith's thoughts snapped and he looked up to his second in command and comrade whose opinion and council he had every reason to trust unquestionably. "Tell me," he began, "Why do the wraith cull?"

Kenny eyed his commander in confusion, confounded by the question that was being asked of him. "Commander?"

Todd sighed and tried a more direct approach. "Do you know why it is that we cull the humans as we do? Do you know the reasons for which this practice was begun?"

The second considered his options, his mid traveling over what he has been told of wraith history and what he had learned of it from this very ancient individual. "I do not know the reasons for which the practice was begun," he admitted slowly and watched his commander nod guessing that the elder had most likely expected this answer from him. "But as for the reason we continue, I would suspect that besides the obvious need to nourish ourselves we do it to maintain control over those that are weaker and less able then us."

Todd took this answer and it's reasoning in stride, his mind flashing back to the words Katherine had spoken to him some few days pervious. "And who are we," he asked of the much younger wraith before him, "To decide who is beneath us?"

Now Kenny was really confused as he had no idea as to the reason or understanding behind these questions. He suspected, however, that the Atlantians had something to do with it and, inwardly, he cursed them their self righteous morals which bade them condemn their ways as wrong. "The humans are less able bodied then are we," he reasoned using the arguments that wraith had used for thousands of years and that were taught to the young as fact. "Their minds are less developed then ours, they are unable to reach the same levels of intelligence as are we. They are crude and for the most part witless. They do not possess our years nor can they obtain them. By all evidence they are lesser beings."

"It is not a fault of theirs nor one that they control that limits their age advancement," Todd countered and watched his second think this one through, "We cannot hold that against them."

Kenny nodded, supposing that his commander was right on that account. "But the others -"

"Yes they are less able bodied in most cases, some factions of humans bare more strength of arm and leg then others," he continued, interrupting his second, his own mind working out these reasoning's that he had often gone over since his conversation with Katherine. "As for their intelligence; it is not that they are unable to learn it is simply that the wealth of knowledge we possess is not available to them. Given time and proper instruction they could well become as knowledgeable as are we."

"Commander?" Kenny was now more than fairly concerned. "What has brought this contemplation on?"

Todd turned to him. "A conversation I had with Katherine," he informed his subordinate offhandedly. "I am beginning to think that she is more correct then I first assumed."

Kenny gulped, almost fearing the answer to his next inquiry but felling the pressing need to ask it regardless of the answer. "And what do you plan to do with this…new way of thinking?"

The ancient wraith really hadn't thought much beyond having reached this particular set of conclusions. "I do not know," he muttered, turning his eyes back to his map. "I do know that the wraith have changed much since my youth and, should they continue on the path that they have chosen, we are in grave danger of becoming too like those that once sought to destroy us."

"We are nothing like the Lanteans!" Kenny hissed defiantly.

Todd sighed. "Oh but we are," he turned back towards his Second. "We become more and more like them with each human world we destroy simply to appease our own pride. The wraith are dying, the young as you have shown me no longer possess the knowledge of why we do as we do. We are not Gods to lord over all other beings in this galaxy and we are fools to try. Our arrogance will be our downfall."

Kenny stared at this most ancient of wraith and felt the truth of his words pull at his own reasoning of what was and was not fact. "What can we do?" he asked, fearing for the survival of his race most keenly.

"We must change," Todd answered, "Adapt. The humans may be our food source but they are not our lessers because of it. They have as much a right to live and flourish as do we."

Knowing what was coming but deciding to ask anyway, Kenny took a tentative step towards his commander. "This means that we will once again accept the gene therapy offered to us by the Atlantians?"

The elder wraith nodded. "Yes. Yes, I believe we will."

Kenny sighed. "And how will this change things?" he asked, "How will this one thing continue our race?"

"It will stop the wars," Todd answered him. "The wraith do battle with one another not out of disagreement but out of dispute over feeding grounds. We will eventually starve if we do not find an alternative source of nourishment. Ending our need to feed will stop the need to fight amongst ourselves. It will save thousands upon thousands of wraith lives."

"Is this your only motivation?" Kenny asked his leader, "Do you agree to this simply out of benefit for our own race or do you seek to aid the humans as well? You know that they believe that once we no longer require the need to feed then we will crease our attacks against them."

"And we will," Todd said commandingly. "As I have said, we have no more right to decide the fate of a civilization's development then the Lanteans did. Their war with us was begun because they feared the day we would equal them in technology and resources. For us to level human worlds because we fear the same makes us no better then they."

After making this avowal, Kenny was dismissed from his Commander's presence and sent back to his duties on the bridge. As he walked, his steps distancing himself from the contemplative wraith still locked in his quarters staring at a map, the Hive's Second in Command knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that his Commander was right and the guilt he felt as a result of all his life acting on principals that made him no different or better then the beings his race hated with a passion churned within him.

Katherine of Atlantis, sister to Colonel John Sheppard, was responsible for this enlightenment and, knowing it, made him realize that she possessed as much intelligence as he or any other wraith did. She had done what her brother and many other humans before her had failed to do and that was show the wraith that her race was something more than mindless cattle. One woman, one human female, had changed the mind of the oldest wraith alive whom was more set in his ways than any other living. She had changed everything and, despite her humanity, Kenny knew that it was for the better.

* * *

**A/N:** Hello! if you liked it please let me know. Reviews are the only way fanfiction authors get paid so please, push the button and make my day. I hope to hear from you all soon, cheers!


	10. Cryptograhic Conflicts

**A/N: Here you go peeps, a brand spankin' new chapter just for you. I told you that it would be worth the wait so, if it is, please, please, please let me know. I thrive on hearing from you all. Anyway, enjoy!****Episode X: Cryptographic Conflicts**

* * *

It was hard to tell who had been smarter, the Ancients or the Asgard. Right now, Lorne was willing to call it a tossup as he watched the acrophobic Dr. Zelenka perch himself atop a twenty foot ladder leaning against the antenna array that was itself perched on top of the control tower some five hundred meters above the ground. The Czechoslovakian scientist was upgrading the city's subspace transmitter/receiver by tacking on some bits of Asgard technology that the SGC said should boost their broadcasting and receiving range by thirty-two percent.

"Ach má bůh Hodlám být chycen! Bolavý vítr , bolavý vítr. Chladně přijmout , chladně přijmout , Hodlám zabˇt Rodney! Proč mne? Proč is ono vždycky mne?!?"

As was usual when one of the scientists was put in a precarious situation, Zelenka's progress was being monitored by two marines. Strangely enough, Lorne was actually quite fond of the bespectacled physicist and so had volunteered to baby-sit, dragging Kate along with him. At the moment, both marines were leaning, arms crossed, against the railing that wound around the observation deck. As yet another loud stream of curse words filtered down to them, Kate snickered.

"Are you sure he's alright up there?" she asked, glancing at her friend out of the corner of her eye before retuning her gaze to the swaying ladder and the screeching physicist. "How is it that Rodney always manages to talk his way out of doing these things?"

Lorne shrugged. "It's Rodney," he offered by way of explanation.

"Yeah," Kate agreed crossing her ankles. "Still can't believe he volunteered to go with my brother to set up the communications lab on the beta site. A whole three days together and they're liable to kill each other."

Again, Lorne shrugged. "I think the two of them habitually forget how much they get on each others' nerve's." He looked up, watching the doc drop a screwdriver and swear loudly. "Hope he's done soon. I'm getting tired of standing up here."

As if to answer his prayers, Zelenka's cuss words slowed to a stop as he completed the updates and then started carefully down the ladder. Kate and Lorne walked over towards the antenna and waited for the scientist at the bottom.

"All right there doc?" Lorne called up to him as he descended the last few rungs and then landed safely on the ground.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Radek replied, handing off his tools to Kate and then turning to edge along the roof towards the stairwell that would take him downwards to safety.

"Good to know," Kate offered, following him. "Come on, let's go see if those upgrades work as well as the SGC says they will."

Zelenka nodded slowly and ten minutes later was busy reading the output streaming from the diagnostic he'd ordered run on their new system.

Woolsey walked into the control room trying his very best to look intimidating and failing miserably. "How's it look, doctor?" he inquired, coming to a stop in front of the communications control console and folding his hands behind his back.

Zelenka looked up from the data he was reading. "It's looking good, actually," he informed Atlantis' director, "I think the upgrades-" he cut off as the terminal in front of him beeped.

Woolsey frowned and both Kate and Lorne leaned forwards. "What's that?" Woolsey asked.

Zelenka shook his head. "I don't know," he replied, "some kind of coded signal…It's coming from way out in space, farther than we've ever been able to pick up on before."

"So the upgrades work," Woolsey concluded before returning to the new and startling development, "Can you get a lock on the signal?"

The Czech nodded and turned to a firewalled computer propped up on the Ancient control consoles. Retrieving the signal, he pulled it up on one of the main viewing screens. Strange symbols flashed across the screen in a repeating paragraph. The scientist frowned. "I have never seen writing like this before," he said mildly.

Woolsey squinted at the foreign characters that reminded him somewhat of Arabic. To date, most of the forms of writing in the Pegasus galaxy had some sort of relation to Ancient but this looked nothing like anything that he had ever seen, which led him to the conclusion that it was most likely not a form of writing at all. "Are we sure that it's writing?" he asked. "It could be computer code of some kind. Numbers maybe…"

Kate rolled her eyes at the idiocy of the man standing across from her. Of course, because it didn't look like Ancient it couldn't possibly be writing. "It's wraith," she said offhandedly, knowing that this announcement was going to throw Woolsey for a loop.

On cue, the balding head of Atlantis operations frowned. "And just how do you know that?" he demanded of her as both Lorne and Zelenka turned towards her in question.

Kate sighed. "That's what the wraith's written language looked like before the Ancients influenced them," she explained, gesturing at the screen with one hand. "Honestly, just because it doesn't look like Ancient doesn't mean it's not writing. They weren't omnipotent, you know."

Woolsey fumed. He hated that even though she had only been here for a short time, Kate Sheppard seemed to have learned more about the wraith then he had in seven years. It was infuriating. "Once more," he started, his voice betraying his irritation at her for her earlier condescending tone, "I must ask how it is that you are so sure of this?"

Lorne and Zelenka glanced at each other and held their breaths. Normally, it was Sheppard and Woolsey that got into these little tuffs. Sheppard usually won so both marine and scientist were wondering if his sister would prove able to do the same.

Kate crossed her arms stubbornly and glared at the man that was technically her boss. "Does it really matter?" she snapped, her patience for the bureaucrat running shorter then it normally did.

"No, I suppose not," Woolsey reluctantly backed down.

Once he was sure that Woolsey was finished, Zelenka turned towards Kate. "I don't suppose you can read this?" he asked hopefully.

Kate dipped her head. "Yes, I can read it."

"That's great," Lorne quipped honestly, cutting in before Woolsey could say something else. "What's it say?"

Kate sighed and turned towards the scrawling paragraph that had begun to repeat itself on the screen. Squinting her eyes, Kate realized only two lines in that they had just stumbled across the proverbial holy grail of crypto messages.

"Well?" Woolsey asked impatiently, watching as Kate's face turned into first a frown and then a wiry grin.

Kate cleared her throat. "It's an attack plan," she informed them. "According to this, some wraith agents have discovered the location of a group of humans who have challenged the wraith for many generations. It says that until now, the wraith have been unable to rid themselves of the threat because the humans are in possession of ships and can evade them." She paused and looked worriedly at Lorne, her mind scanning the populations of humans that she knew of that could possibly fit this description.

"Is that all?" Woolsey asked, wondering what all the fuss was about if this was the extent of the message.

Once more, Kate shot him a withering glare of contempt. "No," she said curtly, "that's not all. Apparently these humans have finally settled on a planet. The plan is to wipe them out."

Woolsey looked at Kate coldly. . "I fail to see how any of this is our concern," he voiced, wondering if they were really going to try and save every planet that got attacked by the wraith. That wasn't why they were here and it was high time his team, mainly the two Sheppards, realized this.

Lorne scowled at him. "I'm pretty sure that message is talking about the Travelers, Sir," he said loudly, feeling the need to impart the reminder that they were Atlantis' allies with his statement.

Still, the director was unmoved. "We don't know that for certain, Major," Woolsey reminded him harshly. "For all we know there could be another group of humans out there with the same capabilities. We have hardly explored all of the galaxy, we have no idea what else could be out there."

Saving Lorne from saying something that could passably get him court-martialed , Kate cut in. "There's a gate address," she informed them, nodding for Zelenka to scroll down and bring up the familiar seven symbols denoting the wraith's destination. When it was enlarged on the screen she turned to Lorne. "Is that the Traveler's planet?"

"Yeah, it is," he replied.

"We should warn them," Zelenka suggested, looking around at the two majors, who he knew wouldn't be hard to convince, and then to Woolsey, who would prove more problematic. "It's the least we can do."

Lorne looked over towards Woolsey. The former IOA bureaucrat wasn't as keen on helping out allies as either of his predecessors and held the philosophy that 'if it doesn't affect us we should leave well enough alone'. Fortunately for the Travelers, Atlantis still owed them for their help against the Replicators, a fact which Major Lorne was only too happy to point out.

"We do owe them, Sir," he reminded Woolsey.

Woolsey was well aware of the obligation they had to the Travelers and so knew that in no way could he refuse this. Moreover, the decision to render aid was also a matter of self preservation. The Travelers had ships that they didn't have, and if the wraith succeeded in wiping them out, the next time they needed help that involved space travel they would be out of luck. If Colonel Sheppard was here, Woolsey knew that he wouldn't hesitate to point out that Todd had ships as well and could usually be talked into ferrying them around. In light of the fact that his top military officer seemed just a little too dependent on their wraith ally, it was much easier to reach a conclusion and so he turned towards the ranking major.

"You have a go, take the remainder of Atlantis One and do what is necessary," he eyed the man steadily, casting a brief look towards the woman on his right. Unlike her brother, Kate was a soldier to a fault and would obey the orders of her commanding officer whether or not they coincided with her own moral code. The problem with this mission was that Woolsey wasn't one hundred percent sure _her_ commanding officer would follow orders, but it was a risk that he had to take, given the alternative of doing nothing and having to rely even more so upon Todd the wraith.

Lorne nodded his head once. "Thank you Sir," he said smartly. His formal acceptance of orders seemed to please the administrator because Woolsey looked slightly less grim than usual, for about three seconds.

"Stay only as long as you have to, Major," Woolsey clarified his orders, realizing that if he said nothing at all Lorne was liable to take that as permission to stay and help them for God only knew how long.

Once more, Lorne nodded, careful to keep his face impassive as he had every intention of disobeying this particular addition to their mandate. His lack of verbal response did exactly what he intended it to do as the major knew full well that Woolsey had expected him to object if he'd found any problem with his orders.

Satisfied, Woolsey took one last look at the two majors before turning on his heel and stalking towards his office, took a seat at his desk and began the tedium of paperwork that he enjoyed far more then he should.

Once Zelenka was fairly sure that Woolsey's mind was more occupied by the requisition forms he was filling out than on any conversations he might overhear, the scientist turned to Lorne. "You know, it's not going to be as easy as he thinks it is," he commented.

Lorne agreed. "It never is when the wraith are involved," he said with a sigh. "Something always goes sideways."

"And up and down, and crisscrossed," Zelenka added, folding his arms as he stared down at the wraith characters still scrolling across the computer screen.

Kate looked between the two men and leaned against one of the Ancient control consoles, crossing her arms and laying her chin on her wrist. "Thought that only happened when we're dealing with Todd," she commented.

Lorne shrugged. "As much as the Colonel would like to blame everything that goes wrong on Todd, I've been on maybe three off-world missions that have actually gone the way they were supposed to," he looked at her. "You were on SG-1, the team that's practically a magnet for trouble."

"Yeah," Kate said slowly and frowned when Lorne gave her a look. "Hey! I'll have you know that me and Cameron almost never caused any of the trouble."

"So you're blaming it all on Daniel and Vala?" he asked with a grin.

Kate smirked. "Well, mostly Vala, but anytime we ran into something Ancient chances were Daniel would get in over his head and then Cam and I would have to pull him out," she said truthfully.

"Uh-huh," Lorne said disbelievingly. "Which is why that Asgard we met, what's his name? - Loki - knew you so well right?"

Kate snorted. "I never said I didn't get into _any_ trouble, just not a lot."

Lorne was standing ready with an retort only to be cut off by the scientist. "Aren't you both getting a bit off topic here?" Zelenka cut in, eyeing the both of them, "We have no idea when this transmission was sent. I mean I can attempt to extrapolate a time given its relative position in space, but it won't be terribly accurate."

Lorne sighed. "Right," he looked at Kate, "Go on and gear up, I'll go round up Ronon and Teyla. Meet me back here in ten?"

Kate nodded and left leaving Lorne to watch her go.

Zelenka, too, watched her retreat before turning back to the major. Because the scientist was better friends with Lorne then most people thought, he knew that the military second in command of Atlantis was planning on disobeying Woolsey's orders. "Do you think Kate will be a problem?" he asked.

Lorne shook his head. "Kate's obedient to a fault, just read her file, she'll do as she's told."

~xXx~

The Traveler planet reminded Lorne of the Unas planet that he'd gone to on his second off-world mission back when he still worked at the SGC. Things hadn't gone well there and he had a strange feeling that things wouldn't go too well here either. He'd gotten to talk to both Teyla and Ronon before Kate had joined them in the gate room and he knew that the both of them were up on the plan although it had been Teyla's suggestion to tell Kate only if it had to be implemented which Lorne had a funny feeling it would be. Having been in the Pegasus galaxy longer then Woolsey, the military and scientific teams of Atlantis had developed responsibilities to the people of this galaxy that didn't always mesh with the agenda of the IOA, NID, or Stargate Command. Lorne knew damned well that Woolsey had only authorized a go for this mission to preserve their standing alliance with the Travelers in Atlantis' best interest. He had absolutely no problem sacrificing allies if helping them might cause trouble for Atlantis.

Lorne, Sheppard, Ronon, Teyla, Rodney, Jennifer, Zelenka and the vast majority of everyone else in Atlantis, however, did. The only ally on their list that proved the exception of this rule was the Genii and maybe Todd, although Lorne had his suspicions that the Colonel wasn't as keen on killing the wraith as he pretended to be. The Major had seen enough evidence to support the fact that Todd and Sheppard were borderline friends even if neither of them would admit it. Personally, Lorne found their determination to _not_ be friends rather comical and he was pretty sure the rest of Sheppard's team thought the same.

Kudos for using the subjunctive (If I were…) but you don't need to use it when you are describing something that is quite possible, so "If I was going to dinner" vs. "If only I were able to fly"

Regardless of the dynamics between his commanding officer and Todd, Lorne knew that if Colonel Sheppard was here, he would order them to assist the Travelers in any way that they could even if that meant "staying longer then was necessary". It was exactly what Major Lorne had planned for. Teyla and Ronon had already agreed to it. The only person they hadn't told was Kate, but Lorne didn't really think that she'd be a problem. Having been an NC26, Kate had had to carry out a fair few orders that were both morally wrong and just downright damning. But, as her record showed, she'd never once disobeyed any of the orders she'd been given, no matter how despicable they'd been, so he doubted ordering her to do the right thing over the orders of a man that he knew she despised would prove to be a problem. He figured she might protest a bit but in the end she would do as she was told by her superior officer, which in this case was him. He just hoped that he wouldn't actually have to make it an order.

Several minutes walk from the gate, the team of four came to what looked like had once been a deep, if strangely narrow, river bed. As Ronon pointed out, the bottom of the trench looked well-traveled and there was a kind of ramp that seemed to have been made by frequent trips up and down a particular spot not far from where they were standing. All in all the ancient waterway looked very much it was being used as a road and so, after some slipping and sliding and much falling of rocks and small clumps of dirt, the four of them began to follow the twisting bed as it cut through the hills around them.

They'd been walking a while before curiosity finally got the better of Kate and she asked, "So, what are these Travelers like?"

Not surprisingly, it was Teyla that answered first. "When I was a girl, Halling and my father used to tell me stories of the Travelers who crossed the stars in ships left behind by the ancestors. They are migratory, never remaining in any one place for long, even now most of their population still lives aboard their many ships."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "I thought they'd landed, that's why the wraith are attacking them."

"Their governing body is here," Teyla explained gently as she was used to doing. "The Traveler high council in completely planet bound and were the wraith to succeed in destroying it -"

"Then their people would have no direction," Kate concluded, "The survivors would be scattered to the four winds, so to speak."

Ronon grunted. "Besides Kamera and Sateda before it was destroyed, the Travelers are the only humans in the galaxy that live in a structured society kind of like yours on Earth."

"Kamera?" Kate questioned, turning to look over her shoulder at Ronon who usually wasn't one to explain things. That was Teyla's forte although, if you wanted to know about military tactics and weapons of mass destruction, then Ronon was the guy to talk to if you asked the right questions. If not then you'd be stuck with one and two word answers and little or no information.

Ronon nodded. "It was one of the worlds that Sateda traded with frequently. They're more advanced than us but they didn't mind sharing. The wraith don't bother them."

Lorne missed a step. "This I haven't heard," he looked around to Ronon. "Why haven't I heard this?"

The Satedan shrugged. "Sheppard knows; I just don't want to tell Woolsey."

"I do not blame you," Teyla sympathized. "No doubt he would wish to make an alliance with them or simply try and threaten or intimidate them into sharing their technology. The Kamerians are a private people, it is my understanding that they came to Sateda and offered their services, you did not go to them."

Ronon nodded. "They only help those that are worthy," he shrugged. "Apparently we were worthy."

Kate frowned. "And we're not?" she questioned.

Lorne snorted. "Not with Woolsey in charge. With Elizabeth maybe, General Carter, hell yes, but not Woolsey."

"I keep forgetting that he's in charge," Kate observed with a disdainful frown to her face.

Ronon had to agree. "Technically," he deadpanned.

"It is my observation that John holds more power in Atlantis then Mr. Woolsey seems to," Teyla noted. "I do not doubt that Mr. Woolsey is mostly oblivious to the day to day doings of Atlantis and her people," she frowned. "I do not think he cares."

"About all he's good for is signing requisitions," Lorne added with a mild look of disgust on his face. "Mind, he's nice to have around when you need to play political hardball, but other than that he's like you said: ninety-eight percent clueless."

Kate took all this in stride before her curious mind turned back to their original topic. "Right," she said slowly before turning towards Teyla. "Anything else I should know about the Travelers?"

"They make good weapons," Ronon offered.

Kate looked back at him. "Oh, that's right, your gun is Traveler made."

Ronon grinned and Teyla once more took up the explanation. "The Travelers are generally good craftsmen. They make many things that they use as barter for things that they do not have. Since they have long been space bound they are unable to grow or produce any of their own food and so had to rely wholly on the trade of their wares in order to secure the necessary provisions."

Now Kate was interested. "What other things do they make?" she asked.

Teyla smiled, always pleased that Kate showed such an interest in the cultures and practices of people outside of her own. It was a mindset she would not mind more of the Atlantians having and one that she was glad to indulge. "Here," she offered, reaching up and removing the necklace that her father had given her long ago when he had returned from a trading mission. Handing it to Kate, who took it and looked down on it in wonder, she said, "That is Traveler made."

"It's beautiful," Kate breathed as she looked down on the pendant that Teyla always wore before she handed it back to the Athosian. Since they were on a mission of warning rather than exploration, Teyla had opted to remain in her traditional Athosian garb rather than the usual Atlantian military uniform. Ronon never wore the uniform and Kate suspected that Woolsey had given up trying to get him into one which was fine with her. Personally, she preferred the fashions of the Pegasus galaxy to those of her own simply because they all had a kind of rugged edge to them, and any excuse to incorporate leather into an outfit was a definite plus.

Teyla agreed with her. "Yes, they are very good at what they do," she insisted as she refastened the clasp on around her neck. "If they have any shortcomings it is that they do not trust outsiders."

Kate snorted. "Nobody in this galaxy trusts outsiders. It's like a law somewhere that you must be suspicious of everyone and everything."

Teyla laughed. "While your description is a bit harsh, it is nonetheless accurate enough. Our suspicions keep us alive although I will admit that trust in our allies is perhaps a matter that should be more developed."

Ronon agreed. "Speaking of trust issues," the Sateden looked around, fingering his gun lightly, "We're pretty far away from the gate, should have found something by now."

Kate glanced towards him. "Like what?"

He shrugged. "Don't know. A scout, a trap…" Ronon trailed off something that sounded like falling rocks reached his ears. Kate seemed to have heard it too and was now scanning the area around and above them with her slightly advanced vision. More noises filtered down to them and Ronon barely had time to flatten himself to the ground as a volley of energy weapons fire shot over him.

"DOWN!" Lorne shouted as he rolled behind a conveniently positioned boulder and saw both Kate and Teyla do the same.

"Or an ambush," Ronon finished his original commentary before pulling out his gun, priming and aiming it in the direction the shots had come from. He turned to look at Lorne. "So, what's the plan?"

Lorne didn't get a chance to answer him before they were shot at again, one of the beams narrowly missed his head causing him to yelp. "Hold your fire!" he yelled. "We're friends!!"

He honestly didn't expect that to work and was therefore a tad bit surprised when the shooting stopped. Holding his breath, Lorne peaked out from behind his granite shield and watched as several men, well armed, burly, and reminding him vividly of the Sateden crouched next to him filtered out of the trees and surrounding brush above their current position. Looking up, Lorne gulped as they were totally surrounded and at the mercy of the half dozen or so people holding guns.

"Hi," he called up towards the men who continued to glare down at them in a combination of leers and scowls. The sound of falling rocks called his attention away from the men above him as he turned and watched a woman jump down into the river bed and start towards them. She stopped several feet away from them and crossed her arms, throwing her weight to her left hip.

Lorne looked her over, recognizing her almost immediately from the one time before that he'd seen her. Hard eyes and a deep set scowl stared back at him from the comely face of a young woman that might be a couple years older than Kate. "Hello, Larrin," he greeted, using her name as a means to impart his knowledge and familiarity with her in the hopes that she might recognize his uniform and not shoot him.

The woman named Larrin looked back at the face of the man that had called her by name. He had the look of an Atlantian about him, she recognized the uniform and the weapons he carried as being the same as those that Sheppard had had when she'd first met him. It was clear that he was from the city of Atlantis and so she gave her men the order to stand down before she took another step towards him and raised an eyebrow.

"And you are?" she asked, holding his gaze to hers.

Lorne moved the rest of the way out from behind the boulder confidant that if she were asking for his name she wasn't going to have him shot. "Major Lorne, ma'am," he answered, signaling for his teammates to come out from hiding and gather around him. Teyla and Ronon came willingly, Kate was more reluctant and was still mostly on edge.

Larrin's eyes swept over the group of four noting that Sheppard didn't seem to be with them. Too bad, she'd actually missed him since she'd last seen him. Not that she'd admit that out loud. "What do you want?" she demanded instead, fixing her eyes back on the one called Lorne.

Lorne glanced towards Kate and nodded, giving her permission to speak seeing as she was the one that had translated the message in the first place. As Kate stepped forwards still mostly on alert, everyone's eyes including Larrin's shifted to her.

"We've come to deliver a warning to your governing body," Kate ground out, still not at all fond of the number of weapons that could be raised against them at any moment.

The Traveler woman looked her over noting the set of her shoulders and the hard, glasslike glare of warning in her storm grey eyes. "And you are?" Larrin questioned, immediately feeling a connection to the woman that she couldn't rightly explain.

Kate hesitated only briefly. "Major Kate Sheppard."

Larrin's left eyebrow went up. "Sheppard?" she repeated in question, looking the younger woman over once more and realizing that she did bare some vague resemblance to the Colonel. "Any relation to John Sheppard?"

The way she said it made Kate think that this woman had some sort of history with her brother which wouldn't surprise her. John had a tendency to like women who could kick his ass, Teyla was proof enough of that even, if he'd never admit to it. "Sister," she informed the other woman who's face broke out in a frown.

"I'm sorry," Larrin replied honestly and with a teasing tone to her voice that seemed to make the younger woman relax.

Kate snorted, her feeling of caution and heightened state of warning disappearing in an instant. "Habitually, so am I," she teased back and knew immediately that she and Larrin were not so different and would probably end up fairly good friends. "He's got some good qualities though."

Larrin nodded. "Some," she agreed before turning back to Lorne. "So what's this warning you have for us?"

Lorne fixed his gaze to hers. "We picked up on a message in wraith, seems your planet is about to get attacked."

Larrin's eyes went wide in fear for both herself and her people. "They know we're planet bound?" she asked.

Lorne nodded.

She cursed and above her one of the men jumped down to join her. "With the exception of you Atlantians, we haven't told any of our other allies or trading partners that we've landed," the man spat at them. "As far as the galaxy is concerned we still fly the stars. How is it that the wraith know we are planet bound!?!"

Ronon took up the defensive. "That sounds like an accusation," he growled, his fingers reaching for his gun.

Lorne stopped him by holding up a hand and taking a step towards their accuser. "We don't sell out our allies," he bit out.

The man sneered. "But you work with wraith," he growled angrily before looking around at the others. "I say we can't trust those that make deals with the demons!"

There was a rallying cry that lasted only long enough echo once around the hills before Larrin put an end to it. Turning, she grabbed the man by the throat and forced him to his knees, pulling her gun from its holster and holding it to his head. "That's enough, Styson!" she ordered. "You forget that we struck the same deal as they did with the wraith in order to take out the Replicators," she primed her gun and set it to kill. "Or has your memory gone faulty?"

Styson stammered and crossed his eyes before looking up at Larrin. "N-no Larrin," he muttered.

She glared down at him. "Good," she said, her voice hard, as she removed the gun from his head and kicked him in the chest so that he collapsed into a heap in the dust from which he had to pick himself up. Looking around at her men she holstered her weapon and called out, "You forget that the wraith have their own network of spies. Their worshipers infiltrate all levels of human life on hundreds of worlds, feeding their masters information. How dare you accuse those who live in the city of the Ancestors of allying themselves with the wraith!"

Her men looked shamefaced and humbled and Larrin turned back to Lorne. "I'm sorry for the accusation," she apologized before gesturing them to follow her. "Come, I'll take you to the council."

The journey to the village didn't take them long and when they emerged from the river bed, they found a bowl in the ground that had more than likely once been a lake. Inside this impression, a large stone city had been erected, although Lorne suspected that it had already been here and that the Travelers had just moved in and fixed it up. It didn't look all that bad really and it was obvious from the architecture that whoever had originally built the city had either been Ancients or had been influenced by them.

"Nice digs," Lorne commented as they started down the side of the bowel and began the walk towards the monolithic city.

Larrin smiled. "This city used to belong to the Ancestors before the great war with the wraith. Some of their technology is still lying around along with other artifacts but for the most part we've cleaned it up and made it into our own."

"Well, you did a good job," Kate observed from behind Lorne and Larrin.

The Traveler woman looked over her shoulder. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Kate replied before falling silent.

Behind them, at the rear of the procession but in front of the scouting team, Teyla and Ronon exchanged glances. "They're getting along," Ronon remarked quietly to Teyla who smiled in response.

"Yes, and for that I am glad," she answered. "I half expected them to dislike one another."

Ronon grunted and nodded. The two of them hating each other had been a much more likely outcome. Both women were natural leaders, stubborn, hardheaded, hot tempered and in general alpha females. Generally speaking, with the exception of Teyla who was too mild mannered for her own good, alpha females did not get along with other alpha females. On the rare occasions that they did, the bonds of friendship that formed between them were usually unbreakable, so for the sake of Atlantis and everyone else involved Ronon was happy as a clumpa1 that they were getting along.

It wasn't long before they reached the gates of the walled city and after Larrin had a quick talk with the gatekeeper, the wrought metal doors were opened and they were allowed entry. The streets were clear and it was apparent that the Travelers had taken great care with the repairs and upkeep of their new home. If Lorne hadn't been told that that the was a city left behind by the Ancients he would have thought, having now seen it up close, that it had just recently been constructed. They passed by many stores and homes, the occupants of which occasionally peered out of their windows to look at the strangers as they passed. Every now and then a child would dart out of a doorway to get a better look only to be called back and scolded by their parents. Watching this, Lorne felt the weight of duty settle deep in his core as he knew that he and his team would do all in their power to protect these people from the fate that the wraith threatened them with.

Eventually they were led to through the city to the Pyramid type building that lay in its center. They climbed up a set of stairs carved into the stone beginning at the base of the pyramid and narrowing upwards. It was quite a ways up and upon reaching the top, they were led across the flat top of the structure towards a building that he could only guess was being used to house the Traveler council.

Cool air hit him as they passed through another set of metal doors and came out in a large, long room with huge stone columns lining the carpeted walkway that led to the end of the chamber. Each of the columns had light fixture affixed to them that looked not so different from those that lined the hallways of Atlantis. The columns themselves were square in shape and at the very end of the chamber Lorne could just make out an altar that had been carved into the far wall. On the altar's shelf were various works of Ancient craftsmanship and on the wall behind it, at the very top, stood a painted picture of what looked like Atlantis. Under it were writings that Lorne knew to be the in Traveler's language.

"Our tribute to the Ancestors," Larrin said as the carpet split going both to the right and the left. "We painted it ourselves."

Teyla nodded in approval. "It is a good likeness of Atlantis," she commented as they took the path to the right, coming to a doorway carved into the stone and finding themselves in a long passageway. Again, Larrin turned to the right and they continued onwards, coming around a corner before stopping at a ornately carved set of wooden doors.

Larrin stopped and knocked thrice, waiting until she heard the call from within before she nodded to the guards on either side of the double who opened them inwards. Standing back, they retook their positions to the side as Larrin let the Atlantians into the council chamber.

As the doors closed behind him, Lorne had to admit that he was impressed. The room wasn't overly large and while it, like the room outside, had square columns running the length of it they were far fewer in number and height. There was a tiered dais at the end with three levels. On the top level sat one chair, on the next two more to either side of the one above and on the third another two placed just like the ones above them so that the five chairs formed a upside-down V.

Larrin turned towards the Atlantians, her guard having left to return to their duties. "Not all of the governing council is here right now," she informed them, gesturing towards the chairs reserved for those that ruled and formed law. "Two of the five are currently overseeing different repairs to a number of our ships on another world that we're using as a temporary base until they're space worthy again. The remaining three should be here shortly."

Lorne nodded and was about to ask her a question when the doors behind them opened once more and, turning, Lorne and his team got their first look at the Traveler High Council. Two of the three, a man and a woman, walked straight past them without saying a word while the third, younger than the other two, stopped in front of Larrin.

"Greetings, sister," the man said and embraced Larrin briefly before pulling away and retreating to the highest of the five chairs. "Now," he called, looking down on the visitors from Atlantis, "What have you brought me?"

"Sister?" Ronon murmured towards Teyla who looked as equally surprised to hear this as he was.

Larrin took a step forwards. "This is Major Lorne of Atlantis and his team," she gestured over each of them. "Teyla Emmagan of Athos, Ronon Dex and Major Kate Sheppard."

The older of the two men, a slightly rounded man with well groomed mostly grey facial hair, raised an eyebrow. "Sheppard?" he questioned, his eyes looking over the girl. "You are related to Colonel Sheppard, your people's leader?"

While Woolsey was technically in charge of Atlantis, it was probably best that these people continued to think that John was in charge which for all intents and purposes he was. "He's my brother," Kate answered the question and watched at the three people turned to look at each other.

The younger one, Larrin's brother, smiled at this. "I am Arath, son of Termian and High Chancellor of the Travelers." He nodded towards the second man, "This is my First Advisor Palmonth and Fourth Advisor Selorna," he addressed the one called Lorne, obviously the leader because his sister had introduced him first, with a potent stare. "Now, what warning have you come to deliver to us?"

Lorne took a step forwards. "We discovered a coded wraith message -"

Selorna, a stern looking woman with auburn hair that was pulled back into a tight braid that crowned her head and was just turning grey, frowned. "How?" she interrupted.

Lorne sighed. "Atlantis has long range transmitters and receivers that can pick up subspace messages from very far away," he explained. "The message we picked up on was one of intent from one hive to another," he looked directly at Arath, "They're coming here to wipe you out."

Palmonth scowled. "Impossible, how do they even know that we have landed?" his eyes narrowed as his mind came to the same conclusion that Styson's had. "Unless they have been told."

Arath let out an exasperated sigh. "Must you always suspect the worst from others?" he asked of his First, narrowing his eyes at the not quite accusation that the man had laid at their visitors' feet.

Palmonth turned to look upwards at the youngest High Chancellor to have ever taken office. "And why must you always be so trusting?" he snapped. "Our caution keeps us alive."

Arath glared at the tone directed at him. "True, but you must take into account who you are accusing. Those that live in the Lost City are no friends of the wraith, you and I both know this, so accusing them of selling us out is childish. Not an accusation befitting of this council," he turned towards the Atlantians. "My apologies. Your warning is welcomed and appreciated, we thank you."

Lorne nodded and took a breath before taking the plunge that was a defiance of direct orders. "We did not come simply to warn you," he began and, from the corner of his eye, saw Kate stiffen and cast him a hard look. He pressed on anyway. "We've come to offer any help we might be able to give in order to see you and your people escape the wraith's planned attack."

Ignoring the look on Kate's face, Lorne kept his eyes on Arath and the other council members as they each looked at each other before their attention focused back on him.

"Your offer is generous and we accept," Arath announced before frowning sadly. "Unfortunately there is not much that can be done. Our ships are all grounded for the time being and this city is all that we have by way of shelter. I don't know what we could possibly do."

Teyla stepped forwards. "You say your ships are grounded but I do not see them," she leveled her gaze to the council, "Where are they?"

Selorna turned towards the Athosian whom out of all of them, she trusted more than the others. "There is hanger bay on the other side of the mountain," she explained. "The three ships that we have are there."

A plan began to form in Lorne's mind. "I'm going to assume that this hanger bay is Ancient right?" seeing the look of confusion on their faces he clarified, "It was built by the Ancestors?"

Palmonth nodded. "Yes, but I don't see -"

"We've run across other Ancient outposts before," Lorne cut in knowing that time was of the essence and they needed to come up with a plan quick, "Most of them have some sort of bunkers or storage rooms attacked to the actual hangers. Do you know if -"

Selorna nodded. "There is door leading somewhere from the back of the hanger but none of us are able to open it. It is coded and even with our accessorial blood we cannot open it."

Lorne smiled. "Well, lucky for you we know a thing or two about opening locked doors," he turned to Kate who was still looking at him with a hard edge to her eyes. Now was the moment of truth. "Do you think you could override the door controls?"

Kate stared at Lorne. He was defying orders, Woolsey had told them to deliver their warning and leave not stay and pledge their resources to the fight. Kate knew that what Lorne was asking of her was a request not an order but that he'd have no problem making it one if she said no. Never in her life, no matter how disrespectful or disdainful it had been, had she defied a direct order from the top of the chain of command which in this case was Woolsey. Her mind working furiously, she knew that what he was asking her to do was morally right and that militarily speaking - because Lorne was her commanding officer - his orders overrode Woolsey's but if she did this she'd be defying the chain of command no matter how she swung it or what she used to reason with.

The chain of command was there for a reason and it was a reason she believed in. Unfortunately, just like her brother and the rest of Atlantis, excluding Woolsey, she also felt a strong sense of responsibility to the various friends they had and their allies. Lorne was asking her to defy orders in order to do what was morally right and what she knew in her heart they _should_ do.

Lorne saw Kate's hesitation and the confusion warring in her eyes. He knew this was hard for her. She'd been conditioned by the government to take orders blindly and without question of morality. He didn't want to pull rank on her, she was his best friend, but right now he needed her skills to get the job he'd come here to do done. "Major," he called through her thoughts, deliberately using her rank to make a statement, "Can you do it?"

Kate looked up at him, her decision made. "Yes."

Lorne breathed a sigh of relief and watched Ronon and Teyla do the same. "Good," he turned back towards Arath, who was regarding Kate with interest. "Could one of you take Major Sheppard to the hanger and show her the door," he turned towards Larrin. "Meanwhile, we can begin helping your people move. Got any shuttles?"

Larrin nodded. "Yeah, five. They're slightly larger than your jumpers."

"That'll work," Lorne said feeling slightly better about things.

Arath stood and stepped down from the dais. "I will escort Major Sheppard to the hanger and then return to begin shuttling people up the mountain." He gestured for Kate to follow him and together the two of them left the chamber.

When her brother and the woman were gone, Larrin turned to Lorne. "You're defying orders," she told him, quirking an eyebrow.

Lorne shrugged. "Woolsey told us to warn you and leave. Unfortunately our consciences won't let us do that."

Larrin nodded and looked over the direction Arath had led Kate as both Palmonth and Selorna left to go warn the people. "She's never defied orders before has she?" she asked.

"Kate is a perfect soldier, or at least that is what she was trained to be," Teyla said sadly.

Lorne nodded. "She's a human weapon, she's been conditioned to take orders no matter how morally wrong or corrupt they are."

Larrin sighed, feeling sorry for the woman whom she felt a kinship towards even after having just met her. "I'm glad she choose to help."

Lorne, too, sighed. "So am I."

~xXx~

"Is this absolutely necessary, Commander?"

Todd sighed and turned towards his second-in-command who normally could not be persuaded to journey off his ship without use of excessive force. Fortunately for the Hive Commander, his powers of persuasion were slightly more advanced than most and Kenny had run out of reasons why he could not go long before Todd had run out of reasons why he should. At the moment, the two of them were in a transport bound for a stationary hive ruled by a queen with whom the elder wraith hoped to make an alliance.

"Yes," Todd answered his reluctant travel companion, "it is."

Kenny knew better then to push his commander any more then he already had. He hated going off hive simply because whenever he did something always went wrong, especially when the Atlantians were involved. Luckily for him, their business was not one that included those miscreant humans and so the chances that some aspect of their mission would end horribly was slightly lower than average. Kenny was glad for that, but he still did not want to be here.

Among other things, Todd could sense his second's dread and had to admit that the younger wraith had a well-conceived point. Unfortunately the matter at hand could not wait and Todd had negotiated and manipulated the players in this particular game long and hard in order to reach this point. The fact of the matter was that his alliance needed queens in order to survive and while he was loathe to attempt a union with any females from this particular class, the absence of any breeding females that were not queens left him little or no options. As a Hive Commander, and supreme commander of his entire alliance, he was duty bound to do what was in the best interest for his wraith and that included making concessions that he abhorred.

Todd pulled back on the transport's controls as he mentally dropped the ship out of hyperspace. The queen's hive loamed before them, impressive and imposing as any other space bound hive if processing a slight aura of corruption and suspicion that pulsed just faintly enough for the ancient wraith to sense. Besides him, Kenny's reservations were pushed to the side and the younger moved forwards into business mode and, as was his job, pressed the communications code so that Todd could talk to the bridge.

The conversation was short and they were instructed by the hive's second-in-command to use the first dart bay. Todd steered the craft forwards and landed in one of the empty dart docks before standing, shutting off all power and lowering the back hatch. Kenny followed him and as commander and second they were greeted by the hive's second. Todd's eyes narrowed.

"Where is your Commander?" he demanded, struck by the breach in conduct and the affront to his rank that this hive had so far offered him. When visiting other hives, a Hive Commander was to be met with either the commander of the hive he was visiting or the Queen, never by a rank lower than his own.

The second eyed him with disdain, not bothering to hide his dislike for this one. The wraith that stood in front of him was a renegade, a commander that sought to take the place of a queen among not only his hive but several others under his control. Why his queen had agreed to meet with such as this was beyond him. "My Commander is busy tending to matters far beyond your level of comprehension," he sneered. "Perhaps if you were not burdened by obligations that are not yours to take you would understand.

Todd stiffened and besides him, Kenny shifted uncomfortably in trepidation. Nothing good ever came from speaking so disrespectfully to the Eldest. The last wraith who had offended him had had his heart ripped out of his chest and shoved still beating down his throat. It was a testament to his age, his superiority and the importance of this mission that the Commander allowed the younger's comment to slide. Kenny rather thought the other was lucky his commander was in a forgiving mood.

Contrary to what his second was thinking, Todd was far removed from allowing this whelp of a wraith's disrespect to go uncommented upon. Taking a dangerous step forwards, he gathered his hands behind his back and glared down on the slightly shorter younger. "Tell me," he began benignly, the threat just barely concealed within the many facets of his multi-toned voice, "what is the age of your queen?"

The Second stiffened. "I fail to see -"

Todd growled. "I was High Commander of the wraith long before your queen was birthed and probably before her Motem or Sire was as well. So," he sneered down on the younger whose eyes had gone wide in recognition, "perhaps some respect is due me, do you not agree?"

The Second gulped in fear. This was the Eldest; the oldest living wraith commander, once High Commander and the wraith responsible for bringing the accursed Lanteans to their knees. His queen had not informed him or his commander of the importance or breeding of their visitor and he wondered if she even knew. He hoped that she did or else, as prideful as she was, she would mostly likely do something to insult him. The Eldest was not known for his forgiveness.

"Now," Todd said, his tone mellowed as he was positive that he now had the younger's full respect and cooperation, "Escort us to your queen and your queen only. Another slight against me and I will see you and your hive rue this day."

"Of course, Eldest," the second bowed low at his waist before straightening and motioning for the visitors to follow him.

His queen was seated at her throne, his Hive's Commander bent towards her in conversation when he entered bringing with him their visitors. He stopped, respectfully waiting for his queen to give him leave to speak while inwardly hoping that she did not keep the Eldest waiting too long.

"What is this?" the queen hissed angrily, standing to observe her hive's second in command and those two wraith that he had brought with him. Angrily she bore down on him. "I told you to have them wait!"

Before the belligerent second could speak, Todd stepped forwards and saved him the trouble. He knew that the queen recognized him as soon as he stepped forwards into the circle of light that circled the area closest to her throne. "That," he began darkly, "would not have been wise."

The queen's eyes widened. "Eldest!" she hissed, caution going into her words while she was in this one's presence. "I did not expect it to be you."

Todd frowned. "That much is clear by the blatant disrespect I have been shown thus far."

"My apologies," the Queen soothed, walking down from her throne and coming to stand in front of the most powerful of males. She circled him, running her feeding hand across first his chest and then his shoulders as she come all the way around him and stood before him once more. "Had I known it was you I would have made sure your reception was better met."

Todd caught her hand before it could trail once more across the front of his form. "You would do well to keep your place," he hissed threateningly, letting her know that he did not welcome her advances.

The female hissed and drew away her hand angrily but calmed herself as she remembered which male she was currently speaking to. Were it any other, she would not hesitate to remove his hand for daring to grip her wrist so harshly. As it was, she would have to keep her temper and her thoughts under control or risk revealing too much to this damningly observant wraith who would see her punished severely if she transgressed against him. The Eldest was not forgiving and was as cold as he was hard and domineering. He was the only male that the queens as a collective feared.

Removing herself from his presence, she retreated to her throne and sat, settling in before flashing her gaze up to his. "You have come to offer an alliance," she began knowing that bluntness in this case was perhaps best given what she knew of his temperament. "If you have not come to offer yourself, then by what manner do you hope to gain my compliance?"

Todd's eyes flashed over the seated queen, her commander that stood nearby and then finally to her second who had brought him here before once more returning to her face. "My alliance is in possession of a great many unique resources which I believe you will find useful," he paused and reached into one of the pockets hidden in the folds of his battle-coat. Pulling out a portable storage device he held it up for her to see. "A list of planets know to contain cashes of Lantean technology that can be reverse engineered and then integrated into your hive along with the instructions on how to do so."

The queen's eyes widened and she wet her lips in greed and anticipation of the advantage such knowledge would bring to her and those hives that she controlled. "And you would be willing to give this to me in trade for what?" she asked.

Todd grinned inwardly knowing that he had already secured her alliance and that, given what he offered her, could ask for anything he chose. "All I ask is that at your next breeding cycle you choose a mate from among my hive commanders."

"And, should I give my consent to this, you then would wish to keep those younglings that I birth," came her steady response, her expression betraying nothing to indicate that she had yet agreed to his terms.

The Eldest nodded. "That is correct."

The queen pretended to think while inwardly knowing that she would be a fool if she did not accept. "Very well," she replied after a time in which she had a short mental conversation with her Commander. "I agree to your terms."

Todd bowed to her. "Then our business here is done."

The Queen held up a hand. "Not quite," she saw him look up, his eyes narrowed. "Regrettably I am not able to let you take your leave as of yet. Moments after you arrived here I ordered my commander to take this hive into hyperspace. We have business to attend to on a human world. When it has been concluded, I will gladly release you and your second."

Todd growled not above showing his displeasure and took satisfaction in the look of remote fear that flashed through the female's eyes. "What business do you have with a human world?" he demanded.

The Hive Commander started forwards in challenge. "That is not for you to know -" he began but was cut off with a simple wave of his queen's hand. Backing down, he returned to his place by her side.

"Come now," the Queen hissed softly, "We are allies now, surely it would not be remiss to explain ourselves to him," she affixed him with her gaze. "You are familiar with the humans called Travelers?"

Todd nodded minutely once. "They are a space-dwelling race. They take their home on ships as do we and as a result are able to evade us quite easily."

"Until now," the queen informed him. "The Travelers are allies with the accursed Atlantians and, as their success against those weaker factions of us has grown, the Travelers have been lulled into a false sense of security. They believe that our hold on this galaxy has weakened and as such have taken to establishing homes upon the surfaces of worlds," a hungry gleam spread through her gaze as a wicked smile of malevolence crept over her lips. "We go to wipe them from existence as punishment for their transgressions against us and for their arrogance in daring to think themselves greater."

Todd's eyes narrowed at this announcement. The mention of his human allies drawing the conversation Katherine had had with him on his hive to the forefront of his mind along with the conclusions that he himself had drawn on the matter. To actually see the practice in action was disturbing and solidified her point all the more firmly inside his head. Besides him, the swirling thoughts of his second leached into his consciousness and allowed him the knowledge that Kenny seemed to feel as equally as did he.

"I wish to take no part in this," he snarled, throwing every note of command into his voice that he was able. "Drop your ship out of hyperspace and allow us to leave. You may go on."

The queen shook her head, undeterred by his anger. The Travelers had long defied the wraith and it was high time they were destroyed for it. She would not let anyone, not even the Eldest, keep her from accomplishing this. "I think not. You see, I want to arrive before they have a chance to take to the stars." Her eyes hardened and she reminded him with a look that he was on her hive and that the twelve thousand wraith onboard were loyal only to her, hoping that that would be enough to deter even such as he from taking any form of action against her.

Kenny glanced towards his commander. The ancient wraith was positively seething with resentment and barely suppressed rage against the female currently seated not a meter from him. The young wraith knew his superior's temper, had heard legends describing it since he was a youngling still mewling in his motem's nest. Desperately he sent that one a mental message of warning and a reminder that he could always put her in her place after they had what they need from her. His probing earned him first a snap of rebuke and then acquiescence from the elder who stood down and relaxed his posture only barely.

"Commander," the queen summoned, turning to her Hive Commander as soon as she knew that the Eldest would not attempt to overrule her and would abide by her whilst he resided here, "Take our…allies to quarters befitting their stations."

It was a dismissal and once more Todd heard the mental tone of his second as the younger pleaded for him to keep his temper. As he followed this hive's commander down a narrow corridor towards the guest chambers reserved for visiting commanders, he thought back on how the one the humans called Kenny had ended up his second-in-command. When he had first been returned to his kind from his imprisonment by the one Sheppard called Koyla, his now second had been the head of science and development on the hive that had picked him up. After a short interview with the queen and a meeting with the Hive commander he had been taken and given to Kenny who was to be his superior officer. It had taken less than an hour for the younger wraith to realize that the newcomer was vastly more knowledgeable then he was, but even while knowing that Todd should be _his_ superior, he could not disobey the orders of his queen.

It was not until their hive encountered the Replicators that Todd's identity came out. When the queen came to them with the mandate to create a code to disrupt their programming to destroy all wraith, Todd had suggested using the original virus created for that same purpose. The Queen had deemed such as that impossible as the wraith responsible for the very intricate program was no longer. Todd had scoffed at this and then proceeded to script out the entirety of the program from memory before turning to the baffled queen and awestruck Kenny and announcing that for being dead his memory was certainly well kept. It had taken the young queen maybe a minute before the name Eldest had dropped from her lips in stupefied shock.

What followed was transference of power in which he took the place of her Hive's Commander whilst he took Kenny as his second. Truthfully, he saw a great deal of himself in the younger even if he was more reserved and less temperamental then he himself had been. It was rare to find such redeeming qualities in one so young, which was mostly why he had carried the younger as far with him as he had. When he had instructed his hive to come to Atlantis, he had given Kenny instruction to go on a mission elsewhere as he had had an inkling of an idea that the hive would not survive its journey. The loss of the young queen who could have been manipulated into doing anything that he pleased had been regretful, but the loss of the talented younger wraith would have been greater. To this day, his second was unaware as to why he had been sent on that particular mission and Todd intended to keep it that way.

His reflection ended abruptly as the Hive Commander stopped, keyed open a set of chambers that shared a communal living space, and stood back waiting for them to enter. Todd and his second ventured inwards silently, barely inside the room before the Hive Commander closed the door and retreated back to his queen. Turning about the reasonably comfortable chamber, Todd took two great steps towards a chair and sank down into it resting one booted foot upon the edge of the table in front of him whilst slouching sideways to prop up his head on his hand. A great shuttering breath that was more a growl then a release echoed through him as his second came to take the seat across from him.

Kenny sat rigidly in the chair opposite his Commander, slightly uncomfortable with how unceremonious the elder was being. Of course, the younger could look at it as a sign of deep familiarity and trust that his commander would choose to relax in his presence, but long knowledge of the reputation of this particular wraith made Kenny nervous and so he thought to address their situation rather than sit in companionable silence.

"Commander," he began stoically, only to be cut off when the elder raised his gaze to his and silenced him with a look.

Todd sighed. "You have been my second-in-command for several years now," he eyed the stiff-backed younger, "and still you are not comfortable with me."

Kenny gulped, not at all sure how to have this conversation with one so great as this one. "You are Eldest," he tried, offering the explanation that made the most sense given the circumstance.

Todd snorted. "You of all wraith need not be intimidated by me," he smirked. "You seem able to remind me to keep my temper but you are yet nervous when sitting alone in a room with me." His voice betrayed the irony of his observation.

Since the younger still did not wish to have this conversation nor did he know how to proceed if he did, Kenny tried something else; bringing up a name that he knew would draw his Commander's attention to something other than him and their relation to one another as Commander and Second. "This…attack that the queen has planned," he paused and looked up to his superior, "This is what Katherine meant, is it not?"

A true sigh, with no trace of growl or snarl, spread through Todd as he nodded. "Yes," he hissed wearily, his mind racing as he questioned what, if anything, could possibly be done in this circumstance. The Travelers, he knew, and as the queen had pointed out, were allies and friends to the Atlantians. Sheppard had even told him of his fondness for one of the female ship commanders and it was with this knowledge that he understood that were they to be destroyed, Sheppard and others would grieve for their loss. It was an outcome that he would save them from if he could.

Kenny watched the face of the elder and knew instinctively what the Eldest was thinking. "We can do nothing, Commander, without risking our own alliance," he said quietly. "Those hives you control lack females to produce offspring for us and swell our numbers. You're former queen, while able to produce drones for us, is barren and I do not think you wish to mate yet again with your former mate."

Todd made a face that did absolutely nothing to hide his disgust at the mere mention of breeding once more with that female. The idea of him breeding at all with any female was not appealing. Given his age and the fact that he had already done so twenty-two times previously made the thought of parenting seem a sentence rather than a pleasure. He supposed that with his power and influence he could well get one of his underlings to do the rearing for him but his motem and sire had instilled in him a deep sense of responsibility. He did not think his conscience would stand the thought of another nurturing his young for him, and so the idea was dismissed.

His alliance had but two queens and as his second had said one was barren, having only produced one son throughout all her life, and the other would accept no other mate but him, and he would not mate her if his life depended on it. Kenny's assessment of the situation was true enough; if he was to uphold his responsibilities to his hives with any honor, then he would have to sacrifice his concern for his human allies for the well-being of those wraith who served him.

~xXx~

It had taken an hour, but Kate had been able to override the door controls at the rear of the hanger bay, and after a city wide announcement had been made, Larrin took charge of shuttling her people up the mountain to take refuge. This method of hiding worked well against the wraith who almost never ventured down from their hives in order to thoroughly search an area to find hidden humans. And even if they did this time, they wouldn't find anything. The entrance to the hanger could be concealed by a shield that created the illusion of solid rock and gave off such low levels of energy that wraith scanners would not be able to detect them no matter how hard they tried, so the mountain was the perfect place to hide.

As the last few families took to the shuttles, Larrin ran around frantically calling out to her people to hurry as she could almost feel the press of the wraith coming nearer. When Teyla radioed down from the mountain that she could feel them, Larrin had begun to panic and urged her people to move more quickly.

Just as she was checking the last house for anyone left behind her ears picked up on the familiar buzzing whine of the wraith's darts. Tearing from the stone dwelling she ran quickly back to the launching pad where the last shuttle stood waiting.

"Larrin!" a small, terrified voice called out and she turned back towards the city to see a tiny boy running as quickly as he his little legs could carry him towards the awaiting craft.

"Taren, hurry!" a man called out from within the opened sided shuttle and Larrin cursed before turning and sprinting towards the terrified young one.

Scooping him up into her arms she ran back towards the ship and handed him off to his father who gave her a grateful smile.

"Is that everyone?" she asked, still not boarding the transport until she was sure that every last one of her people was safe.

The family nodded and just as Larrin was about to climb into the transport, as the whining of the dart got closer and multiplied, the mother cried out.

"Wait, wait," she wailed, looking around at her children, "where is your sister? Where is Sara?"

The boys all shook their heads and Taren, the boy Larrin had saved pulled at his mother's sleeve. "She went back for the picture of grandmotem."

The woman cried and held her face in her hands. "Foolish, foolish girl. I told her to leave it." Her husband put an arm round her.

Larrin scowled. "I'll get her." She turned away from the craft, her eyes widening as she saw that the darts had already dropped their beams and were scanning the city.

"Your life is more important than our girl," the father called not knowing how he could face the High Chancellor if his sister was taken.

Larrin ignored him and took off running. The darts and their culling beams were coming closer and her feet pounded the ground as she ran. Nearing the edge of the city, she met the terrified child and grabbed her hand wordlessly before turning and racing back to the transport.

"Sara, Larrin hurry!" came the collective cry of those aboard the transport and Larrin dared a glance behind her, fear creeping up her spine as a single dart narrowed in of them as they ran.

"LARRIN!" the girl screamed as the dart came over them and with a shove, Larrin pushed her towards the craft.

"GO!" she screamed as she saw the father grasp his daughter's hand and pull her on board. "GO NOW!"

The pilot took off with a nod to her and Larrin watched them climb, smiling inwardly that they were safe, before the beam passed over her and all went black.

~xXx~

As with any cull or annihilation, any visitors to a hive were asked to be on the bridge to serve as witness to the victory. It was an old tradition, one that Todd found incredibly tedious, but nonetheless one that he was honor bound to follow. As a result, both he and his second stood to the side of the queen and her top-ranking officers as they awaited the return of the dart master.

"Well?" the queen hissed eagerly as her officer returned to the bridge, "How many darts did we deploy?"

"All, my Queen," the dart master replied dreading the question that was to come next because of the answer he had for it.

A smile split her face and the queen shook her head, her long black hair dancing to her movement. "And how many of the humans did we harvest?" she asked her apatite rising.

The dart master gulped. "One," he replied.

To the side both Todd and Kenny looked at each other while the queen fumed.

"What!" she screeched angrily, lunging forwards to grab her officer by his throat. "What do you mean one!?!"

The dart master fought to breath but he did not seek to loosen his queen's grip at his throat. "Just that my Queen," he stammered, "The planet is deserted. There are no life signs registering on any of our scans. We captured the one human on the planet."

The queen dropped her officer who stumbled away from her, gently massaging his throat. "Where are they!?" she growled, "Surly they have not taken once more to the skies!"

The officer shook his head. "No my Queen," he informed her, "Their ships are still planet bound, resting in a hanger bay within the mountain. The humans have simply vanished."

Personally, Todd thought all of this was rather amusing. Experience, helped along by his acquaintance with Sheppard and the other Atlantians, had taught him never to underestimate the intelligence of those humans that his race considered ignorant food. As the queen paced and growled, the Eldest thought over various scenarios in his head and came to the conclusion that the humans were most likely hiding somewhere.

The queen came to the same conclusion.

"They are hiding from me," she ranted. "How dare they! Dart Master!"

The wraith stood erect and waited for his queen's orders, dropping his hands from his neck to his sides. "Yes."

"Go! bring me the human you caught!"

The wraith bowed and then scurried to do as he was bid, fear at his queen' heightened anger urging him to move faster for his own benefit as well as everyone else's. Those left on the bridge did not have to wait long before a human woman was brought to them held between two drones. She struggled and strained against her captors at every turn until she was dragged forwards and forced to kneel at the queen's feet. As the female wraith circled the woman, Todd took the time to study her immediately recognizing her as the one called Larrin, of whom Sheppard was fond.

Todd sighed. This could not end well.

"Tell me, human," the queen hissed, running a hand down the woman's face in mock caress, "Where are the rest of you?"

Larrin could feel the queen's mind pressing at her own, willing her to tell the truth but she fought it. The need to protect her people and keep them from this vicious creature's clutches overriding her fear and making her anger stronger. "Go to hell," she ground out through clenched teeth, her eyes hard and cold as the floor upon which she knelt.

The queen snarled and backhanded the woman across the face. Her head swung away from her, but when the human's eyes returned to hers they held not compliance but contempt. This human would not break, and while the queen could smell her fear, her defiance tainted the room thickly.

"You dare defy me!" the queen growled, completely lost as to where this strength had come from. Humans were weak, it was why they were food to those greater then they. This one, a female no less, should not be able to resist her so strongly.

Larrin glared up at her. "Yes," she hissed her voice low and dripping with all the hate she felt for the wraith. "I dare."

The queen roared in fury and raised her hand to sap the life from this female only to stop as the human began to taunt her.

"We knew you were coming," Larrin informed the queen, satisfaction registering with the disbelief that fluttered across the wraith's face. "We escaped you."

The queen calmed her anger and bent low, lifting the female's chin with her forefinger. "But you did not," she hissed darkly, confidant that the threat of death would lessen this one's defiance.

Larrin's gaze never wavered. "My people did. My life for theirs is a price I am only too willing to pay."

The female's continued and unwavering boldness completely angered the queen, her first thought being to have the woman killed. To feed from her slowly as to prolong her agony. A glance over the woman's figure, the cast of her features and the tint of her eyes changed her mind and, calming herself, she turned towards the Eldest.

"I realize that you have never found any interest in human females," she purred, walking up to him so that he was looking down on her, his eyes hard as if to tell her that he knew what was coming next. "But surly you can find some use for her."

Todd detested the idea of companions; human women forced into a wraith's bed against their will and while he would never do such a thing – and the Queen knew this - accepting her for whatever purpose he could come up with was the only way he could think of to save her. An action for which he was sure Sheppard would thank him. "Perhaps," he said eventually. "Have her taken to my quarters."

Larrin's eyes flashed in fear as her fate was decided for her. She would rather be fed upon then forced to be the paramour for a wraith. As she felt the drones once more grasp her arms and haul her to her feet she screamed and kicked but to no avail as she was pulled from the room and the presence of her new master.

~xXx~

Arath sat heavily in his seat in a smaller chamber off that of the main room in which his people had taken refuge. The last transport had just returned bearing with it the fate of his sister, and while the family on board had apologized over and over again begging his forgiveness, he had assured them that he found no blame in them before retiring to this room to think. Around him gathered the visitors from Atlantis, Palmonth and his wife, all seeking to comfort him. He wanted none of it and angrily rose from his chair to begin to pace.

Lorne watched him, his mind going over anything that could possibly be done. Besides him Teyla and Ronon stood silent while Kate sat sullenly in a corner. She hadn't spoken to anyone since she'd unlocked the doors.

"There's gotta be something we can do," Ronon grunted, not one to stand and do nothing.

Arath stopped and turned towards him, his hurt bleeding into anger as he snapped, "Like what!?"

Ronon's eyes narrowed as Millia, a small woman who was the complete opposite of Larrin, went to attempt to sooth her husband.

"They are only trying to help, dearest," she reminded him as she reached out a hand to touch him only to have him draw away in pain.

Arath let loose a shaky laugh. "What is there that could be done?" he demanded, looking about the room. "She had been taken to the hive and will either be imprisoned, killed or worse," he sighed and sank back into his previously deserted chair. "I shudder to think what will be done to her and that I shall never know her fate."

An idea struck Lorne who suddenly turned towards Kate. "Kate," he called and when she didn't answer he tried again. "Major."

She looked up and Lorne knew he had her attention.

"The wraith code we found, the one that had the original message in it, can you write it?" he asked, ignoring the confounding looks he was getting from everyone else who wanted to know where this was going.

Kate nodded once. "Yes."

Lorne turned to Arath. "What we need is a reason for the wraith to come looking for us." He nodded toward Kate. "If she sends the hive a message in their own dead language, then wouldn't that give them enough reason to come down here?"

Ronon grunted. "It would certainly piss them off."

Arath shook his head. "But what good would provoking them serve?" At his side, Millia rubbed his back soothingly and for the first time in over an hour, he felt hope retuning to him.

"Well, think about it," Lorne continued, "The wraith's biggest fault is pride. Imagine what would happen if they were to receive a message from what they think is an inferior race in their own language."

Near the back of the room, in the same place he had stood for well over an hour, Palmonth nodded his head in understanding. "Yes, that would certainly provoke the queen's anger." He looked at the Atlantians and carefully studied each of their faces. "She would most certainly send a delegation of wraith to investigate."

Millia looked frightened. "But, would not the hive be able to track the signal back to its location?" she looked about. "Why would we wish to invite them to our doorstep when we have successfully hidden from them?"

Ronon took a step forwards, silently communicating with Lorne by flashing his eyes at Kate and then looking up to convey that he was onto the plan. "Larrin's on the hive and we need to get her. We get the wraith to come looking for the one that sent them the message –"

"And they will take her back to the hive to be killed by the queen," Millia insisted with a shake of her head. "You're plan, while bold, will not work."

"Yes, it will."

Lorne, Arath and his wife, Teyla, Ronon and Palmonth turned towards Kate who had removed herself from the shadows and was now standing not far away from the group of people. The look of determination on her face told Lorne that she had reached a decision and that he would not have to order her to do this. Larrin, in the short time they had known each other, had become her friend and he knew that Kate was deathly protective of her friends, mostly because she had so few.

Millia looked at her. "How?"

Kate lifted her head. "Not to sound conceded or anything, but I'm John Sheppard's sister and if I tell the queen that in a message then she'll want me brought to her alive. I've been on enough of hives that I will be able to find Larrin and get her back."

Palmonth eyed her. "You are so certain?" he looked her up and down. "You are but one girl, how do you suppose to defeat an entire hive's worth of wraith?"

Kate's eyes narrowed. "By not being seen. Trust me," she added, "this is what I was made for."

Palmonth looked like he was about to object again, but Lorne cut him off. "If Major Sheppard thinks she can do it, then we let her try," He sent Kate a piercing look, thanking her.

Millia opened her mouth and closed it again as she looked at her husband. He looked so hopeful. She was reluctant to take that from him and so she bowed her head in acceptance of the plan.

Lorne saw the consent on everyone's faces and turned towards Kate. "Right, there's a communications terminal in another room farther back in the mountain. Go send a message to the hive."

Kate nodded once and turned towards the exit.

"Kate," Lorne called out before she could leave the room. She stopped and turned to him, her face the same blank mask it had been since they'd decided to stay and help. "Make her mad."

For the first time in several hours, Kate grinned before leaving to attend to her task.

~xXx~

The queen's throne room was the absolute last place that Todd desired to be at the moment but unfortunately decorum prevented him from retiring to his chambers until the queen dismissed him to do so. As it stood, the queen was seething in her throne, both her second and hive commanders standing to either side of her while he and Kenny stood respectfully off to the side in perfect silence. They had been this way for quite a while and personally Todd was tired of it.

"My Queen," a wraith called as he entered the room and bowed low before the sulking female that had been outwitted by a group of humans.

She sat up. "What?" she demanded.

The wraith kept his eyes on the ground, careful not to anger his queen whom was already in one of the foulest moods she had ever been in. "My Queen, we are receiving a transmission," he informed her.

The queen hissed lightly. "From whom?" she asked, leaning forwards in her throne and regarding the wraith subservient before her.

His head remained bowed as he answered. "The planet."

Todd's eyes widened along with everyone else's as he wondered what the humans could possibly be thinking as a message could be retraced back to its source. This type of erratic and not quite properly thought out behavior was indicative of the Atlantians and for the first time Todd considered the possibility that the Travelers were being helped. The thought was not a pleasing one as he now did not know what to expect and could not even begin to predict the outcome.

The queen gave a mental command to the subordinate who crossed the room and, after punching in a series of commands, brought a communication up onto one of the room's viewing screens.

The queen's eyes scanned the message, her anger rising with each symbol her brain read and recognized. This was their own code, an early form of the wraith language that no human should know. "How is this possible?" she whispered as her eyes scanned the message, more of a jeer and a taunt, which had been sent to them from the humans hiding on the planet below.

"It is our own code," the Hive commander acknowledged taking a step towards the screen and frowning. "Whoever composed this did a remarkable job." There was a slight tint of respect to his double toned voice. "The grammar is perfect."

The queen raged. "I do not care if their grammar is correct or not, no human can read this!"

Off to the side, Todd had to inwardly grin as that statement wasn't exactly true as he knew for a fact that Katherine could read this particular form of wraith writing very well; she might even be able to write it. That thought made him wonder who planet side was the one scripting this. He dismissed the possibility that it was Katherine. There was no way that she could be there.

The Hive Commander watched his queen pace and began to offer up an explanation. "The Travelers are allies with the Atlantians," he began. "Is it not possible that those accursed humans found a reference to our earliest language in the Atlantis archives?"

The Queen hisses. "It is not possible," she bellowed, clenching her fists at her sides. "Five years ago the queens as a collective ordered the Archives wiped clean. We sent virus through their computer systems erasing all mention of the wraith from before the Great War. There should be nothing left for those damnable humans to find!" She gestured wildly at the screen. "Certainly not this!!"

It took a moment for the queen's words to make full sense, but when they did, their meanings left Todd livid. Having recently been in the Atlantis archives he knew that precious little information about his race's history and culture remained. The fragment of wraith-written script that he had written into the achieves after Sheppard had told him of Katherine's interest in him he had intended her to find so that she could begin to translate his command log. Had he not given her that reference point then he had no doubt that she would have been unable to translate any of his writings and he had sat there cursing the Lanteans for erasing the history of his race. Now to discover that it was his own wraith that had ordered their history deleted angered him beyond all comprehension.

"What right have you and your fellow queens to erase our past!?!" he hissed slowly and dangerously, breaking from his spot to the side of the room and walking forwards threateningly.

The queen turned on him, in her anger completely forgetting whom she was talking to or perhaps not caring. "Such was the unanimous decision made by all awakened queens when the city was first raised by those blasted humans!"

Around them, the hive commander and second gulped knowing that confronting the Eldest was not a wise decision on the part of their queen, but their loyalty to her forbade them from stopping her.

Todd snarled, his words dripping malice and hatred for this one as well as all others of the corrupt queens. "That was not your right!"

She answered him in a growl. "You are a relic of the past Eldest," she seethed, her reasoning and caution lost in her anger. "Be glad that we did not take your memories as well, for the less the humans of Atlantis know of us, the better off we shall be!!."

The words that he had once told Sheppard, that there was much he did not know about wraith, tugged at him as he realized that what the queen said was partially true. He was from a time long past and the events and culture that had shaped him and made him were long since gone, dead and buried. Suddenly, Todd knew why it was that Sheppard had such difficulty viewing him as different from other wraith. To him all wraith were the same, the way of life that they lived had always been and the human knew no different. But there was a difference and Todd realized that if he were to ever have anything more than just a tentative alliance with John Sheppard, he'd have to show him that difference.

Without waiting to be dismissed, his mind a swirling mass of thoughts and emotions all kept artfully hidden, Todd turned on his heel and stalked from the room, retreating.

Due to the years that Kenny had spent under the service of the Eldest, the younger wraith could easily ascertain the disposition of his commander as the barest hints of the elder's turmoil washed over him. Within him he felt the echoes of great loss as well as both betrayal and the deepest, most profound repugnance. Forcefully clearing his mind, Kenny turned back his attention to the queen who seemed undisturbed by the Eldest's departure. Something in his consciousness, a fleeting feeling of unease, told him to stay rather than follow the retreat of his commander. There was something in this message that had not been revealed and Kenny, although he could not rightly explain how, knew instinctively that his commander would wish to know of it.

His inner feeling was rewarded as the bottom of the missive sent form the planet was achieved and the visiting second felt his eyes widen in alarm at the name that sat there. Caution, panic, and intense unease and trepidation flooded him as he flicked his eyes towards the female wraith and watched her eyes alight with the greed of victory that this new information brought her.

"Ah," the queen hissed in glee, inwardly pleased at the stupidity of this human who so easily gave up her name. "Katherine Sheppard. Humans that share the same latter name are related are they not?" she asked her hive commander.

"Yes, my Queen," the male confirmed.

She returned her eyes to the screen, her mind racing. "Retrace the signal and dispatch the hunters," she turned, her wide and malicious smile taking over the whole of her face. "I want to meet this Katherine of Atlantis. I believe she and I have a great deal to talk about."

With the queen distracted, Kenny took this as his opportunity to slip form the room and race, as quickly as was socially acceptable to his commander's temporary quarters as, not for the first time this day, Kenny wished he could have stayed on their hive.

~xXx~

Blinded by his anger over the termination of so much of his kind's history and the betrayal over the fact that such a heinous crime had been committed by those of his own race rather than by the Lanteans as he had long suspected, Todd forgot what was waiting for him in his quarters. He was quickly reminded however as soon as he walked through the door and saw her attempting to view the planet below out of the tiny window situated on the far wall of his room.

"Thinking of your people?" he asked blandly and watched the woman jump and scramble as far away from his as she could get.

Larrin glared at the wraith who was now supposedly her master. It would be a cold day in hell before she submitted herself to him and the retort she spit out at him came out cold and hard. "Why do you care?"

Todd sighed, not at all in the mood to deal with her at the moment after what he had just learned but knowing that he could not very well leave her without an explanation as to the particulars of her situation. Taking a step towards her, he had to commend her when she did not try and get still farther away from him. Her defiance and confidence reminded him of Katherine.

"I will not harm you," he spoke evenly, trying to make his voice seem as nonthreatening as possible.

The woman's eyes turned to glass and narrowed to slits. "Like I believe you," Larrin spat contemptuously.

Todd rolled his eyes and noted with some humor that this action seemed to catch her off guard as it was, after all, a behavioral trait he had picked up from continuous time spent with Sheppard and the other humans of Atlantis. "Believe what you wish little human," he informed her wearily before trying another approach. "Your name is Larrin is it not?"

She stared at him. "How do you know that?"

Todd opened his mouth to provide an answer but was interrupted by the arrival of his harried looking Second whom at first glance, conveyed to him that there was something desperately wrong.

"Commander," Kenny bowed slightly, foregoing proper decorum given the gravity of the information he had come to depart.

Todd quirked a brow ridge wondering what in the name of the stars could have happened to make his second show such strong outward emotion. "Yes?" he inquired and out of the corner of his eye, saw that the female was listening, her posture suggesting curiousness and again he saw the similarities between her and Katherine before he turned the full front of his attention to his agitated Second.

Kenny took a deep breath, aware that he was about to pry into his commander's more personal dealings with the humans of Atlantis but he needed to know. "You taught Katherine how to read our first language," he said bluntly and watched his commander immediately erase all emotions from his face and retreat into himself as he always did when another wraith brought up Katherine Sheppard.

Todd's eyes narrowed. "I fail to see how that is of any concern of yours, Second," he ground out defensively, leery of what might be interpreted from such a blank statement.

Not about to be deterred by his commander's wish to keep his relationship in correlation to Colonel Sheppard's sister ambiguous, Kenny took a step forwards. "Katherine Sheppard is on the planet below," he said evenly. "It was she that composed the communication."

A strange feeling that bordered concern flushed through him as Todd's eyes widened just slightly at this news. Turning stiffly towards the one called Larrin, Todd bore down on her with an urgency that he could not explain. "The Atlantians are helping you," his voice louder then perhaps it needed it be. "Colonel Sheppard and his team?"

Larrin stared at him not understanding why a wraith would care or why he would have any sort of connection to humans of any kind. The tone of his voice was accusatory, almost as if he were blaming her for dragging them into this and putting them in danger. It confused her and continued to do so even after she'd managed a nod before finally finding her voice.

"No," she said clearly, pushing the confusion away to examine later. "John's not here, just Major Lorne, Teyla, Ronon and Major Sheppard," she paused wondering if he knew the difference between Colonel and Major. "That's John's –"

"I know who she is," Todd snapped, cutting her off as he turned towards his second. "What orders did the queen give?"

Kenny bowed his head. "She wishes to meet this Katherine of Atlantis, sister to Colonel Sheppard," he lifted his gaze to his commander, watching his reaction. "She has ordered the signal retraced and hunters to go down to the planet to retrieve her."

This news brought out a low, loud hiss from Todd that turned quickly into a growl and both his second and the human woman jumped in alarm. His mind racing, he began to pace, wondering over the reasoning behind all of this.

"She's coming for me," Larrin whispered, realizing as the more she thought about it what Kate's motivations must be. Both wraith turned to look at her. "They needed a way to get onto the hive so that they could come rescue me," she frowned. "Funny, I figured that if any of them would try and get up here it'd be Ronon."

Todd grunted. "Katherine's abilities far supersede the runner's," the corners of his mouth tugged downwards at the thought of her putting herself at such a great risk.

Larrin looked up at him, studying the expression on his face and coming to a remarkable conclusion. "You're worried about her," she breathed, slightly in awe of this fact.

Kenny watched his Commander's spine stiffen to full rigidity in the face of such an accusation that, honestly, Kenny did not think was so far off the mark.

"Katherine is Sheppard's sister and were anything to befall her that I could otherwise prevent, it would undermine the value of an already tentative alliance," Todd spoke stiffly, turning away from both his fellow wraith and the human female as he continued to go over his options.

Larrin looked unconvinced and so did the other wraith, but she knew that it would be better not to push the creature too far. Wraith were not known for having feelings and she had a vague idea that she'd just hit a nerve by accusing him of actually caring about the well being of a human. Of course, the question of why he cared still plagued her, but she pushed that inquiry away as one that was unlikely to be answered anytime soon. As it stood, something he had said pulled at her, and as she studied him more closely, she began to sense familiarity bubbling up from deep within her memory.

"You're Sheppard's wraith," she said slowly, coming out of the corner she'd been in for the past twenty minutes or so and taking a step towards the wraith whose back was still to her.

Todd turned. "I am not Sheppard's pet," he seethed, disliking the way she had said 'Sheppard's wraith,' as though he were owned by the human that was his ally.

Larrin gulped realizing that that had probably not been the right thing to say. "I-I mean that you're the wraith that helped us defeat the replicators," she tried again, realizing as she did that while he might be less dangerous than other wraith, he was still a threat and should be treated as such.

Todd let out a rumbling noise through his nose. "Yes, that was I," he looked over the woman. "Are you so important that Katherine would risk her life to come rescue you?"

Larrin's eyes narrowed. "I really don't think my importance to my people is any concern of yours, Wraith."

The Commander looked amused. "Sheppard has seen fit to give me a human name by which to call me," he eyed her, "You may use it for I think I would rather have that then to be referred to constantly by my biological designation."

"And what exactly does Sheppard call you?" Larrin asked, curious despite herself.

"Todd."

Larrin's eyes widened as she recalled the times she'd heard Sheppard talk about someone named Todd whom she'd never have thought was a wraith from the stories. Some of the things Sheppard had told her he'd done seemed most un-wraith like.

He eyed her. "You have heard of me," he deadpanned and at her tiny nod of affirmation moved on. "Be that as it may, I cannot allow Katherine to be captured and brought to this hive," he turned towards her. "If I take you to the planet, will you be able to lead me to where your people hide?"

Larrin opened her mouth only to be cut off by the other wraith who she had damn near forgotten was there, he hadn't said anything in a while.

"Commander, we cannot interfere," Kenny reminded his superior, throwing all caution to the wind and speaking his mind. "We have secured this Queen's compliance to our terms and must take into consideration the wellbeing of the rest of our alliance. We cannot –"

"I am well aware of my responsibilities as High Commander, Second, I have been doing this longer then you have been alive," Todd interrupted irritably, not liking that a younger was attempting to put him in his place. "However, there is more at stake now then just the possible hope of an arranged mating between this queen and a commander under my command."

Kenny glared at him, for the first time since coming under this one's command, he failed to agree with the Eldest. "Like what?" he demanded.

Todd was admittedly surprised by his second's outburst as this was the first time since having met the younger that he had shown this much emotion or personality. If he was not contradicting him, Todd considered the possibility that he would be proud of the younger.

"Our alliance with Atlantis - though tentative at best - is the only reason that our alliance has advanced as far as it has," Todd reminded his second in a patronizing voice. "Without their assistance and albeit reluctant cooperation, we would not be in the position of power in which we, you and I and all other under my leadership, have grown accustomed. To be blunt, they are our greatest resource as we, I am sure, are theirs."

Kenny lowered his gaze. "Surely we do not rely on them so much, my Commander."

Todd grunted. "We rely on them a fair bit more then I am willing to admit," he sighed. "And were we to lose their support and continued assistance, then we would not stand so great a chance at effecting the change that must take place if the wraith are to survive as a race."

His commander's words struck a chord and Kenny briefly considered defying him before realizing that the Eldest, as usual, was right. It was a mark of his age that the elder was able to admit to needing the assistance of a species weaker than theirs and Kenny could do nothing but respect him for it.

When his second did not respond, Todd returned his gaze to the human woman. "You will speak of none of what you have heard to anyone," he ordered knowing instinctively that she would not breathe a word. "Now, returning to my earlier question, can you take me to your people?"

Mutely, Larrin nodded, having never thought she'd witness two wraith arguing. Before now, she'd always thought that the wraith worked with single-mindedness and had no differences in personality or thoughts of their own that distinguished them as individuals. Briefly she wondered how different this Todd really was from the rest of the wraith and if she'd ever find out.

"Good," Todd replied, turning to Kenny who seemed to have stood down. "Bring her."

Kenny nodded and took hold of the woman's arm before she could protest and quickly followed his commander from the room.

"Hey!" Larrin squeaked as her feet fought to keep up with both the wraith's long strides.

Todd glanced at her over his shoulder. "Be silent," he commanded harshly. "We do not want to attract any undue attention."

The realization that whatever Todd the wraith was about to do would most likely land him in trouble if he got caught made Larrin hold her tongue and keep quiet as she was more or less dragged through the twisting corridors of the hive. The shadows and lack of sufficient light made it hard for her to keep track of where she was or in what direction they were going which she eventually gave up trying to keep track of.

Just as she began to wonder where exactly they were going and if they were planning on walking down every hallway in the whole damned ship, she saw light ahead and the next thing she knew they were in the dart bay. Ahead of them loamed an odd looking ship that was bigger than either a dart or an Atlantian jumper and reminded her vaguely of the Traveler's own cargo ships. The wraith holding her stopped besides it as the other one, Todd, pressed his hand to the outside of the hull. A hatch opened and she was brought onboard, shoved into a seat and ordered to strap in.

"How?" she asked darkly, offering her captors – for lack of a better word – a glare.

Kenny sighed heavily as his Commander took his seat in the pilot's chair and began to power the engines. Walking back to the human, he instructed her on the proper procedure in which to secure herself into her seat, before the ship lifted off and he was forced to reach out and hold onto her chair or risk falling over. The woman seemed to find this amusing and Kenny growled before making his way back up to the co-pilot's chair and seating himself, shooting his commander a glare of contempt for not having waited for him to sit before taking off.

Larrin, meanwhile, watched these two and came to the conclusion that this was the most personality she'd ever seen a wraith, or in this case wraith in general, demonstrate. It was comforting on a small level to know that while fierce and dangerous, they were still capable of some degree of humanity.

The hive's dart bay door's yawned open as Todd maneuvered his transport out of the dart bay and set a course for the planet. If he had calculated right, and he was sure he had, then the humans were most likely hiding somewhere near to where the Lantean ships were stationed in the mountainside hanger bay. Turning in his seat, he looked over Larrin.

"Now," he asked, "where are they?"

Larrin sighed, deciding that she was just going to have to trust him. "There are several supply rooms beyond the hanger we're keeping our ships in," she told him and watched him nod in acknowledgement.

"As I suspected," Todd reasoned and gave the mental command for the ship to adjust its course just slightly.

Larrin stared at him. "How did you know that?" she asked.

Todd chuckled, amused with her curiosity. "I have been around a while," he answered her.

She frowned. "How old are you?"

In the copilot's seat, Kenny raised a brow ridge as he had often wondered over the Eldest's exact age himself.

Todd, however, merely bared his teeth in a what would have been a smirk on a human's face. . "When this is all over you may ask Katherine," he told the human. "I believe she has done all the necessary calculations."

Kenny stared at him. "Katherine knows your age, Commander?"

The elder wraith looked sideways at the younger and gave a grunt that Kenny was left to interpret as a 'yes'. Not for the first time, Kenny wondered just how much his commander had shared of himself with her.

The rest of the journey was silent and when the ship landed and the group disembarked, Larrin was able to look around and realize that they were but a few hundred meters from the hanger. As she noticed the wraith watching her, she took a deep breath and began to walk. "This way," she called out over her shoulder.

Their pace was quick and Larrin called both wraith to a halt as soon as they got to within visual range of the hanger. Below them on the actual path, three wraith traveled upwards the leader holding a handheld device that must be tracing the signal that the message had left behind. Turning back to the wraith Larrin looked at them both curiously.

"Well, what now?" she asked.

Kenny looked at Todd who seemed to be staring off into the distance. "Commander?" he questioned.

Todd let out a long breath. "We wait," he said slowly, crouching down and becoming comfortable.

Besides him, both Larrin and Kenny looked at each other before doing the same a settling in for the long haul.

~xXx~

Lorne, Arath, Styson, Ronon and Kate were waiting inside the hanger bay, the latter four hidden while Kate stood in the middle of the room ready, as the wraith approached them.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Ronon had begun second guessing their plan about an hour ago.

Lorne threw him a look as the first of the three wraith entered the hanger and spied Kate and began to walk towards her, motioning for his fellows to follow. "Well, if it isn't, it's a bit late now," the major whispered back to the former runner.

Kate, meanwhile, stood waiting as the three wraith stalked closer and finally stopped a few feet in front of her. "You are Katherine of Atlantis?" the leader asked, looking the female up and down and finding her to be very pleasing.

She nodded once. "Yes."

The wraith tilted his head towards her. "You have been expecting us," he observed.

Again she nodded but this time said nothing.

One of the other wraith took a step forwards. "Come, human, our queen would speak with you."

Kate smirked. "Yes, I'm sure she wants to know how I managed to send her a message in her own tongue."

The leader hissed, knowing nothing of the details of why the queen wanted to speak with this female, only knowing that she did. Mentally, he sent orders to those who followed him and the other to his left moved forward and took from a pocket a set of bindings and fitted them around the female's hands. Satisfied, the leader turned on his heel and stalked from the hanger, his followers taking up positions to either side of the female and pushing her after him.

Kate was able to catch Lorne's gaze out of the corner of her eye before she was led from the hanger downwards towards where she assumed a transport ship of some kind waited. The walk was slow and they'd gone maybe a quarter mile when the wraith stopped suddenly.

The wraith to her left, bald and with a long beard, turned toward the leader. "What is it?" he asked.

The leader shook his head. "I do not –"

He was cut off as a blast of energy fire shot out of nowhere and hit the wraith dead in the chest. He dropped to the ground, dead, as the other two wraith closed in around Kate whose eyes were scanning the area looking for their attackers.

With a snarl another wraith went down and the last remaining one let out a growl of rage before grabbing Kate and pulling her roughly in front of him. Locking her to his chest and using her as a shield he looked around wildly.

"Where are you?" he hissed, his voice dripping venom as he held the human woman before him tightly. A movement to his right caused him to look up, his eyes widening at the figure that stepped from the trees. "Eldest."

Todd was livid as he stared down the wraith that held Katherine captive within the circle of his arms. He did not quite understand the reason for his anger or its intensity but he knew that he did not like seeing another male wraith touch her, did not like seeing her being used as a shield. "Release her," he commanded dangerously.

The wraith that held her sneered and dipped his head so that he could breathe down her neck. "I think not," he hissed softly, bringing up a hand to gently caress the female's cheek. She jerked away at his touch. "My queen wishes to see this one."

Todd's eyes narrowed. "Your Queen will be disappointed," he said evenly as though he were stating a fact rather than an outcome, careful to meet his eyes to Katherine's as he spoke to convey to her silently what he wanted her to do.

She nodded once and as her captor wraith opened his mouth to speak, she lunged forwards breaking free of his grasp, Todd's arms reaching out to wrap around her waist and pull her to him as Kenny stepped out of nowhere and fired twice at the last remaining wraith who hit the ground with a thump. Bewildered and more then slightly confused, Kate twisted out of Todd's grip and looked up at the wraith.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice betraying her confusion.

Todd opened his mouth to speak, but was delayed by Larrin as she rushed forwards.

"Kate," Larrin called, pushing the wraith out of the way and going to her friend. "Are you alright?"

Kate nodded. "I'm fine," she assured the other woman before sighing. Holding her still bound together hands up, she looked around Larrin to Todd. "Can you please take these off?" she asked him.

Larrin moved out of the way and went to stand by the other wraith as Todd stepped forwards and took the both of Kate's wrists in one of his hands while keying in the code to unlock them with the other. When they fell free, Todd did not immediately release her and instead continued to hold onto her wrists. Lowering his head, he tilted it to the side so that he could better look her in the eye.

"You are unharmed, Katherine?" he asked her, true concern bleeding through his multi-toned voice and for the first time since having met her, he did not try to stop it.

Shock intermixed with a warm fuzzy feeling over the fact that Todd seemed to be genuinely concerned for her made Kate look up at him as she felt her cheeks stain a light pink. "I-I'm fine," she stammered, pulling her hands from his grasp and dropping them uselessly to her sides as she looked away from him.

Todd tilted his head first to the left and then back to the right before reaching out a hand and tilting her downcast chin up towards him so that he could see her eyes. "Katherine," he began and felt her swallow, "You are certain?"

The sincerity in his eyes melded with the knowledge that he was in earnest concerned for her made Kate's skin flush with heat as she held her gaze to his. "Yes, Todd," she said seriously, "I'm sure."

Todd nodded once and let out a low rumbling noise as he dropped his hand from her face and watched her turn away from him, confidant that she was unharmed. "Come," he called, beginning to walk towards the hanger bay, "it would be best if we returned you to your respective kinds."

Kate nodded mutely and followed after him, falling into an easy pace beside him as Larrin and Kenny followed them, each thinking heavily on what they had just witnessed.

The walk back up to the hanger was short and upon entering the cool ship bay, Todd took the opportunity to look around at the variety of ships anchored there. "You have an impressive fleet," he said, casting his voice so that the compliment was directed towards Larrin.

"Thank you," Larrin said, mildly surprised that a wraith would offer her a compliment, but then, after what she'd seen_ this_ wraith do, nothing would honestly surprise her.

"Hmmnnn," Todd grunted in response and turned towards Katherine. "Which way?"

Kate opened her mouth but was cut off as the lights in the ceiling turned on and the hanger was flooded with bright light. Squinting and turning around she saw the outlines of several dozen people all arranged around them and holding weapons aimed at the wraith.

"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" Lorne yelled as he and Ronon pushed their way to the front of the group. "Todd," the major called out when he got there, "What in God's name are you doing here?"

The Travelers looked around, confused as to whom he was speaking to.

Todd crossed his arms and smirked down at the Major. "You are not happy to see me?" he asked, bemused.

Lorne scowled. "I'm never happy to see you," he looked over the alien. "Now, what are you doing here?"

Todd was about to answer when another human male began to shove his way to the front of the crowd. This one, perhaps middle aged as far as humans go, was dressed more finely then those others that surrounded the wraith, Larrin and Kate. It was a fair guess to say that this male was of importance, perhaps part of the governing body.

"Larrin!" Arath cried, rushing forwards and engulfing his sister in a hug that lifted her feet off the ground. "I thought I'd lost you."

She laughed. "It'll take more than that to kill me, brother," she stepped back from him and swept a hand over the two wraith both of whom wore expressions of mild curiousness. "Remember the wraith that helped us defeat the replicators?"

Arath nodded, his eyes sweeping over the two intimidating creatures that Major Lorne had ordered them not to shoot. "I remember," he looked at his sister. "This is he?"

Larrin nodded. "This one, Sheppard named him Todd, he got me off the ship and away from the queen," she looked over the other one. "I don't think that one has a name."

Kenny looked relieved.

"We call him Kenny," Ronon deadpanned, smirking at the wraith who frowned and proceeded to glare dangerously at the Setedan.

Arath looked over them both. "I thank you," he said sincerely finding it just a bit odd that he was thanking a wraith. "For your assistance we will allow you to go."

Styson snorted. "But High Chancellor –"

Arath cut him off. "They are not our enemy, at least not today." His voice and the narrowing of his eyes commanded all to obey. "We will let them go. A reward, for my sister's life."

Defeated, Styson and his men stood down and the ring around the two wraith dissipated as the Travelers went back to the hidden bunkers beyond the hanger bay. Arath and Larrin stayed along with Lorne, Ronon and Kate.

Todd turned towards Lorne. "I and my second will depart shortly, but first I suggest that you neutralize the hive."

Ronon grinned. "You mean blow it up?"

Todd looked over his least favorite of all the Atlantians, with the possible exception of Mr. Woolsey. "That would be effective, yes."

The large Satedan smirked, jerking his thumb towards Todd. "Every now and then he has good ideas."

Kate snorted. "Yes, every now and then," she looked up at Todd. "And just how do you suppose we blow up a hive from down here?"

Todd shrugged and looked around, spotting a beaming platform off to the side of the bay and turning back to the human whom he saw had seen it to. "I can give you the jamming codes for the hive that will allow you to beam an explosive into their engine room."

Arath stared at him. "You'd do that? Help us destroy your own kind? Why?"

Todd looked at the human seriously. "The Queen on board that hive is a traitor to our race and I shall gladly watch as she is blown into oblivion."

All of the humans, with the exception of Kate, and even Kenny cringed at the malice dripping from his words.

Kate turned towards him. Her familiarity with his thought process providing her with the knowledge that whatever the queen had done it had upset him greatly. "What'd she do?" she asked gently.

Todd growled. "Now is not the time for such discussions," he looked down and saw the hurt in Katherine's eyes that he would hide something from her and sighed. "I will tell you later, Katherine," he appeased her.

Kate frowned. "How about you tell me now while we go blow up this hive that managed to piss you off," she smirked and pulled a small brick of C-4 from one of her utility pouches and held it up. "I have C-4 and I'm sure you can make some sort of bomb out of all the spare parts lying around."

Todd grinned. "It is within my capabilities, yes," he bent forwards slightly at his waist and held out his hand to indicate that she should begin walking to the far side of the hanger bay first. "Katherine."

They left and left Arath, Larrin, Lorne, Ronon and Kenny standing there starring off after them slack jawed and in awe. Lorne was the first to recover and he turned angrily on Ronon.

"I thought you said he wouldn't try anything?" the irate and more then slightly worried Major demanded.

Ronon looked apologetic and shrugged. "Teyla said he wouldn't try anything, I said we should have told Sheppard."

Larrin frowned. "Tell Sheppard what?" she asked, curious.

Lorne crossed his arms and glared off in the direction that Todd and Kate had gone. "Nothing important," he huffed.

Kenny tends to be pretty close-mouthed, so this seems a little out of character for him. Maybe just make everything a little more subtle for the rest of the episode.

Kenny was inclined to disagree and unlike these humans who seemed to think the issue warranted discretion, felt that someone ought to say something before it all got out of hand. "The Commander is fascinated by her," he said bluntly, turning to the humans, "to the point of obsession."

Lorne glared at him. "That's a bit much don't you think?" he said darkly. "I mean, why can't you just say he likes her, which is the truth by the way."

Larrin frowned. "He likes her?" she questioned. "Likes her how?"

Ronon opened his mouth but Kenny beat him to it.

"The commander desires her," he informed the humans, all of which seemed horrified by this announcement. "I counseled him to take her and be done with it, but he will not. He seems to be under the impression that such a course of action would harm her."

"Because it would!" Lorne yelped throwing up his hands. "Think about it."

Kenny glared at him. "I have," he said darkly. "And trust me when I say that it would be better for everyone if the commander did as I have suggested rather than allowing his enthrallment with her to fester. Such as that could prove to be very damning indeed." With that the wraith turned and stalked off toward where Todd and Kate had their heads bent together and were talking avidly about something.

The humans watched him go. Arath spoke first after a time had passed. "What does that mean?" he asked, referring to Kenny's last statement.

Ronon frowned and shook his head while Lorne looked thoughtful.

"I think it means that Kenny's afraid that Todd might actually develop feelings for her," he turned around to look at everyone. "And I think he's right."

"But that's impossible," Arath countered. "No wraith would ever care about a human."

Larrin sighed. "I've seen it," she said slowly, all eyes turning to her. "Up on the hive, when Kenny told Todd that it was Kate that sent the message and that the queen had ordered her brought to her. Todd looked worried. I called him on it and he brushed it off as nothing, but I saw the expression on his face before he could hide it. He was concerned."

"Well then," Lorne began, "What do we do now? Tell Sheppard?"

Ronon shook his head vigorously in a yes.

Larrin disagreed. "I think you should wait," she said honestly. "Think about it. If he cares about her even a little bit, it gives you power over him. You can control him."

Ronon grinned. "Never thought about that."

Lorne frowned. "But what about Kate?"

Larrin shrugged. "Well, it's not like she likes him too, right? Don't worry about it."

Lorne sighed. The problem with that was that Kate did care, a hell of a lot more then she was supposed to, and the thought that either the two of them would find out how the other felt scared the shit out of him. But, like Larrin said, Todd liking Kate and caring about her did give them a certain amount of power over him and they were always in sore need of that.

"Right," he said eventually. "We say nothing, let it play out, maybe it'll all blow over or maybe it won't, either way we just got one up on Todd," he sighed. "Come on, let's go see how they're doing on that bomb."

The others nodded and followed.


	11. Companion

**A/N: **Her you go kiddies, your patience has paid off. I'm so sorry that it took me this long to get this one up but life has this funny way of demanding attention when you are least likly to want to give it. Anyway, I thank you all for your unwavering endurance and dedication and so, without farther adeu, I give you the next chapter!! Enjoy and as always, I love hearing form you all; it's the highlight of my day so please, like it or hate it, drop me a review and let me know. Cheers!!!!

* * *

**Episode XI: Companion **

"You should not wait so long before coming again," Halling, leader of the Athosians in Teyla's stead, said, smiling brightly.

Ronon grinned, clasping arms with the other man. "We won't," he assured him.

Halling nodded and turned towards the woman that was both daughter to him and friend. "Teyla," he spoke softly, drawing her into a tight hug that imparted without words just how happy he was to have spent this time with her. "Do not stay away so long."

Teyla sighed, pulling back. "You know why I do," she offered him a slight smile of reassurance for her words.

The man nodded. "Yes, I know why you do and I am glad for it." He paused. "I only meant that should you ever find any spare time –"

"I will not hesitate to bother Mr. Woolsey until he grants me leave," Teyla assured him, glancing once over her shoulder. "Or I shall have Kate do it for me."

Behind the group of parting Athosians and Ronon, Kate smiled upon hearing her name before going back to contemplating the forest floor. Teyla had insisted that she accompany both she and Ronon on this little mini-vacation based on the idea that since Kate was forever asking questions about the people of the Pegasus, it might do her good to actually see some of them. Kate hadn't really had a choice in going or not going as her brother had more or less ordered her out of the city while claiming that it would be good for her to see another culture besides the wraith's. So, matter decided, she'd gone with them and spent three days actually enjoying herself to some extent, even if she had felt like an outsider for most of the time.

Halling looked up past Teyla to view the reserved young woman he had found out to be Colonel Sheppard's sister. Returning his eyes to Teyla, he pulled her away from Ronon and the others to speak softly. "Kate is always welcomed to us," he whispered, imparting meaning behind his words.

Teyla sighed, understanding the message hidden in her mentor's words. "Kate does not fit in well with the rest of the expedition members. I have noticed through her interactions with Todd -"

"Your wraith?" Halling interrupted her, frowning. "After all that he has done to you, still you have dealings with him?"

Teyla let out another sigh. "He is different than the other wraith, not any more or less, just different." She looked to friend. "I wish that you could meet him to know for yourself. "

Halling shuttered at the thought of being introduced cordially to a wraith but saw the opportunity for what it was: a chance to understand and see for himself why Teyla and the other Atlantians trusted such a creature so strongly.

"Perhaps," he relented before turning back to their previous topic. "What of Kate and this wraith?"

Teyla's face was a considering one as she spoke. "She is more adequately suited to life here, in our galaxy, than she is to life in her own. We – I, Ronon, Larrin of the Travelers and even Todd – complement her better then do her own people. I will pass on that she is welcomed here with us. I'm sure she would be glad of it."

"Then I double the strength of the offer," Halling intoned, looking up to watch as several Athosians moved forwards to embrace or shake the hand of the stoic woman whom many Athosians had learned to like and respect despite her reclusive disposition. "She is quite at home here."

Teyla agreed, knowing instinctively that Halling meant this galaxy rather than simply the planet upon which they now stood. "That she is. But now the time for actual goodbyes is at hand. I will miss you, my friend."

Halling nodded and allowed Teyla to depart from his company, retreating back to her companions.

Ronon looked over at Teyla. "Time to go?" he asked.

Teyla nodded. "Yes. Come, it is a long walk to the gate."

The mood as the three companions walked away from the village was a sober one but light nonetheless. Both Teyla and Ronon were content to dwell on the pleasure they had enjoyed the last three days while Kate was happy to be going back to Atlantis. It wasn't that she'd disliked the Athosians, on the contrary, she'd enjoyed their companies quite a lot, but a few days before the three of them had left they'd received a message from Todd telling them that he would be coming to the city in a week's time to discuss something with them. What he wanted to discuss hadn't been disclosed but, than, Kate didn't really care. While logic dictated that it wasn't a good idea to get this excited over an impending visit from Todd the wraith, logic couldn't stop her from wanting to see him.

When a mile down the road, Kate had yet to say a word, Teyla turned towards her. "Tell me," she began gently, "What did you think of my people?"

Kate glanced towards her, her thoughts on whether or not she should be concerned at her own line of thinking evaporating. "I liked them," she said with genuine honesty. "Well, except for that one woman –"

"Loranna," Ronon supplied. "Yeah, I didn't like her either."

Teyla frowned. True, she as well had gotten a feeling from the woman as though she should be weary, on her guard, but she was not about to dismiss the possible reasons for those auras as easily as her two friends were. "You mustn't forget that Loranna came to us damaged from her time as a captive of the wraith," she reminded them.

Kate shook her head. "There's a difference between damaged and broken," she explained. "Most people in this galaxy have been damaged by the wraith; lost a loved one or been taken as part of a cull. Loranna's not damaged, she's broken."

Teyla pressed her lips together to keep from speaking out in the woman's defense as was her nature. What Kate said was true enough and even she, who looked for even the tiniest glimmer of hope within an individual, had seen it and known it to be true. "We must not judge her too harshly," Teyla said instead of the defense she had planned for. "We have no idea what she suffered."

Ronon grunted. "We don't," he agreed, "but I still don't –"

Kate heard the disturbance as well and in an instant both she and Ronon were on guard, their eyes scanning the surrounding woods wildly.

Teyla's breath caught. "What is it?" she asked, worried that there would be danger this close to her people's village.

Ronon's eyes scanned the area once more before lowering his gun. Turning to Teyla he offered a reassuring smile. "Sorry, thought I heard –"

"Ronon duck!" Kate screamed; grabbing Teyla and pulling the both of them behind a tree as a blast of energy fire shot towards them.

Unfortunately, Ronon wasn't fast enough and the blast hit him in his shoulder knocking him off his feet and flinging him backwards. He landed on his back on the leaf littered forest floor. Looking up, he scrambled to his feet as several drones began to filter from the trees and surrounding brush. His first instinct was to run, a condition that had been bred into him during his tenure as a runner, but his duty to protect both Teyla and Kate bade him stay.

"What now?" he asked Kate as the both of them pushed the weaponless Teyla behind them and took up offense; prepared for the worst.

Kate looked around noting that the drones, who all had stunners pointing at them, seemed to be waiting for something. "Honestly? I have no –"

"Stand down."

The drones complied and the three humans turned towards the voice as a wraith unlike any they had previously seen stepped forwards. He was still obviously a commander but his bearing screamed that he was more than that. He carried himself well, moved gracefully and effortlessly and dressed more finely then any wraith any of the three of them at seen before. He still wore the customary black leather from head to toe but his garments were softer and did not look to be the same type of battle armor that they had all grown used to seeing Todd wear. This wraith looked very much like royalty of some kind and as a result, none of them had any idea how to react.

"Who are you?" Ronon asked.

The wraith sneered at him. "Do you honestly expect me to give you an answer?" he asked with a hiss. "Who I am does not concern you, you need know only that your fates are now in my hands," he cast them each a penetrating glance before speaking to someone whom they could not see. "You have done well in finding me able bodied humans with which to trade and train."

Ronon, Kate and Teyla all looked at one another, confused for but a second before the diminutive and just previously discussed Loranna came forwards and positioned herself in a submissive position at the wraith's feet. Three pairs of eyes narrowed and then widened slightly as she bowed her head, a single tear slipping from the corner of her eye as she spoke. "I live only to serve you," her broken voice whispered.

The wraith smiled and reached a hand down to lift her face towards his. "And you do," he hissed breathlessly, drawing her up to her feet and pulling her into a tight embrace against his chest, turning to the drones. "Come, bring them."

As he walked away, the drones closed in on Ronon, Kate and Teyla who all instinctively brought up arms to defend themselves. The wraith's stunners fired and the world faded into black.

~xXx~

"Would someone please explain to me what the hell just happened?"

Ronon looked up from his contemplation of yet another wraith cell's floor. Pinning Kate with a look, he responded blankly, "We got caught."

Kate rolled her eyes. "No shit," she growled before turning from her position by the door and sliding down a wall to sit across from Ronon. "I mean back on the planet, with Loranna and that one –"

"She is a companion," Teyla spat as though that one simple truth could explain everything. It was only after Kate fixed her with a curious gaze that the Athosian remembered that Kate would not know what that was.

"A companion?" Kate questioned. "What's that?"

Teyla sighed. "It is the single worst fate that can befall a woman of this galaxy," she began, her voice heavy with the words she had yet to speak. "You know that there are far fewer females among wraith then there are males?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah, Todd said that that's the reason most wraith worshippers are female."

"And he is correct, however there is more to it than that," Teyla continued. "There are many male wraith that resent the power the queens have over them, the fact that the single female on a hive has so much power over even their most basic needs…"

Kate could tell where this was going and, in response, her stomach began to turn flip-flops of its own accord. "So a whole bunch of male wraith are pissed that the queens hold sexual power over them," she reasoned thinking at the same time that if she were a male wraith and some bitch queen decided that she wasn't worthy enough to have sex and would have to do without, she'd probably be pissed too.

From his corner, Ronon grunted. "It's more than that. Some male wraith live their entire lives without mating," he went back to looking at the floor. "I feel almost sorry for them."

Kate was confused. "But what about the worshippers? Couldn't –"

"Not all queens allow such practices on their hives," Teyla intoned quietly. "Or, if they do, then it is as a reward for time served or some other deed. The queens use the promise of mating to control their male subservients," her face took on a glassed look. "And it is a most effective method."

"With bad consequences if you're a human," Ronon picked up the explanation. "Because the queens have so much power, the males have picked up the companion trade."

Kate was now honestly, morbidly curious. "Which is?"

Teyla looked to her. "A companion is a human female whom a male wraith takes as concubine against her will."

Kate's eyes widened to point that it was painful. "Oh," she muttered.

"The woman is almost always strong willed, stubborn, passionate," Ronon continued grimly, "All the same qualities that the queens have."

Having seen things like this before with men whom lived in a matriarchal society, Kate had a decent idea of why the wraith did this. "So they pick strong women and reduce them to simpering slaves," Kate concluded. "It's their way of handling the oppression of the queens."

Teyla and Ronon nodded and Kate sighed, leaning her head back against the wall behind her. "Well, that sucks."

Ronon snorted. "Just a little."

The three of them fell into silence after that, none of them really knowing what to say after having departed and digested this information respectively. Their reflection was ended as a soft set of footfalls approached them and the three Atlantians stood and turned to meet whoever had come calling.

It was Loranna.

The woman that had, three centuries before, been taken from her home and stripped of everything stopped before the cell door and looked at the three captives of her master. "I am sorry," she whispered, hoping that they believed her.

Teyla was the one to speak first. "What is going to happen to us?" she asked.

Loranna felt pain welling up inside her numb chest over the fact that she had delivered these only so that they could suffer the same fate as she, at least the females. "You and Kate will be trained in the art of pleasure whilst Ronon will be made into a runner most likely."

Ronon cursed and punched the wall of the cell, Kate turned towards the woman.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked her imploringly. "Can't you fight him? You can or else you wouldn't be here apologizing to us."

Loranna felt the tears coming but held them back with all the strength of will that was still left to her. "My master, the wraith that claims me, he holds power over me. I do what I do to protect those whose blood is kith to mine."

Teyla's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" she asked.

The companion fixed the woman with a stare. "When first I was taken as companion, my Lord was not careful with our preventative measures and I conceived. The child that was born to me was both wraith and human although thankfully it was my blood that ran through him with more strength. I gave him back to my people and bid them raise him. It is my descendants that I protect with my actions. So long as I continue to find suitable humans for my Lord's trade, he protects my people's planet from being culled."

An idea had begun to form within Teyla's mind the longer Loranna had talked so that when the woman at last came to an end, she had but one question to ask. "And your people?" she inquired steadily, "You are Athosian are you not?"

Loranna nodded. "I was."

Teyla took a step towards her. "My family possesses a gift; the ability to sense the wraith before they come. For generations we have used it to warn our people of the coming culls so that we may save as many lives as we are able."

Loranna refused to believe what she heard. "But why would you need this? My master promised –"

"Your master lied," Ronon deadpanned.

Loranna shook her head, betrayal and pain lacing through her in the wake of this knowledge before her mind – ever sharp despite the torment she has suffered – fixed on something. Looking up to the woman Teyla's eyes she held them. "This gift, how is such a thing possible?"

"I have wraith DNA intermixed with my own," she said heavily. "Until now, I have believed that this is so due to experiments run on my people long ago by the wraith but," she paused and fixed a penetrating look into Loranna's eyes, "But now I believe that this is not the case."

Loranna let out a breath she had not known she was holding. "What is your name, Teyla?" she asked desperately. "Your family name?"

Teyla's voice was dead and void as she replied. "Emmagan."

Cold, pain, and anguish washed through Loranna as she realized that not only had her Master lied to her about protecting her people but she had – in thinking that she was protecting her descendants – instead orchestrated the capture of one. Shaking her head in continued disbelief she turned and fled down the corridor, not stopping until she'd reached the throne room where her Lord sat upon the seat that had never seen the touch of a female wraith.

"Loranna?" he looked to her, setting down the schematics reports he had been going over. "What is –"

"You lied to me," she hissed at him, all care for her personal safety gone.

His eyes narrowed. "Oh?" he asked, curious as to where she'd gotten this fire from that he had not seen since he'd broken her.

Loranna took a step towards him. "Yes. You promised me that if I helped gather women to your trade that you would prevent the cullings of my people."

"And I have," he said gently, curious as to where she had gotten such a thought as to suggest that he had not.

Loranna glared at him. "Do not lie to me!" she seethed. "Teyla is Athosian born and tells me that she has lived through many cullings in her life."

His anger spiked. "And you would believe her word over mine?" he demanded, coming to stand before his companion and looking down upon her.

She lifted her face to his. "I believe the word of one who shares my blood over that of a wraith," she spat.

Her venom took him as aback as the words themselves did. "Your blood?" he questioned, grabbing her by the throat and bringing her under his gaze more securely, her body pressed to his. "And how does this human share your blood?"

Loranna hissed in pain but did not back down as she would have done were the circumstances anything but what they were. "Her name is Teyla Emmagan."

He released her, backing away from her in shock as he took this information in. "Emmagan," he whispered, looking up to lock eyes with his companion. "She is a child of us?"

Loranna held his gaze. "Yes," she confirmed. "She is a descendant of the son you sired on me and that I returned to my people. She who you would turn into me!"

The anger in her voice surprised him as he'd grown used to her submissive manner. "It was not long ago that you did not mind the position you are in," he reminded her.

Loranna hissed. "I would not see a granddaughter of mine made into a simpering slave," she growled when it looked like he wanted to interrupt her. "And I would rather die than stand by and allow it. Know that if you still wish that fate for her then I will fight you."

To hear words such as that come from his meek and mild mannered companion made the wraith contemplate his options. If he killed her then he would miss her as he had grown accustomed to having her by his side in bed each night and day. Then again, having learned who this woman was, his own long dormant paternal instincts were beginning to surface and so he reached a decision quickly.

"I will allow Teyla to go free along with one of her companions," he decided, turning to look at the human he had grown to be fond of. "Does this please you?"

Loranna nodded and closed her eyes. "Yes."

"Good," he whispered, tracing her jaw with his fingers, the guards scraping over her skin and leaving angry red marks in their wake. "Now go, inform them of my decision and then return to our chambers."

Loranna nodded and turned to do as she was bid.

~xXx~

Teyla stared at the woman opposite her not quite comprehending what it was that the woman expected her to do. "You wish me to choose?" Teyla asked, her voice betraying the impossibility of this expectation.

Loranna gazed sadly at the woman that shared her blood several times removed. "I expect you to see reason," she reasoned gently, employing a sympathy that she had not used in centuries. "You should be lucky that my Lord is allowing you the choice."

Teyla hissed and shook her head. "Asking me to choose between two of my friends over which of them to leave behind and at the mercy of your Lord is hardly something for which I should be thankful," she spat viciously causing Loranna to reel backwards at the complete contempt in her voice.

Kate, whom had weighed the options since Loranna had returned to them and given them the news, walked towards Teyla and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. "Take Ronon," she said softly.

Teyla turned to her, her eyes widening in surprise and shock. "You cannot be serious, Kate, I will not leave you behind."

The conviction in Teyla's voice warmed Kate almost as much as the defiance in her eyes did. That Teyla should care this much for her after only serving with her for a short time made her feel accepted and wanted but even with that Kate knew what had to be done. "You can and you will," Kate stated plainly. "You know what they'll do to Ronon; they'll make him a runner again."

"And turn you into some wraith's whore, Kate I do not think you understand what would become of you were I to leave -"

"I understand, Teyla, I do," Kate interrupted her. "But the odds of you finding me again are better than attempting to find Ronon while he runs from a whole bunch of trigger happy wraith."

Teyla sighed. "Yes, I know."

Ronon pushed himself up off the wall. "This is crazy," he said causing the three women to all look up at him. "Teyla, take Kate. I'll stay."

Kate shook her head. "No."

Ronon took a step towards her. "You can't make me go."

Kate sighed and looked up towards him. "Yes, I can," Ronon growled. "I'm stronger then you and we both know it. Please, don't make me fight you. Go with Teyla, go back to Atlantis and then come find me. Please, Ronon."

As idiotic as this idea was, Ronon knew he had no other choice as the simple fact was that Kate was stronger than him. Not only that, but technically she outranked him and he knew that she didn't want to have to make his departure an order but that she would if she had to. Growling, the Setedan backed down and went to stand by Teyla, showing his agreement to her terms.

Loranna opened the cell as Teyla turned back towards Kate. "We will find you," she said with conviction. "I promise."

Kate nodded. "I know."

With a final glance, Teyla and Ronon both turned away from their friend and followed Loranna through the hive towards the dart bay. No words were expressed or passed between them as both she and he were scooped up into a dart. The last thing she saw before everything went black was Loranna's pained face before she turned and disappeared into the myriad of corridors.

The dart dropped them off about a mile's walk from the Athosian village and, as soon as her feet were on the ground and her head had stopped spinning painfully, Teyla had taken off at a brisk pace with Ronon having a difficult time keeping up despite the almost twelve inches difference in their heights.

"Ah, Teyla," Ronon huffed as he struggled to keep up with the strides of the severely pissed off woman. "Mind slowing down?"

Teyla held back the retort she wanted to say and instead opted for a slightly less mean version of the same general idea. "You and I both know what is going to happen to Kate," she informed him stiffly.

Ronon nodded, almost tripping over a half decayed log. "Yeah, but walking this fast isn't going to help."

"Maybe not," Teyla replied as she jumped over a felled log which Ronon in turn tripped over. "But the faster we reach the village the faster I may ask Halling to employ our resources in discovering to which wraith Kate has been given so that we might rescue her."

Her determination struck a chord with Ronon and the former runner quickened his strides so that he might catch up to the woman. Together they made record time in returning to the village that they had said goodbye to not many hours before. A hunting party saw them about an eight of a mile out and sent a scout to inform Halling who met them at the village's edge.

"Teyla, why have you returned?" Halling asked, knowing immediately that something was very, very wrong.

Stopping, and taking a series of quick but deep breaths, Teyla turned towards her friend. "I need you to assemble our network of informants as quickly as possible, there is need for them to infiltrate several worlds where the wraith have their worshiper's markets and trading posts."

Without explanation, Halling called out to several Athosian men and conveyed to them Teyla's commands before taking the young woman by the elbow and leading her to his tent. Forcing her to take a seat, he went about preparing a tea that should soothe her. Handing her a cup, he crouched down in front of her as her friend, Ronon, leaned against one of the tent posts.

"Now," Halling began softly after he had watched her dutifully sip her tea, "Tell me what has happened?"

Teyla sighed and lowered the cup to her lap. "Loranna betrayed us to the wraith," she said stoutly.

Confusion flashed across the older man's face. "After all that she has told us they have done to her, why would she do such a thing?" he asked.

Teyla began to shake violently. Loathe was she to tell even Halling of her kinship to the woman and so settled on what facts would not stain her family's tree. "She is a companion," she seethed and watched understanding flood Halling's eyes. "She told us what she needed to so that she could infiltrate our camp and scout out those whom would bring greatness to her master's trade."

Halling let out a low and uneven breath. "And her master, the wraith she serves, he trades in women whom might become companions to other wraith?"

Teyla nodded, not trusting her voice to speak.

"I see," Halling said, flashing his eyes up to Ronon to see that the large man seemed still saddened about something and only then did he release that Kate was absence. "What of Kate?" he asked, dreading the answer he knew he was going to be given.

"She stayed behind," Ronon said gruffly. Knowing that Teyla would want her affiliation with both Loranna and the wraith to be kept quiet, he added, "So that we could escape, she stayed behind."

Halling turned back to Teyla and, reaching out, took the cup from her hands and enclosed his much larger ones around her smaller ones. "And you hope that our network of spies may discover to which hive and which Commander Kate will be given?"

"Yes," Teyla's voice was shaky. "I did not wish to leave her behind, but she …"

Halling soothed her. "Kate is much like her brother in that she would rather willingly sacrifice herself then risk the lives of others," he trailed off and took his hands from around Teyla's, returning the cup to her and bidding her silently to drink. "Finish your tea. When you are done both you and Ronon will rest here for a time before a scouting team escorts you to the gate."

Again, not trusting her voice, Teyla nodded and then lifted her cup to her lips to take another drink.

~xXx~

The wraith whose name was the same as the woman Teyla's family name, fitting seeing as she was a descendant of his, stood patiently in the lowermost dart bay. After having had the humans returned to the planet he had instructed his second in command to rely and invitation to another Hive Commander with whom he had been attempting to earn a concession from for some time. The Commander in question was an Elder, and therefore must be dealt with most carefully or else Emmagan could well lose not only his life but everything for which he had worked for and strived for his entire life.

A hiss of anticipation and satisfaction escaped him as a sub commander came to inform him that the Hive Commander's transport had arrived and Emmagan dismissed the lesser with a wave of his hand as he turned and looked upwards and the transport was lowered effortlessly into its designated spot within his dart bay. Stepping forwards just as the back hatch was lowered, Emmagan made to greet his guest.

"Commander Caavin," the host wraith greeted with as much warmth as was permitted given the differences in both their ages and their ranks. The wraith before him was taller then he by several inches and broader at both his shoulder and his chest. His hair was also less kept then his own sleek and well maintained tresses although it did seem to be tied back and held away from his face in some fashion even if Emmagan could not determine how. The complete wildness and bearing of the other bespoke of a time long before Emmagan or his sire were ever a thought and the younger wraith could not help but feel inadequate when in the presence of one such as this.

The wraith whom was named by his sire as Caavin, grunted and looked down on the shorter, younger and vainer wraith whose ilk – unfortunately – populated the ranks of wraith in greater numbers than any of his kind. "Emmagan," he greeted stiffly, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eye ridge. "To what do I owe this summons?"

Emmagan bowed slightly at the waist and turned, bidding the other wraith to follow him. "I believe when last our paths crossed you refused to accept any of the items I wished to trade with you for," he glanced over his shoulder as they reached the throne room directly off the bridge. "I believe you said that none of them were…acceptable."

Caavin nodded, in no mood to lay games with such as wraith as this but knowing that he had little choice if he was to get from this one what he wanted. "Indeed they were not," he said stiffly, eyes narrowing as the other seated himself in the throne and waved his hand towards two of the drones that stood guard, conveying to them some order that was to be immediately carried out.

Emmagan, having ordered his drones to go and retrieve the woman, turned back towards the Elder. "I believe I may have…acquired something of higher caliber then what I had offered you previously," he searched the other's face for any sign of interest and found none. "One even you might find worthy."

Caavin snorted. "I doubt such a thing is possible," he fixed the younger with a look that let him know that he was currently anything but pleased and that Emmagan best tread carefully.

The sound of struggling echoed down the hallway coming closer by the second and, for the first time eve in his dealings with this Elder, Emmagan saw genuine interest – if only a slight amount – flash across the other's face. Grinning, he awaited the arrival of the woman. "Oh," he hissed darkly as she sounds got louder still and he came out of the chair to await her arrival, "I think it might be."

Caavin was about to inquire after his fellow's exact meaning when two drones walked into the throne room carrying between them a struggling and defiant looking human female that stilled, her eyes locking on him with cold intensity, as soon as she had been brought fully into their presences. Admittedly intrigued, Caavin walked towards her in curiosity, looking her over and finding very much to desire before turning back towards Emmagan.

"Where did you find her?" he asked.

Emmagan grinned. "I acquired her not a day's time ago," he informed the other, pleased that he had been correct in assuming that this Commander would be interested in this one. "She is defiant and will be a challenge to break; a task worthy of even you."

Caavin looked her over once more, his eyes lingering at her hip and waist before traveling down to her bound hands and then finally the curve of her thighs. "Indeed," he hissed and, walking still nearer to her, reached out a hand to touch her face.

The human female jerked away from his touch and let out a snarl of protest as he ignored her feeble evasion and grasped her chin, forcing her grey eyes to look into his green-golden ones. "She is beautiful," he conceded, glancing over to Emmagan. "And you are right to call her defiant," he turned back to her. "What is your name, human?"

Kate glared at him. "Go to hell," she growled softly, hardening her gaze until she was sure her eyes resembled glass.

Caavin chuckled. "I think not," he replied to her and turned once more to the hosting wraith. "What is it you want for her?"

In the background, the woman made an indignant sound as if to express her dislike of being used as a bargaining chip. Emmagan grinned inwardly thinking that Caavin was going to have his hands full with this one. "Only what I have already asked for in our previous meetings," he intoned to the Elder, knowing that even with Caavin interested in what he had to offer, he should not push his luck with one so ancient and more powerful than he.

Caavin considered this before nodding. "Agreed," he said finally and turned towards the two drones and the woman that had resumed struggling. "Take her to my shuttle," he instructed them and, as they left, dragging the now violently struggling female off, he turned back towards his benefactor. "I take my leave."

Emmagan nodded his consent and Caavin, not one to wait around when there was ever more to do, followed in the wake of the drones. By the time he returned to his transport the woman had been strapped securely into the seat next to his own pilot's chair. Even tied up, she found the energy to fight him and stare dangerously at him as if trying to convey how very much she wished to harm him. Caavin chuckled thinking that his free time over the next few weeks was going to be interesting indeed.

~xXx~

Neither Teyla or Ronon were looking forwards to the explanation that they were about to give Mr. Woolsey, both Drs. McKay, Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne. The aforementioned peoples were all gathered in the briefing room awaiting the explanation for why they both had returned from New Athos four hours late and without Kate and, not for the first time, both native pegasusians glanced at each other nervously.

"Would someone please explain where the hell my sister is?" John asked, knowing instinctively that he wasn't going to like the explanation but wanting it over with already so that he could do something about it.

Teyla took a deep breath. "We were betrayed by a woman that my people had taken in who claimed to be a refugee from the wraith," she looked around the room. "She used our sympathies to infiltrate our camp and choose from among us those that would…appease her master."

John frowned. "So she was a wraith worshiper?" he asked.

"Worse," Ronon grunted. "She's a companion."

Blank looks met this announcement although Lorne looked as though he might have an idea of what that could possibly mean. "A companion wouldn't have anything to do with the ratio of male to female wraith would it?" he asked sourly. "Because if it does I thought that was the main reason most wraith worshipers were female."

Ronon stared at him. "You know about that?"

John looked between his second in command and the former runner, a sense of supreme dread beginning to trickle down his spine. "Know about what?"

Lorne groaned, having wanted oh so very much to never have to tell his commanding officer this. "There are more male wraith then females Sir," he said, lowering his eyes to the table and concentrating on the particularly interesting grain of the mahogany conference table. "All that frustration has to go somewhere."

For about five seconds John Sheppard sat perfectly still before all hell broke loose and comprehension came rushing forwards like he'd been hit upside the head with a baseball bat. "Are you telling me that humans and wraith are…are…that they can _do_ that!?!?!?"

Lorne gulped. "Yes Sir."

John gave an indignant yelp and turned around to look at both Teyla and Ronon. "And what exactly does this have to do with my sister?" he demanded and, even as the words left his mouth, the cogs in his head were turning furiously until they finally clicked into place and his eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Oh no," he pleased, turning towards Teyla and begging her with his gaze to deny it, "Is Kate…did she…with a wraith?"

"Kate has been made into a companion," Teyla informed him with regret, feeling the weight of this information tear at her soul.

John let out a wail, Lorne turned green, Jennifer started to cry and Rodney gently rubbed her back all while Mr. Woolsey – ever the level head – turned towards Teyla and titled his face upwards. "What exactly is a companion?" he asked.

Teyla groaned; this was not an explanation she wanted to give a second time but one which she knew she must if Kate's situation was to be made all the more real for them. "Because there are so few female wraith and because most of them, still, are queens, the males have very little sexual power," she began, already able to tell that discussing wraith sexuality was not something that these particular people wanted to do. "The queen's use this to their advantage, using the promise of mating with either themselves or with a female worshiper or with the gift of a companion to control the actions of the males."

"Ever wondered why a whole bunch of male wraith would follow a single female?" Ronon asked and, as soon as he had everyone's attention, he continued. "That's how."

Lorne gulped. "So what does this have to do with whatever it is that Kate's been turned into?"

Again, Ronon took up the explanation. "Think about it," he said, "If you were a wraith would you really be happy knowing that some queen had the power to tell you when or if you'd ever have sex?"

Every single male in the room shook their heads, including Mr. Woolsey.

Ronon grunted. "Well, the wraith aren't fond of it either. A companion is like a concubine, an unwilling concubine. They take a particularly strong, stubborn and defiant woman and reduce her to a simpering, terrified slave. It's their way of getting back at the queens for holding so much power over them."

Silence met the end of this announcement and for a moment nobody said anything until Lorne looked up. "And Kate's been…given to some wraith to be used as a…"

"Sex slave," Jennifer finished when it looked like Evan wasn't going to be able to.

John studied the table. "So my sister's been made into some wraith's whore?" he looked up at Teyla and Ronon, his eyes accusatory. "How long have you guys known about this?"

Ronon shrugged, knowing that Sheppard meant how long have they known about the companion trade and not how long have they known about what happened to Kate. "All our lives," he said and pulled out a chair to sit down. "My mother used to tell me stories about Setedan women that were captured and traded to wraith."

Teyla sighed. "I, too, have heard stories. To be a companion, is the worst fate that can be given to a human woman."

John stared at her. "And you didn't think that we might want to know that not only are wraith and humans…compatible but that there's this secret, underground sex slave trade going one out there!!!"

Teyla locked eyes with her first friend from earth and knew that this information pained him and forced him to reconsider everything that he thought he knew about the wraith. "We thought to save you from this horrific truth," she offered weakly knowing, even as she defended her actions, that she should have told at least him.

John looked at her for a brief time before sighing and sitting back in his chair. "So what do we do?" he asked desperately.

As much as Woolsey hated the dependency that Atlantis had developed for their wraith ally, he thought that, given the circumstances, his assistance might be valuable. "We could contact Todd," he offered, looking around the room. "Perhaps he could tap his intel and –"

"Todd does not approve of the companion trade, Mr. Woolsey. I doubt very much he would be a position to help us when he spends most of his time pretending that such a thing does not exist," Teyla confided, glancing towards the city's leader.

John looked up. "Wait, Todd knows about this? Why didn't he tell us!?!"

"Same reason me and Teyla didn't," Ronon quipped. "To spare you."

John scowled. "How considerate of him."

Teyla sighed. "When I was Queen the subject came up and he explained his view of it to me. He doesn't approve of the use of companions because the entire trade is based off of taking women against their will, he would rather see a wraith use a willing worshiper then to force an unwilling woman."

Woolsey looked at her. "Is that so?" he asked, clearly not believing her that Todd was this considerate or had that much of a conscious.

Teyla nodded. "Yes."

John let out a long breath that he didn't even know he'd been holding. "So what do we do?" he repeated.

"I have already instructed those spies that my people employ to begin searching through the worshiper's channels," she looked about the room. "If a wraith commander is given a companion then they will know."

Silence greeted her words and as one the entire room fell silent knowing that all they could do now was wait and hope.

~xXx~

The flight to his hive was relatively short and Caavin was glad of it as his new companion had managed to get out of her restraints twice and he had had to halt the flight in order to retie her before she could manage to get more than just one arm or a hand free. He had to hand it to her, she was certainly persistent and, as he landed the craft within his dart bay and pressed the mechanism that would lower the hatch, he knew that she would without a doubt keep him entertained.

He was greeted by his second and third in command as well as three drones, the sub-commanders stepping forwards towards him and bowing in reverence before the second handed him a screen which he assumed was a missive of some sort from another hive.

"What is this?" he asked, taking it and scanning it over, grinning at the opening line of the text.

His second answered him. "A communication from your Sire, Commander."

Caavin nodded in satisfaction, marveling at his Sire's never ending ability to obtain things that would be imposable for any other wraith. Handing the screen back to his second he gestured towards his transport. "Have the female brought to my quarters," he instructed his third before he began to walk towards the bridge with his second following behind.

The hive second looked over his Commander, a smirk painted onto his face. "You have taken a companion?" he asked, curious.

Caavin nodded. "Indeed," he grinned, thinking of the bounty that would be waiting for him when he had concluded his business on the bridge.

The second considered his commander's mood and halted the older wraith before they could reach the bridge. "Go," he said, "see to your human, I will handle those matters which require attention."

Caavin nodded gratefully to the wraith that had served as his second in command for many, many years; their servitude and relationship going back before the end of the war. Turning on his heel, he broke away from the other and turned down a corridor that would take him to his command room. With haste, he dismissed the drones standing by the door and entered the chamber only to duck as an object of unknown size and density came sailing towards his head.

Coming back up to a vertical position, Caavin noted that the woman – he had yet to get her name – had managed to get out of the bindings that held together her hands and had, as soon as he walked through the door, apparently hurled the nearest object within her reach at him. Glancing behind him, he espied a book lying on the ground and turned towards her.

"Now that's not very polite, wouldn't you agree human?" he asked, toying with her as he was sure his cavalier tone was sure to rise her ire. He was right and a moment later she'd picked up a dagger that he'd left out casually and took aim for his head. Caavin blocked it with difficulty as he had not figured that neither her aim nor her throw would be as powerful as they were. Startled, and momentarily left wondering just how talented a fighter this woman was, Caavin pivoted on his right foot and came round so that he could grab her arms and cross them over her chest effectively holding her and preventing any more attack.

Kate struggled against the iron like grip of the wraith she had been 'given' to. "Let go of me," she hissed dangerously even as he tightened his hold. His height and body structure was larger than most of the wraith that she had encountered since coming to the Pegasus speaking volumes about his baring and his fortitude. In a way he reminded her of Todd.

Caavin hissed into her ear, quite enjoying the feel of her taut and lithe body coiling against his as though she were preparing to strike against him. "Your name, human," he breathed, his breath causing a few stay stands of her hair to dance. "Tell me your name and perhaps I shall release you."

Kate growled. "And why would I do that?" she asked, continuing her struggle against his clamp-like arms and solid chest.

Her reply made him curious as most humans were rather cavalier with their names, giving them out freely to any that asked. "Why would you not?" he asked, removing one of his arms from across her chest so that he could trail the fingers of his non-feeding hand down her neck.

Now held with only one arm and shrinking away from his caress, Kate turned while maneuvering her left foot in between his. With a kick she sent his feet flying out from under him. The wraith landed on his back with a snarl of surprised as Kate used the opportunity to move away from him. "A wraith's name holds meaning, giving those who know it power over them. A human's is no different even if there are those that have forgetten this. I will not give you that power over me that comes with knowing my name."

Caavin stared at her for a moment from his position on the floor. What she said was true enough, although why she should choose to adopt this doctrine he was unsure. The other matter that tugged at him was, in the instant that she had managed to unbalance him, he had been able to gage her resilience and found it to be quite strong for a human of her stature. Getting to his feet, Caavin went over her once more, measuring her. She was tall yes, and slender but a closer inspection revealed that her slenderness was due not to feminine softness but rather, he suspected, years of physical exertion and training. Perhaps he had underestimated her.

"What do you know of wraith and their names?" he inquired, beginning to circle around her as she herself fell into a defensive position as soon as she saw his body move.

Kate watched him, her eyes following every step his heavily booted feet took as they travelled a path around her. "I know a great deal about the wraith," she informed him stiffly, her voice hard and unyielding.

Caavin snorted. "I doubt that," he replied to her rather foolish avowal.

He came around her again for the third time and Kate leveled her gaze to his. "You'd be surprised," she hissed lowly.

The fire in her eyes, the glimmer deep within the grey depths told Caavin that she had the ability to back her claim and he wondered what information about he and his brethren she had gathered that made her so infuriatingly confidant.

"Perhaps," he granted before moving swiftly towards her and reaching out to hold her to him once more.

Kate saw him coming and ducked, pivoting on her right foot as the wraith's fingers closed around thin air. Coming back up she raised her knee in a gab aimed for the center of his lower back. She hit him with enough force that, were he a man, would send him flying away from her. As it was, however, the wraith merely grunted and turned towards her, surprise, anger and confusion fighting for dominance in his gaze. Feeling as though she had won something, Kate took a swing towards him, aiming her blow for his face.

Caavin brought his arms up in front of him with barely enough time to block her attempt to cause him still farther injury. Her blow to the small of his back had hurt and he had had to reevaluate just how strong this human actually was. The female seemed to have a strength that could not rightly be explained and her skill was high, almost equaling his. Combined he realized that she had every ability to actually cause him harm.

The wraith turned away from her as he blocked another one of her blows and Kate used the advantage to plant her foot into his chest and kick. He stumbled backwards, turning slightly so that he caught his weight on his hands, landing in a pose not unlike the 'up' position of a push-up. Coming towards him again, Kate was surprised when he kicked out one of his legs and caught her in the stomach sending her flying away from him. The back of her knees hit something solid and Kate felt herself overbalance, falling backwards only to land on something soft. Struggling to sit up, realizing as she did that she'd landed on his bed, Kate gasped as the wraith moved so that he was upon her, his weight pressing down on her with crushing force as his feeding hand came up to rest against her throat in real, unveiled threat.

Breathing heavily, Caavin looked down on his prize and felt desire rise in him with a greatness that he had never experienced before; not even when copulating with females of his own species. The human woman laid out beneath him, still struggling as his own greater weight pressed her back, was so alive and so wild that she heightened his senses to their very peak.

"You are very strong, for a human," he hissed to her, caressing her with his voice.

Kate growled and snapped at him as his face neared hers, wishing for nothing more than to cause this wraith as much pain as she could. Her action caused him to laugh, a low rumbling that sounded achingly familiar and reminded her once more of her brother's wraith ally.

"And spirited," he continued when at last it seemed that her struggles has lessened. Growling softly as he pressed her still farther into the mattress that, with any hope, he would be sharing with her promptly, Caavin removed his feeding hand from her chest and trailed it teasingly down her side to her hip. Clutching it, he lowered his other hand to the small of her back and, before she could think to use this position against him, pulled himself up and off the bed hauling her with him. Turning her, he stooped low so that he could hook his left arm under the back of her knees before coming up, the still incensed female now held carefully in his arms.

Walking forwards, he moved into the bathing chamber off the main room of his command quarters. As soon as he stepped foot into the smaller but no less comfortably adorned space, a myriad of lights both purple and yellow in hue sprang on, wrapping the chamber in a comfortable array of light. A glance down to the face of his companion afforded Caavin the pleasure of seeing her gazing around her in curiosity. Using her distraction to his advantage, he stepped still farther into the room, coming to rest beside a large pool that was sunk into the very floor of the room itself. Stooping, the pool began to fill quickly with warm, soothing water that was tinted a light and murky green as a result of the aloes and other skin conditioners and minerals that were added to it before it reached the pool. Grunting slightly, Caavin tipped the female forwards, releasing her from his grasp as she fell forwards with a splash.

Kate gave a yelp of surprise as her body was engulfed with the mineral water found only on Hives and in other wraith facilities. Sputtering she came up completely drenched and more then slightly angry. Whipping the water and her own hair from her eyes she glared up at her wraith, her teeth flashing dangerously.

Caavin crouched by the pool's edge, resting his feeding arm on his bent knee as he gazed down on her. "Think human," he began, his eyes traveling over her shoulders and chest, those parts of her that were not submerged, narrowing in lust at how the now wet fabric of her tunic clung to her skin and became transparent. "Even if you had managed to best me, where would you run?"

Kate snarled. "I know how to find my way around a hive," she spat at him. "And I can fly a dart."

Really her defiance knew no bounds and Caavin had to commend her for it. "Good things to know, my little human," he replied to her, standing up but keeping his eyes upon her willful face. "But you would not have made it far. Even knowing how to pilot one of our fighters would not help you when the hive is traveling through hyperspace."

Angrily, Kate crossed her arms as her last window of escape closed abruptly.

Smirking at her defeat, Caavin hissed. "Never fear, little human, you are mine now."

Kate turned towards him in fury. "I am not a pet that can be owned, wraith!" she spat dangerously.

"All companions say that in the beginning," he informed her patently. "But, eventually, they all submit. You will be no different."

She glared at him. "You've had many?"

The wraith chuckled and shook his head. "No, I have not," he admitted to her not quite sure why he was gifting her with this information but having a feeling deep down that it was her right to know. Her caliber demanded it. "I am fortunate enough to have had, in accordance to my age and rank; several opportunities to mate in the past. However, thanks to this war, there are not likely to be any such opportunities again anytime soon."

"You're an Elder," Kate said softly now knowing why his bearing at least reminded her of Todd; he'd come from the same era.

Caavin looked down on her. "I am," he confirmed, cocking his head to the side. "And how is it that you know of this…distinction?"

Kate let out a hallow laugh. "I told you, I know a good bit about the wraith."

He grunted. "Hmmnnn, yes, none of which you will be telling me anytime soon I would wager?" her silence told him everything that her words, were she to actually speak, would not. "Regardless," he began again some moments later, "You are my first companion and although you will not be the first human to enter my bed, you will be the first which I will have the pleasure of training. You should feel honored."

Kate let out a low hiss and turned up the intensity of her glare, her face set into a mask of crippling defiance. "I'll never submit," she avowed.

Caavin sighed. "You will," he said with certainty. "Perhaps not with traditional methods as I do believe you are quite unique, but I am sure that I will be able to find a substitute for the usual methods that will fit your…attentions."

The way he said it made Kate shiver, an action that she instantly regretted as it made the hovering wraith growl low in pleasure.

Contemplating what it would eventually take in order to gain her compliance, Caavin tore his eyes away from her and began to walk back towards the main chamber. "I will leave you to bathe," he informed her. "I shall send one of the worshipers to you for aide and with clothes for you to wear."

Kate grit her teeth. "I don't need help taking a bath or getting dressed."

He stopped and turned in the entrance to the bathing chamber. "Nonetheless, you shall have it," he said commandingly, almost daring her to argue with him. When she said nothing and remained silent, he sniffed heavily and left, turning his steps towards the bridge while sending out a mental order to the officer in charge of human affairs to send a female worshiper to his chambers to attend his new companion. Almost as an afterthought, he sent his officer an image of one of the worshipers that had served him personally before. Perhaps if the woman were to hear from another's mouth that he was not so harsh as many of his fellows then she would be much more willing to comply.

As soon as the heavy sound of the wraith's steps no longer echoed and Kate heard the familiar organic hissing that accompanied the opening and then closing of the door to the command quarters, Kate let out a low, long howl of rage; fisting her hands and hitting the water in an attempt to channel some of her wrath. The action resulted in a tremendous splash before she settled back against the smooth wall of the tub and proceeded to sulk.

While the rational half of her brain told her that she was in a hell of a lot of trouble the curious side that she usually tried to ignore was just that, curious. Knowing as she did now that this wraith was from the same time period that Todd was from made her wonder if he would have any of the same values or beliefs or if Todd's Michelangelian point of view was completely unique to him and him alone. It wouldn't surprise her if this turned out to be the case given what inside information she had on him, but in reality, Kate almost hoped that this other wraith who was similar to Todd in terms of background and age was at least kind of like him, if for no other reason than the similarity would provide her with some sense of comfort for her situation.

Her thoughts ended abruptly as her ears picked up again on the sound of the door opening and closing and, turning, Kate was met with a look of disdain from a comply woman that was obviously a wraith worshipper. The woman was fair of hair to Kate's jet black and wore a scowl on her face that the major had learned to expect from those that paid homage to the wraith as Gods. Turning her gaze away, Kate stared determinately at the water as it rippled from her constant breathing.

Undeterred by the indifference of the woman that her masters had sent her to serve, the young worshiper padded the length of the room to the pool's edge and gently de[posited the clothes, towel and small box of jewelry and cosmetics some ways away from the water's edge so that they would not become wet before reaching out a hand for the seated woman's arm.

Kate drew away from the other woman's touch and once more crossed her arms in a show of defiance, refusing to meet the other's gaze.

The worshiper sighed. "Please do not be difficult," she said contemptuously. "If I am unsuccessful in assisting you in your bath and in dressing you for your new station, we will both be punished."

Kate scoffed. "And why should I care what the wraith do to you?" she demanded, turning an ice cold eye towards the woman that was now kneeling, her legs folded beneath her, besides the edge of the tub.

The woman was taken aback. "Is it not usual for nonbelievers to be swayed by compassion for us?" she asked, clearly at a loss. "We are both human you and I, does that not bond us in some way?"

Kate glared at her. "Not really no," she grit out. "You are nothing more than a simpering, cowering individual who has completely given your free will over to those that care little or nothing for you. Having thus relinquished your sense of self, of individualism and personality you'll forgive me if I don't give a damn what the wraith do or do not do to you."

The worshiper stared at her having never before met another human woman who commanded so much force or sense of power. The woman sitting in the water before her was as strong of will and belief as any wraith she had ever encountered indeed, she was almost willing to guess that the woman was as stubborn as the Hive Commander himself. "You think little of my kind," she whispered softly, some of her resentment for the woman and the gift that had been presented to her given her newfound position bleeding away.

Kate's eyes softened. "I pity you," she told the woman as gently as she could given the circumstance.

The worshiper looked at her. "Why?" she asked, having not expected that answer.

"Because you don't know any different," Kate answered and then sighed, turning the full brunt of her gaze towards the woman. "Let me guess," she started, running her eyes over the semi-relaxed state that the woman was in, almost like she'd been here before. "The Commander sent you here because you've…served him before? He thinks that if you tell me that he was kind that I'll give in faster."

The woman nodded, stunned by this female's powers of observation that were as shrewd and any one of the masters. "He did," she admitted, letting her hands fall into her lap as she knew that the woman would not be letting her help her to bathe. "I was instructed to tell you of my experience with him."

Kate snorted, she had to hand it to the wraith; he was sneaky. "Well spare me," she said in retort. "I have no desire to hear any of it and it wouldn't do any good anyway."

The worshiper eyed her. "Are you so set against him?" she asked curiously. "Most would kill to be in your position."

Kate laughed. "Maybe I'll suggest that he take a companion from amongst the worshipers then," she sighed. "I'll never submit. He can take me if he wants, rape me if he wants, but I'll never let him break my spirit."

Her words, the venom in them, shocked the worshiper. "The Commander would never force you," she defended him. "He is…kinder then most. He would not force himself upon you but would rather you go to him willingly."

"Well then he'll be waiting a hell of a long time," Kate ground out darkly.

The young worshiper sighed. "Be that as it may," she stated, reaching behind her for another small box that she had brought with her and placing it on the edge of the pool. "These are substances for you to cleanse yourself with," she informed the woman, "I will allow you to do it yourself."

Kate put on a fake smile that did not reach her eyes. "Why thank you," she said sarcastically as she looked down at herself. "I suppose I should take these off?"

The worshipper nodded. "It would help."

Kate snorted. "That was what you'd call a rhetorical question, you weren't suppose to answer."

The worshiper frowned in obvious confusion but remained silent as the woman in the tub stood and began to peel away her clothing revealing well sculpted arms and torso that proclaimed her to be a warrior. As she divested herself of the reminder of her garments, the worshiper was left with the belief that not a single part of her was soft or yielding, the woman was a perfect instrument of combat. If she was as strong as she looked, the worshiper would wager that she would give her new master one hell of a fight.

Bringing her soaked boots out from under the water, Kate threw them unceremoniously to the side, hearing their wet thump as they landed on the equally sopping pile that was the rest of the clothes that the Athosians had graciously given to her. Sitting back down on the bench that had been carved into the side of the pool, the water lapping her chest just above her breasts, Kate dunked her hair under the water and removed the hair tie from her ponytail. Turning towards the edge of the pool, she reached for the bottle that the worshiper was holding out to her and that she assumed was shampoo of some kind. Taking it, she unscrewed the lid and sniffed, thinking that the substance smelled a bit like sandalwood. Squirting a large amount into her hands she began to weave them through her long hair.

The rest of her bath went smoothly enough, Kate indicating what parts of her she was going to clean and the worshiper handing her the appropriate bottles. When Kate had reached the point where she'd normally shave her legs, the worshiper handed her a bottle of greenish-grey goo that she explained would remove the hair. Kate had hosted herself out of the pool to sit on its edge while she'd slapped an even coating of the stuff onto her calves, thighs and then between her legs and under her arms. Unlike earth made depilatory creams, whatever this stuff was didn't burn or itch and was rather like icy-hot. It felt rather good actually and in a few minutes time, her skin was smoother then she remembered it being in a long time. Getting back into the water, Kate rinsed herself and then got out, the worshiper handing her a rather fluffy and surprisingly soft towel.

After drying off, Kate was led towards a bench that reminded her of a window seat without the window. It looked like it had been grown out of the wall itself and, knowing the nature of hives, Kate thought it might have. Sitting down, she wrapped the towel around her head to dry her hair and was then handed a long skirt with two slits on either side that reached all the way to her hip. Frowning down on the garment and knowing instinctively that she wasn't going to be given any undergarments to go with it; she looked back up at the worshiper.

"He expects me to wear this?" Kate asked, feeling as though her principals and modesty were being challenged and knowing that there was nothing she could do about it.

The worshiper nodded. "It is either those things that have been provided for you or nothing at all."

Kate scowled and untied the laces that would hold the band around her hips. Pulling it around her, she redid them and then smoothed the material over her thighs. It was soft and silken, consisting of two layers the bottom which was black and the top a sheer, dark purple. The material moved and flowed with her movements and the bottom touched the tops of her feet, tickling them slightly. She was given no shoes and was forced to retake her seat as the worshiper grabbed one of her feet and brought it to her lap. Admittedly curious, Kate watched as the young woman brought the box of jewelry forwards and fished out an anklet made of purplish stones to match her skirt and some kind of metal that was almost black. When she was done, she reached for what Kate assumed was some sort of nail polish and began to paint her toenails a blackish hue. Done with one foot, she started on the other while handing Kate another bundle of cloth.

Kate took it and studied it. It was similar to the bodice she had worn while trapped on Todd's hive only much more revealing. It was a halter that fastened around her neck with tiny hooks and barely covered an acceptable amount of her breasts. There was a band that fit beneath her bosom and was held together in the back in the same manner as the neck and, once she'd put it on, Kate felt very exposed.

When her feet were done, the worshiper rose to her knees and fastened a cuff of the same dark metal around Kate's upper, left arm and a matching bracelet at her right wrist. Standing, the worshiper began to work Kate's hair into a style that was surprisingly simple; the top portion of her hair was gathered into a four strand braid and the rest was left to hang free. Kate thought she was done but was sorely disappointed when the woman began applying make-up to her face. Black kohl was used to rim her eyes and some sort of purple-grey powder was applied to her lids before the woman used a tiny brush not unlike a mascara wand to apply still more kohl to her lashes. The finishing touch was a choker in the same purple and black as her anklet fastened about her neck and a touch of some odd smelling dark red stain to her lips. The last was applied just as the echoing sounds of steps reached her ears and the worshiper moved away, her head bowed, as the wraith appeared once more in the doorway.

Caavin looked over the female that had now been dressed to his satisfaction. Her eyes were cold as she glared at him, having stood as soon as he'd entered the bathing chamber but that did not stop him from sweeping his own over her body and grunting in appreciation and lust. "You have done well," he murmured aside to the worshiper who bowed and retreated, gathering up her things and leaving both he and his companion alone within the chamber. Holding out a hand towards her, he curled his fingers inwards in a gesture of beckoning. "Come."

Kate remained stock still which drew an exasperated sigh from the wraith. Growling slightly, he took a step towards her and grabbed her by the upper arm, his grip causing her adornments to dig painfully into her skin. Without farther comment, he dragged her out of the bathroom and back into the main chamber. Her feet were deadened as he brought her over to a corner of the large room where sat a round table and two chairs. Pushing her into her seat, the wraith released her and moved back to take the chair opposite her.

Sitting heavily, Caavin leaned back in his chair and regarded her over the dishes that he had brought with him for her to consume. He knew that she must be hungry and yet still she defied him as she sat stiffly across from him, her hands in her lap and her eyes downcast. "Eat," he bid her, hoping that in this she would obey.

Kate thought about refusing him but knew that starving herself would do her little if no good. Reaching up, she grasped the utensil that reminded her strongly of a spork and brought it to her plate. The food in front of her was again similar to what she and the others had eaten while trapped on Todd's hive if only the presentation of it were nicer. Then again, she was now the companion to the Hive Commander and not just a common worshiper so perhaps she should get used to slightly better accommodations.

He watched her eat; nodding in satisfaction as she took bite after bite until her plate was empty and she looked around for something to drink. Standing and moving towards her, he noted that she did not flinch at his approach as another human would do and instead remained still as he lifted the pitcher and poured the sweetened wine he had requested into both her chalice and his before retaking his seat. Across the table the female remained still and did not drink.

"I know you are thirsty," Caavin said tiredly, wondering if everything was going to be a fight with her. "Drink."

Kate could tell from the smell, a kind of sweet honeyed scent intermixed with the strong smell of vinegar, that the liquid in the cup was wine of some kind. As far as alcohol was concerned, since being stationed in Atlantis she'd learned two things; one, Pegasus alcohol didn't taste like alcohol and two, it was a hell of a lot stronger than anything the Milky Way had to offer. Looking up at the wraith and setting her jaw, she glared at him. "You must think I'm an idiot," she said scathingly, sitting back in her chair and crossing her arms.

Caavin sighed. "I am not attempting to inebriate you," he told her half expecting that to work but already knowing that the female sitting across from him was too stubborn for her own good.

When a few minutes had passed and still she did not lift her glass, Caavin gave up. Settling back into his chair he regarded her and thought the time was ripe for her to answer some of his questions. "What is it you do?" he asked, measuring his voice so that it sounded as non-commanding as possible.

Kate looked up. "What do you mean?" she asked, confused by the question.

"In your society," he clarified, "What is your role?"

Kate glared at him. "Why do you care?" she spat coolly.

Caavin resisted the urge to roll his eyes, a gesture that he had seen his Sire do upon occasion and that he now felt was appropriate given the circumstances in which he now found himself. He did not however, and instead leveled his gaze to hers in determination. "I wish to know," he said patiently. "If we are to spend any length of time together then I should very much like to know more of you then simply your sex, your species and the fact that you are more stubborn then half my wraith put together."

Kate smirked at this. "Am I being difficult?" she asked, her eyes dancing at the thought that she was giving this wraith hell.

He glared at her. "I believe you know that you are," he hissed, taking a gulp from his cup and willing himself not to just feed on her and be done with it.

A true smile lit her face in the wake of this acknowledgement. "Good."

Caavin felt his shoulders drop slightly and he wondered if Emmagan had known of her disposition before he had traded her to him. Unfortunately for Caavin, the female's allure was as strong as her defiance and he rather thought that if he could just get her to submit then the ends would be well worth the torment he was currently living through. With that in mind, he returned his gaze to her face in full force.

"Again," he started, "what is it you do?"

Kate had to hand it to the guy, he was persistent, and in all honesty, she didn't see what harm there could be in telling him a few things about herself. Nothing he could use against her, obviously, and nothing that could connect her to Atlantis, but surely she could give him something if only so that he'd leave her alone. "I'm a soldier," she eventually answered quietly.

The wraith eyed her. "Are you?" he tilted his head to the left and studied her. "That is not surprising."

Kate looked up. "Really?"

He nodded. "You showed extensive skill when you attacked me earlier. I can well believe that you are a warrior among your kind."

"Thanks," Kate murmured offhandedly.

Caavin narrowed his eyes. "And your kind?" he inquired, "What planet do they call home?"

Kate's head snapped up and she glared at him. "Why would I tell you that?" she demanded, surprised to see that the anger in her voice seemed to startle him.

Caavin didn't know from what source her anger came only that it was, as of this moment, complete. "What do you fear?" he asked, working out what he knew of humans and their fears in his head and coming to a conclusion. "You are afraid that if you tell me of your homeworld that I will destroy it."

Kate huffed. "The wraith leave us alone and with good reason," she looked up at him. "Maybe I'm just trying to save you from losing a hive in the skies above our city."

He stared at her. "I doubt your kind could destroy a hive," he said with conviction.

Kate grinned, a dark grin that made the wraith across from her weary. "You'd be surprised."

He blinked at her having no doubt in his mind given the cast of her eyes or the set of that dangerous smirk of hers that what she said was true: her kind could kill wraith. Knowing that, he began to wonder over his interactions with her, concluding that in all the time they'd spent together not once had she shown any fear of any wraith, neither he nor Emmagan nor the drones. A human that didn't fear the wraith was a rare sight and Caavin wondered why it was that this was so.

"You do not fear us?" he commented, wondering how, if at all, she would reply to this.

She shook her head. "No, I don't."

"Why?" he asked; honestly wanting to know.

Kate sighed. "All creatures deserve the right to eat to survive, the wraith are no different. Admittedly, you've taken your cullings a bit too far, but in principal I don't fear you simply because your source of food happens to be humans."

Not for the first time, her answer surprised him. "You do not hate us?" he inquired, now more intrigued by her then in any human he had ever met or, he suspected, any he would ever meet in the future.

"Not for the reasons most humans do," Kate admitted and then sighed, remembering the last time she'd had this conversation with a wraith and how similar she was finding that wraith to be with this one. "Most humans hate you because you do feed on us, because you need us to survive. I hate you because of your actions. By culling in such large numbers, by destroying any civilization that manages to progress past a certain level of advancement; by doing that, you're not better then the Ancients."

Caavin raised a brow ridge. "Ancients?"

Kate sighed, remembering that 'Ancients' was the Earth term for the Lanteans and their cousins. "The Lanteans," she clarified. "The Ancients is what my kind called them."

Her announcement stung him and made him hiss dangerously. "The wraith are nothing like those that tried so very hard to exterminate us!"

Kate snorted, his reaction had been a near mirror image of Todd's with maybe a little different word choice. The anger was the same, however, and that she could deal with. "Really?" she questioned. "The Lanteans liked to play God, they liked to be in charge, liked to decide who advanced technologically and who didn't. Granted, if they didn't want a society to grow past a certain stage they would simply not teach them or ordain that such advanced technologies were dangerous or evil: you just level them."

Caavin was in the middle of composing a retort when he stopped and actually considered what she had said. In a way, and he wasn't yet ready to admit how big a way, she was correct and he knew it. So far, their conversation hadn't gone anything like he'd planned, but in so doing, based on their current direction, he was learning more about her then if she had answered his questions directly. And in the wake of what she had said to him, he was faced with the dilemma of admitting that the woman across from him was vastly more intelligent then he'd ever thought a human could be.

Kate eyed him. "You know I'm right," she said, no trace of smugness or superiority in her voice.

Caavin let out a loud huff from his nose. "Perhaps you are," he conceded, not quite willing to tell her outright that she was indeed mostly correct.

She looked towards him, watched the pondering wraith toy with his cup. "You know firsthand the corruption of the Lanteans," she continued, hoping that by telling him this bit about his race's history he might abandon the idea of treating her as an inferior.

Caavin's eyes flashed up to hers. "Do I?" he asked, curious about whatever it was that she was going to tell him next.

"Contrary to the beliefs of the majority of people in this galaxy," Kate started, "I do not view the Lanteans as being so wonderful as everyone else. Much of what the wraith are can be attributed to how the Lanteans treated you. I often wonder if other humansknew what my kind knows, if they would hate you so much or think so highly of the ancestors.

Her earlier claim that she knew a great deal about the wraith made Caavin wait on baited breath to hear what she was going to say next. He wondered if she knew the truth but doubted it. Even then, he greatly wanted to know what it was she thought she knew.

Knowing that she had his attention, Kate continued. "You helped the Lanteans win a war and in return they attacked you because they didn't want to share. They didn't want another race to be capable of space travel like they were so they tried to kill your High Commander. They failed and you retaliated, that's what started the Great War; them not you."

Caavin's mouth dropped open slightly. No, she couldn't possibly know this and yet she had quoted it back to him. Her claim of knowing of the wraith didn't seem so outlandish now and Caavin wanted very much to know what else she knew but doubted that she'd tell him. The female across from him seemed lost in thought after having imparted her knowledge to him and Caavin was quite happy to let her think, as he was in great need of doing so himself. Unfortunately for him, the costume that he had insisted she wear was distracting and after watching her breasts rise and fall a few dozen times, Caavin shook himself from his entranced stupor and rose, her eyes flashing to his as soon as he moved.

"I have prepared quarters for you," he informed her. Confusion flashed across her face. "I will not force you to my bed against your will. Rape is a sin even to us."

Kate's eyes lowered to the table. "Is that all wraith or just the Elder?"

Caavin let out a noise that was half hiss half grunt. "I do not consider any but the Elder to be my brethren, my kind. All others are but shadows of what the wraith once were, corrupted and broken by those that they so blindly pledge their loyalty to."

Kate nodded, understanding what he meant. "The queens."

Caavin nodded, far past the point where he found the need to question her over every bit of trivia she seemed to have collected over his kind. It was curious, though, almost as though he was not the first Elder she had ever met. That notion, however, given the slight numbers of Elder that still lived amongst the stars, was a near impossibility.

"Yes," Caavin confirmed before turning and motioning for her to follow him. Whilst she had been bathing, he had instructed another room to be grown just beyond the left wall of his command quarters. Coming to a door that had not been there several hours ago, Caavin keyed it open and then stood back, gesturing for her to enter before him.

Kate walked past him and looked around the chamber that was only slightly larger than the quarters that she and Teyla had shared while on Todd's hive. There was a bed in the far corner that looked like it had been grown out of the floor same as every other bed she'd ever seen in a hive the only difference was that there were normal, human made, blankets piled on top along with several pillows. Curiously, she glanced behind her and gasped when she realized how close the wraith had managed to get to her.

"For your comfort," Caavin explained, pleased that he had managed to illicit some sort of reaction from her with his nearness. Granted, it was not one that he would have liked but that, he concluded, would come with time.

Kate stepped away from him, sensing from him a strange familiarity that she could not explain. For all that he sounded like Todd, at times acted like Todd and was from the same general time period he wasn't the wraith whom, had he been standing that close to her, would have made her temperature shoot up a couple degrees. Kate couldn't explain how the longer she spent in this wraith's company the more and more she was reminded of Atlantis' vampiric ally.

Caavin frowned when she backed away from him because he knew that it was not in fear of being so close to such an apex predator. No, her reaction to his closeness was due entirely to something else and he wanted to know what but conceded that such a question was better left to a time when they knew each other better. At least then, he was more likely to get an honest answer if he got one at all.

"I will wake you in the morning," he said stiffly before turning on his head and leaving the room, stopping just outside the door in his own chamber and turning back. "Should you require facilities during your sleep period, you will use those I have grown for you in my bathing chamber," he fixed her with a piercing look. "Do not go wandering about the hive."

Kate gave him a mock salute which the wraith didn't understand but chose not to comment on or ask about and then left, closing the door behind him. Left alone, Kate wondered around the small room that was bare save for a wardrobe of some kind that had been grown from the wall and was between the foot of her bed and the solid barrier of the hive on the other side of which she knew for a fact was the corridor that led to the bridge, and a stump like protrusion that was grown next to the bed and which had a flat surface like a night stand.

Padding across to the wardrobe, she pressed lightly on the door right where a handle should be and stood back as the panels slid open to reveal several outfits not unlike the one she was currently wearing. Shifting through them, Kate found one that she supposed was meant to be a nightgown given that it actually covered everything and was soft and flowly. Removing all her jewelry and putting it into a drawer in the left side of the wardrobe, she removed the nightgown from its place, undressed and put her companion wear in the base of the hive grown furniture before pulling the dress over her head. Turning towards the bed she moved forwards and slipped beneath the several blankets that had been piled atop it and closed her eyes.

It was not hard to fall asleep in a hive, in fact the low organic hum of the ship soothed her, but this hive was not where she wanted to be. Kate wanted to go home, wanted to sleep in her own bed and wanted to wear something that didn't leave nothing to the imagination. Most of all she wanted John, wanted her big brother to tell her that everything was going to be alright and that the wraith sleeping in the next room wasn't going to touch her. The soldier in her told her that she needed to play this out, needed to do whatever the wraith told her to do so that she could lull him into a state of lowered alertness. If she made him think she trusted him, then he'd be more likely to slip up so that she could escape. Of course, having been so stubborn already, she'd have to stage her actions so that he believed he was earning her trust slowly all while finding ways of being just obstinate enough to keep her out of his bed.

One thing was for sure, she wasn't going to let the wraith bed her; she'd kill herself before she let him touch her. She just had to wait, play the game and hope for an opening. She'd done it before, and she'd probably do it again. Mind set, she allowed her thoughts to drift as the hum of the hive softly soothed her to sleep.

~xXx~

John felt horrible, absolutely, terribly horrible. Sighing, he rubbed his hands over his face for the umpteenth time as he sat in the mess hall and toyed with the cold cup of coffee that was sitting in front of him. Kate was still missing and so far Teyla's network had failed miserably at discovering even the slightest hint of anything useful. John knew that he couldn't honestly blame this on Teyla but somehow he felt as though some of this really was her fault. John attributed most of his headache to the fact that he'd found out everything at once; not only could wraith and humans apparently do the deed but his sister had been given to one of them for exactly that purpose. The thought was sickening and, not for the first time in the past thirty-six hours, the Colonel felt his stomach churn.

"You're not going to help your sister by killing yourself."

John looked up. "Hey, Lorne," he muttered, dropping his eyes back to the table.

Lorne took a seat across from his commanding officer and crossed his arms on the table top. "We'll find her, Sir," he offered, trying his best to comfort a man that didn't usually respond well to comfort if he responded at all.

John sighed. "Will we?" he asked, doubt lacing his voice for the first time. "Teyla's network of Athosian spies has failed, Todd's clueless, Woolsey won't let us go poking around and none of our off world allies have reported squat," he sighed. "I don't know what else to try."

Major Evan Lorne looked across from him at the bravest most steadfast man he knew and felt an instant and unyielding wave of sympathy crash over him. "We'll find her," he said with conviction. "Or she'll find her own way home. You know Kate, she won't let her guard down and she won't give up. If we can't get to her then believe that she'll find a way to get to us."

Hope flared and John looked up into the earnest and set face of his second in command. "You're right," he said, his voice stronger than it had been since he'd gotten the news. "Kate's a survivor. She'll find her way home."

Lorne nodded. "Yes she will," he agreed and then heard a familiar buzz in his ear. Looking across the table and realizing that Sheppard didn't have his earpiece in, Lorne pressed his ear. "This is Major Lorne."

John looked up, curious, remembering that he'd left his radio somewhere in his quarters when he'd gotten up after failing to fall asleep and came down here. He wondered what was up.

Lorne frowned, not sure he'd heard correctly. "Say again?" he asked the person on the other end who sounded like one of the new marines.

"There's a wraith landing on our southeast pier," the marine repeated. "Says he wants to talk to Dr. Jennifer McKay, something to do with some kind of gene therapy."

Lorne blinked a couple of times before managing a reply, John raised an eyebrow.

"What's up?" he questioned, slightly amused by the half shocked, half incredulous look on his major's face.

Lorne stared at him. "Todd's here, Sir," he informed his superior officer stoutly, still a little more than slightly shocked that the wraith had come to them for this particular reason if he was here for the reason Lorne thought he was here.

"Why?" John asked, really not in the mood to deal with the wraith at the moment, after having been recently informed of what wraith and humans could do. Armed with that particularly interesting fact, the accusations he'd made about Todd flirting with Kate didn't seem do farfetched anymore. The thought worried him slightly as did the knowledge that Todd was more than willing to get way too close to Kate, had landed on top of her when they'd been on his hive, and generally fixed her with strange looks that could now be interpreted as a kind of longing.

John wanted to shoot him.

Lorne, still a bit dazed, shook his head to clear it before replying. "Something to do with the doc's gene therapy."

If John had been holding his coffee cup he would have dropped it. "Say again?" he asked, totally not believing that Todd might be here to tell them that he'd decided to give it another go but really, really hoping that he was.

Lorne nodded. "He's here to talk to Jenn about her therapy." He eyed the Colonel. "Sir, do you think…"

"I sure as hell hope so!" John said loudly. "Because if he came all this way to tell us 'no' then I might just kill him. Woolsey can sue me."

Lorne watched his commanding officer spring to his feet and followed himtowards the nearest transporter. "I think I'll help," he agreed as they entered the enclosed space and the major pressed the screen in the place that would take them closest to the pier.

They made it to the pier in record time and, as soon as John got within shouting distance of Todd – who was standing much more patiently then he should be next to his dart, surrounded by marines pointing guns at him – he called out, "You'd better be here for the reason I think you're here because if you've come all this way to tell us no –"

Todd huffed. "Keep your threats, Sheppard, I would not have wasted my time traversing the distance between my hive and your fair city if all I had was a negative answer to your proposal."

John and Lorne came to a stop in front of the wraith and John gave the order for his men to stand down and go back to the city. "Oh, good," he said flippantly, not at all concerned with the fact that Todd seemed more than a little moody because, let's face it, the wraith was always moody.

Except when he's around Kate a little voice inside of his head reminded him and John tried very hard to smother it before he did something stupid.

"So," Lorne tried, when a glance at his commanding officer told him that Sheppard's thoughts were elsewhere, "why are you here?"

Todd affixed the major with a look. "I have decided that another attempt at your gene therapy would not be misplaced," he informed the human.

John stared at him. "What made you change your mind?" he asked, honestly curious if it was something they'd said or if Todd had reached this conclusion on his own.

Telling Colonel Sheppard that Katherine had changed his mind was not preferable as Todd had no desire to be shot which he knew would be the most likely outcome of such a confession. Instead he opted for a half truth. "A fault was brought to my attention, one that I would seek to correct. Your gene therapy would effectively produce the outcome that I wish to acquire."

Lorne crossed his arms and gave the wraith a non-believing stare. He hadn't said it, at least not so that Colonel Sheppard could understand, but the underlying message in that statement was that Kate had somehow managed to convince him that this was the best course of action. Lorne didn't know how she'd done it, nor did he care, but he did know that telling the Colonel that his sister now has the magical ability to affect Todd's thought processes and decision-making skills was the absolute last thing that was needed at the moment. Sheppard had learned that wraith and humans weren't as different in certain areas as Lorne was sure he'd have liked to believe, and the major did not want his commanding officer to become aware of just how much power Kate seemed to have over their alien ally. Knowing the colonel, he'd take it the wrong way and throw a fit, and quite frankly, they needed Todd alive and not pissed off at them because Atlantis' commanding military officer had finally decided to test the theory on how many bullets it would take to bring down Todd the Wraith. So, with the knowledge of this spectacular revelation, Evan Vincent Isaac Lorne kept his mouth shut.

While Lorne was processing the hidden allusions behind Todd's words, John was busy staring at the wraith with an incriminatory gleam to his eyes. "A fault?" he asked, incredulously and with some small amount of shock. "You mean that we're actually right!?!?"

Todd growled, willing himself to not to strangle the human in front of him. Katherine would not forgive him if he murdered her brother. "Call it what you like, Sheppard, but my patience is growing thin," he informed the infuriating specimen who had the audacity to gloat.

John smirked. "Hold it, hold it, I just want to bask in the glory here for a moment."

Lorne sent a warning look towards his CO as Todd the clearly unhappy wraith snarled threateningly.

John sighed. "Okay, basking is over. Come along you."

While normally Todd would have made a retort about not being a pet that could be commanded to follow along at will, he knew that such a comment would do nothing to change Sheppard's demeanor nor would it be listened to. Holding his tongue although he desperately wanted to lash out at he who was extremely annoying, Todd followed the two humans back towards the city in silence, not speaking again until they'd reached the infirmary.

"Hey, doc," John greeted the bleary eyed and tired looking Jennifer who had been woken up and asked to come down especially for this visit.

Jennifer glared at him. "This had better be good," she yawned.

John grinned, practically bouncing up and down. "Oh, it is," he informed her and waved his hand behind him over the silently scowling wraith standing a meter to the left. "Todd's here to talk about your gene therapy."

Any and all tiredness that Jennifer may have been clinging to instantly vanished as she turned wide blue eyes towards the pissed off looking wraith. "Really?" she questioned, barely daring to believe it.

Todd nodded, stowing away his annoyance for the Colonel and putting on a less threatening expression for the mild mannered doctor's benefit.

"O-Okay," Jennifer stammered, still more then slightly surprised. "Are you here to talk about it or –"

Todd interrupted her. "I am here to offer you your first…test subject. If and only if the treatment works well with me, we will begin discussions over how best to vaccinate the rest of my alliance."

John yelped and turned towards the wraith in surprise. "You're offering yourself?" he demanded.

Todd glared at him. "You are surprised?"

"Well yeah! I mean, considering you're like the king of the wraith I thought you'd make one of your underlings do it," John retorted.

Todd smirked and gave a light chuckle in laughter. "I am extremely more valuable then one of my…underlings," he explained to them as though talking to a particularly ignorant youngling. "If something should go wrong, I believe that you would be much more invested in saving my life then in saving theirs."

"He has a point," Lorne agreed, looking around at both Sheppard and Jennifer.

John nodded. "Yes, I suppose you do," he sighed. "Alright, Jennifer he's all yours. Have fun." With that he turned to leave.

Jennifer called out after him. "Get some sleep Colonel, that's an order."

John kept walking but waved a hand in the air to tell her that he heard her. Lorne turned to Jennifer. "I'll make sure he sleeps," he promised her and hopped off the infirmary bed he'd been sitting on and headed towards the door.

"Take the coffee pot out of his room," Jennifer commanded, receiving a nod from the departing major, before turning towards her patient. "If you could please sit," she asked him, indicating another bed closer to where the wraith was standing.

Todd complied and sat, eyeing the doctor as she moved about the room preparing instruments and pulling out trays. "What is wrong with Colonel Sheppard?" he asked, after a while.

Jennifer stopped doing what she was doing and looked towards the wraith. "What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

Todd blinked and tilted his head to one side. "He has not been sleeping," he offered by way of an explanation.

Jennifer gulped wondering if it'd be bad if she told Todd that Kate was MIA before deciding that she had to tell him something if not the whole story. "Kate's missing," she said softly, almost hoping that he wouldn't hear her.

A peculiar sensation began to filter through him as the wraith absorbed these words feeling, finally, an uneasy feeling of concern settle in his soon to be activated stomach. "Is she?" he questioned, pinning the doctor with a look that would have terrified anyone that hadn't gotten so used to having him around. As it was, she shivered slightly.

"Y-yes," Jennifer tried to explain. "She, Teyla and Ronon got caught by the wraith. She stayed behind so that they could escape."

Todd considered this and came to the conclusion that there was something that they did not wish for him to know. "What else?" he queried, needing to know all the facts.

Jennifer turned towards him, a needle filled with the first stage of the gene therapy held in her gloved hands. "Nothing," she lied. "I need you to remove your…um…clothing so that I can reach your arm."

Ignoring the flustered and slightly embarrassed rise of the female's temperature and the coloring of her cheeks, Todd knew instinctively that he was being lied to. Doing as he was told, his fingers loosening the snaps that fastened his battle-coat together before removing his bracers and divesting himself of both, he meanwhile turned his gaze back to the doctor. "You are lying," he said plainly, unfastening his undercoat and presenting his arm to her.

Jennifer flushed, not because he'd caught her in a lie but because a half dressed Todd – if one could get past the greenish-grey skin – was almost as impressive as a half dressed Ronon. He and Todd were roughly the same height; Todd was an inch and a half taller than the six foot three and a half Setedan, and had roughly the same build only Todd was slightly broader at the shoulder and chest. Jennifer didn't like to think about the latent feelings that the vampiric alien stirred in her mostly because one, she didn't want them, and two, he could kill her in about two seconds flat. Jennifer blamed her response on the fact that Todd was an alpha male and therefore attempted to retain her composure. The wraith didn't seem to notice.

"Tell me," Todd growled softly, "What else?"

Jennifer finished giving him the shot and replaced the needle on a tray before pulling off her gloves and turning towards the now redressing wraith. "Why do you care?" she asked.

Todd pulled on his undercoat and reached for his battle-coat. "Does it matter?" he inquired, not ready to admit anything to these humans that he was still trying to come to terms with himself.

Jennifer crossed her arms. "Yes," she told him. "It does."

Todd snorted. "It is nothing," he dismissed the conversation, resolving that he would have to learn of Katherine's fate from another source that would not want to know why he requested the information he did.

Jennifer coughed. "It's the same reason you saved the colonel's life when he could read minds isn't it?" she pressed, not willing to let the wraith off this easily, as she honestly wanted to know why the hell he cared so much about her friend.

Shuttering a sigh and the urge to snap at the doctor that had never intentionally caused him harm, Todd turned back to her. "Perhaps," he relented knowing that if he gave her nothing then she would continue to ask. This admittance he could afford to give as it denied everything and confirmed nothing.

Jennifer eyed him but let the matter drop knowing that this was all she was likely to get out of him and surprised that she'd gotten this much at all. "Well, you're done, I suppose," she said, switching back to doctor mode. "I would like to keep you overnight to ensure that nothing goes wrong. I'll call a marine to take you to your room."

Todd let out a growling hiss as staying in Atlantis was the last thing he wanted to do. Here he could do nothing to discover whatever it was that the humans were keeping from him as he could well guess they would not be enlightening him any time soon. He was aware, however, that nothing he could say would change the doctor's mind and so, begrudgingly, he nodded his consent and waited while Jennifer called him an escort.

~xXx~

Kate's mind drifted back into the realm of conscious thought abruptly after someone shook her arm. Coming awake violently, she sat up in bed and turned towards whomever it was that had woken her. Her eyes met with those of the worshipper that had helped her bathe the day before.

"What?" she demanded, allowing her body to relax if only just.

The worshipper's face remained placid. look. "The Commander instructed me to wake you," the young girl said simply, standing and backing away from the bed.

Rolling her eyes and throwing the covers back, Kate stood and looked around the room, the gloom and purplish-grey lights reminding her only too acutely where she was and how she'd come to be here. Stifling a yawn, she turned back towards the woman who was now holding a pile of what she guessed could only be more ridiculously skimpy clothing.

"Get dressed," the worshiper commanded, dropping the pile on the woman's bed and retreating.

Kate looked at the clothes before looking back towards the worshipper. "What?" she asked, "Not going to help me this time?"

The worshiper ignored the woman's sarcasm and continued her retreat.

Feeling slightly sorry that she hadn't managed to get a rise out of the girl, Kate turned back to her bed and, reaching down, held up the topmost garment. Surprisingly, the thing in her hand was leather, black and would cover more of her then the entirety of the clothing she'd worn yesterday. Not at all sure what the wraith's game was, Kate contemplated just exactly what was going to happen as she pulled the laces together on her bodice. The rest of her clothing turned out to be a pair of tight but not uncomfortable matching leather pants and black mid-calf boots with a one inch heel. All in all, after looking her herself for the tenth time or so and after gathering up her hair into a simple ponytail, she rather thought her outfit looked similar to the one Vala owned and only pulled out when she really wanted to drive Daniel crazy.

Still pondering the reason for her space-piratey getup, Kate missed the sound of the door opening and only became aware of it after a soft growl filtered through her room. Turning quickly around, she espied her wraith leaning, arms crossed, against the frame of her door, an informal posture that she had never expected to see a wraith in.

Caavin allowed himself to look over his companion languidly. She looked decidedly enthralling in wraith leather. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he knew her to be a warrior, but the sight of her dressed so threateningly and standing so defiantly in the center of her room caused a rise in him that threatened to take away all his good sense and reduce him to his most primal state.

Pushing himself away from the door frame and taking a step towards her, Caavin leveled his eyes to hers. After leaving her to sleep the night before, he had had several internal arguments with himself over how best to proceed. It was clear that she would never submit to him if he approached her with any of the traditional methods and, after their conversation, Caavin had decided to try something else: courting her. Her mind was sharp, this much he knew, and she seemed to have a better grasp of the history of this galaxy then most humans particularly when it came to matters of his own species. An opportunity for such a cultivation of mind presented itself in a transmission sent by his Sire who was by age, honor and reverence the leader of the alliance of hives that Caavin worked with. His Sire, ever intrigued by the bounty of Lantean technology and its unquantifiable uses, asked that he take his hive, which was closest, to explore a planet rumored to be the resting place of some very valuable relics of those that had once tried to wipe them from the stars and to capture anything that might be of use in his war.

"Come with me," Caavin spoke quietly, knowing how sensitive ones ears were upon first waking.

Kate eyed him. "Not that I'm not grateful for the change in wardrobe, but where are we going?"

He turned back and looked over her, jaw set and arms crossed projecting the idea that she wasn't going to move until he told her something. He sighed, her stubbornness knew no bounds. "We are going down to the planet around which my ship now orbits," he informed her, almost knowing instinctively that that answer would do nothing to placate her.

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she wondered what kind of game the wraith was playing. "And why are you taking me?"

Caavin growled softly. "You do not wish to get off of this ship?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Tramping around on some unknown planet for some unknown reason that you don't think I should know it not exactly my idea of fun."

Caavin snorted, the ire in her voice reminded him greatly of his Sire. "If you must know the commander of my alliance has asked me to survey the planet and to, if anything is found, acquire it."

For the first time since she'd been captured Kate began to wonder if one of the reasons why this wraith seemed to remind her so distinctly of Todd was because they might actually know each other. Reminding herself that the nature of whatever they were looking for had yet to be revealed, she shook the thought from her head. "So, what exactly are we looking for?" she asked instead.

Caavin offered her a look that told her she would simply have to wait to find out. "Come," he said again, holding out his hand this time and wondering if she'd take it. She didn't, but she did fall into step besides him and so he contented himself with that.

The walk down to the dart bay was silent and more than one of his officers cast him odd looks at the sight and attire of his companion. After responding to several mental comments with 'None of your concern,' Caavin began to ignore them and eventually his crew members stopped asking. Entering the dart bay, he briefly considered taking a dart before deciding that a transport would be better suited to their needs and turned to the right abruptly before mentally commanding the back hatch on his private shuttle to open. Boarding, both he and the female took their seats and strapped in as he powered the engines and then commanded that the dart bay doors be opened.

The trip to the planet was equally as silent as the trip from his quarters to the dart bay had been and neither of them spoke until the ship had settled down on the outskirts of the ruins he'd been sent to explore. Disembarking, they looked around, him in memory of the battle that was fought here and she in reverence.

Kate looked around her surroundings and knew instantly by the design of the fallen pillars, the writing etched into the stone and the odd bits of walls and terraces that these ruins belonged to the Ancients. She was now almost positive that her wraith belonged to the same alliance that Todd did as he was the only wraith she knew that had any sort of real interest in collecting Ancient technology. Along with this revelation came the opportunity she needed to win her freedom. Todd had once told her that he'd given orders to his alliance that, were they ever to capture any of the Atlantis expedition then they were to immediately release them. All Kate had to do was convince her wraith that she was from Atlantis and hopefully he'd let her go.

"So," she started walking, her wraith trailing along behind as he scanned the area for any energy reading, "What are we here for?"

Caavin looked up from his handheld device and towards her. "Anything that can be of value to the High Commander," he informed her wondering briefly if she'd live long enough to perhaps one day meet the one that ruled his alliance. His Sire didn't approve of the keeping of companions and he doubted he'd approve even of one such as her, but Caavin could live with that. He'd disobeyed his Sire before.

Kate knew of only one wraith that was called 'High Commander' and it was a title that held no power in this day and age. She knew that occasionally an Elder wraith would call Todd by that title out of sheer habit or so he had told her and so, the idea that Todd had asked her wraith to go looking for interesting bits of Ancient technology lodged itself into her mind and refused to move. Since what Todd considered interesting were ZPM's - it never amazed her how many of those things he thought he needed - all she had to do was find one or two and then barter for her release.

As her wraith wandered around looking for energy reading that she knew he wasn't going to find, Kate found her curiosity getting the better of her. On some level she wondered why he would have bothered taking her with him at all, on another she guessed that she knew exactly why he'd brought her with him. He'd said the night before that traditional methods of persuasion in the breaking of a companion weren't going to work on her, so Kate figured that this was his version of unusual persuasion. He was courting her intellectual side, or maybe he was just courting her in general, which Kate found mildly amusing. When she got back to Atlantis, she'd have to tell Lorne and Jennifer about this.

Her ponderings eventually led her to a kind of dais that her wraith had stopped in front of and was regarding with interest. "What is it?" Kate asked him, coming to a stop besides him and looking over the raised platform on which sat a consol of some kind with buttons spread across its face in a pattern not unlike a DHD.

Caavin checked over his readings, they were abnormally high given the circumstances, before answering her. "I believe it to be a form of Lantean interface. Perhaps transportation pad."

"Oh," Kate mumbled, not sure what a transportation pad was as she circled the stone structure. "Is it on?" she asked, stepping onto the platform and laying her hand, palm flat, against the stone.

The wraith shook his head. "No, I do not believe…" he trailed off as suddenly, almost as soon as she had touched it, his scanner began to beep excitedly and the whole platform and the console that sat upon it lit up.

Kate grinned. "It's on now."

Caavin stared at her. "How did you do that?" he demanded, knowing that nobody save for a Lantean or one of their descendants could operate their technology. How, then, could she?

Kate shrugged and began looking over the buttons on the panel. "These are constellations," she observed, completely ignoring her wraith's question on how she'd managed to turn the thing on. "Like the one on the DHD's."

"What is a DHD?" Caavin asked before he could stop himself. Shaking his head, he removed his curiosity from his mind and focused on the matter at hand, stepping up onto the platform to peer over the female's shoulder. "Never mind, how did you –"

Knowing a thing or two about how paranoid the Ancients were, Kate had tried the first combination she could think of which was the address to Earth; an address that no wraith – at least not ten thousand years ago – would have known. Without warning there was a flash of light not unlike an Asgard beam and then total blackness engulfed them as they reappeared somewhere other than the surface of the planet.

Caavin attempted to adjust his eyes to the light, or lack thereof, and failed. Fortunately for him, the all consuming darkness didn't last long. As if sensing the presence of an Ancient, lights suddenly flared to life and Caavin looked around, knowing instantly where they were. "Impossible," be breathed, stepping away from the female and looking around in both awe and wonder.

Kate, too, knew exactly where they were simply because Atlantis had been looking for this place for the past four years. "This is where they made the drones," she said, taking several steps forwards and eyeing the factory that they had just been deposited into. "What are the chances that there has to be at least three ZPM's around here somewhere?"

The question was to herself and Caavin knew it but her terminology wasn't any that he was familiar with although he had heard his Sire speak of ZPM's on more than one occasion usually when he was taking about his latest interaction with his human allies in Atlantis. Caavin would never understand that particular partnership, given that it was his Sire who had planned the siege that sank the city to the bottom the sea in the first place and was notorious for having little or no patience for humans in general. Still, the unusual alliance had born fruit on more than one occasion previously, so Caavin was willing to concede that these humans that were not indigenous to their galaxy were not completely useless after all. It didn't mean he had to like them, and it didn't explain how his companion knew of their terminology.

Before Kate could take another step forwards, she found herself grabbed by the upper arm and dragged backwards into the steel tight embrace of her wraith who was glaring down at her. "How do you know of such as that?" he demanded threateningly, squeezing her arm more tightly.

Kate hissed at him. "Well if you must know, I –"

That was as far as she got before energy fire from an unknown source, bolted between them and impacted the far wall, leaving behind a large hole. Together the both of them eyed each other and then turned towards the direction of the bolt only to see two guards approaching them. Kate narrowed her eyes, the guards each had a cannon like gun on their right arms that looked like it was fused to them.

Kate's eyes widened as they stopped and drew back to fire again. "Replicators!" she screamed, pushing away from her wraith as the both of them ducked and then took off running, the sound of footsteps and the occasional blast of energy fire following them as they bolted around a corridor.

As they ran, Caavin ducking more fire then the female, he looked over to her as they at last rounded a corner and pressed themselves flat into the wall, taking the time to breathe and come up with a plan. "They are not shooting at you," Caavin observed as they began walking quickly along the corridor.

Kate shook her head. "We've seen it before. The Ancients are a paranoid lot who lived in constant fear of the wraith finding their technology caches so they posted replicator guards or some other security features that are keyed specifically to wraith DNA."

Caavin came up short. "We?" he questioned.

Kate turned back and nodded. "We," she repeated and then dropped the bomb. "Atlantis."

Caavin did a double take. "You are from Atlantis?" he asked, hoping that this was not true as it would mean that he would have no choice but to release her at the end of this little venture. While his Sire might have eventually gotten used to the idea that he'd taken a companion, Caavin knew that under no circumstances would he be allowed to keep her if she was indeed from the formerly sunken city.

Kate smirked. "You have to let me go."

Caavin scowled. "And what makes you think that?" he asked darkly, not liking that she would assume this even if it was true.

She shrugged and opened her mouth only to get cut off as the two replicators rounded the corner and began firing. "We have to get to the control room!" she shouted as the two of them took off running again.

"Yes, I don't suppose you know how to turn them off do you?" Caavin asked her as she waved them through a set of doors, making sure that they shut behind them.

Kate nodded. "I think so."

Caavin eyed her. "You think so?" he snorted. "And you expect me to wager my life against the chance that you might be able to turn them off?"

Kate glared at him. "No, I expect you to trust me." They rounded a corner. "Not because you want to, but because you don't have a choice."

Unfortunately Caavin couldn't argue with her as the fact of the matter was, if she really was from Atlantis, she had more experience in this sort of situation then he did. The knowledge did not make him feel better as this morning she had been his and now, once this was all over, she wouldn't be. Silently, the wraith cursed his luck: his companion's defiance and fire had intrigued him, captivating him most completely. That he would never have the chance to take her, to truly have her made him extremely unhappy.

Around another corridor and through another set of doors, led them to the control room and Kate silently thanked whatever Ancient had decided that all secret facilities had to all have the same basic floor plan. Swiping her hand over the door control, the two of them rushed forwards; the whole room turning on as soon as she entered it.

Caavin looked around, watching as the door closed behind them and his companion made her way towards the various computer terminals. Already she was busy bringing up numerous programs that he could not even begin to fathom the purposes of.

"Hurry," Caavin instructed her, nervous and slightly uneasy about being here. Somehow, it just felt wrong.

Kate's hands flew over the keys. "I'm trying, hold on," she muttered, "Impatient wraith."

Her last statement made Caavin snort in amusement before a loud bang split through the room. Creasing her exploration of the factory's security systems, both the female and he looked towards the door where a large dent was now bulging towards them. Caavin gulped; there was nowhere else to run.

Kate, too, eyed the dent before hurriedly went back to what she'd been doing.

Caavin, meanwhile, watched as the replicator guards banged consistently on the doors that separated them from their target. Worry began to compound within him as the banging stopped only to be replaced by a glowing red light as the two machines began to melt their way through the door.

"Shit," Kate muttered as she scanned yet another useless security protocol dealing with the cameras on deck nine. None of this was helping and, although he tried not to show it, her wraith looked very uneasy.

The time came when the door finally gave out, and the two replicators stepped though the round hole and aimed at Caavin who had backed as far away from them as he possibly could. Their advance never came, and Caavin's eyes widened as they simply burst apart in a shower of metallic dust. Turning, he eyed the woman who was leading against the consoles and smirking. He could not help smirking back.

"Not a moment too soon," he teased her, glad to be alive and thankful that her confidence in her own abilities was not out of place.

Kate grinned and shrugged, stepping away from the terminals and looking at her wraith. "So what now?" she asked him.

Caavin sighed. "As you have pointed out," he began regrettably, "I must release you."

Kate nodded. "Thanks."

He nodded, turning to her and holding her gaze greedily. "There is but one thing I wish to know, before I let you go."

Kate narrowed her eyes. "Okay," she said slowly. "What?"

Caavin took a step towards her. "Your name, you never did tell me and I should like to know."

His question made her smile and Kate figured that telling him her name might not be so terrible a thing to ask after what they'd just been through. "Katherine," she told him. "My name is Katherine."

~xXx~

Todd was climbing into his dart under the watchful eye of both Sheppard and the one called Lorne when two marines came sprinting out onto the pier. The wraith halted his embarkation in favor of his curiosity over what could possibly have the two humans so excited.

"Colonel!" Masters screamed as soon as he and Tates got to within shouting distance of Sheppard.

John turned towards his men. "What on earth has got you two so hyped up?" he demanded, tired, hungry and in terrible need of coffee.

Tates skidded to a stop, Masters almost running into him. "Major Sheppard just came through the stargate," they both said in unison.

John stared at them. "What?"

Masters, understanding completely why the Colonel would be skeptical, repeated himself. "Your sister's back Sir, she's in the infirmary."

John's heart hammered to a stop inside of his chest, relief flooding him. "Is she alright?" he demanded, flashing a glance towards Todd who seemed to be raptly listening to every word. "N-nothing's wrong with her?"

Tates shook his head. "She's perfectly fine, Sir; came waltzing through the stargate about ten minutes ago. She even brought us a present."

Lorne frowned. "A present?"

Masters nodded vigorously. "Seems she managed to find herself four fully charged ZMP's."

John, Lorne and Todd all exclaimed at the same time. "FOUR!?!?!?!"

Masters nodded. "Seems the wraith that had her made the mistake of taking her to some planet that had some Ancient technology on it."

Lorne grinned, sure he looked like an idiot right about now. "So she bartered her freedom?" he asked, already knowing that Kate was smart enough to get out of just about anything. Turning towards the Colonel, he slapped him on the back. "See, I told you Kate would find her way home."

John nodded. "Hey, can you see him off?," he said, gesturing at Todd, "I'm gonna -"

Lorne waved him off. "Go, Sir, tell her I'll be there soon."

John thanked him with a firm hand shake and then took off at a run back towards the city, the two marines fallowing him at a much slower pace. That left Lorne alone with Todd whom had finally finished climbing into his dart.

"Well, I hope I don't see you any time soon," Lorne started, "but we both know the chances of that happening are slim to none."

Todd nodded, his own mind working of the proceedings while trying to process what all he had heard. "Indeed."

Lorne stuck his hands in his pockets. "So, bye then," he said and made to turn back towards the city.

Todd debated with himself before finally committing. "Just a moment, Major," he called, seeing the surprise and curiosity appear on Lorne's face as he turned back. "Would you tell Katherine that I am glad that she has returned safely?"

Lorne stared at him, too shocked to actually reply and so instead just nodded. His response seemed to please Todd because the wraith grunted and triggered the cockpit to close over him. As he was lifting off, Lorne started to wander back towards the city, Todd's request ringing in his ears. There was no doubt that the request was strange and that he would give it to her, just not when Sheppard was around and not without first having a very long talk with Jennifer and Teyla.

Something told him that Todd's attraction towards Kate was evolving, changing into something else besides just appreciation for her physically. Something more like what Kate had already confessed that she felt for him.

The thought was a terrifying one.


	12. Vacation

**A/N:** Here you go peeps, another epsiode for you all to enjoy! Special thanks to my wonderful beta (you know who you are) for all the hard work she's put into helping me make this story even better. As always, reviews make my day so it you love it, hate it, or absoultely can't stand it let me know. The only condition that I must place is that any negative reviews be submitted without any profanity, name calling or exsesive use of certain adjectives which are nearther kind nor flattering. I can assure you that such idiodic behavior does not speak well of you at all. Thank you and enjoy the chapter (and please remeber to hit the little button at the end)!!

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**Episode XIII: Vacation **

The wraith paced around the room in which he had been incarcerated for over a year; the white walls and tiles were stark and uninteresting, and there was but one door to the room and no windows. The wraith often wondered that he had not been driven to insanity already. As it stood, the humans that had captured him kept him alive by allowing him to drain a variety of animals, and while their lesser life forces did keep him from starving he longed for the rush of ecstasy that followed one's feeding from a human.

The wraith's pacing stopped as the door opened and two of the humans that he had come to identify as scientists – although their methods were crude at best – walked into the room. Almost two years ago now, one of the scientists aboard his hive had led a mutiny against the Hive Commander and then plotted a course here, to this distant galaxy, to wage war against the planet were the Hive Commander's human allies made birth. He did not know the details, for he was fairly low on the command chain, but he did know that the hive's new leaders had underestimated the humans of earth. When he had been captured, he had underestimated their capacity to be cruel. It was not something he would do again. Standing stock still, he waited as they entered the room fully bringing with them a creature they called a pig.

"Feeding time," the female scientist called out, as though he were a pet of some kind. The wraith snarled but advanced, circling the unsuspecting creature that soon began to squeal as he realized he was being stalked by the greatest of predators.

Normally, the humans did not stay to watch the process as the wraith had no doubt that seeing him feed reminded them what his preferred food choice was. He was therefore surprised when the two humans instead stood back and took out computerized tablets with which to take observational notes.

"You wish to watch?" the wraith questioned, his voice raspy and tired sounding, like that of an old human. He hated it, it sounded week but the humans only fed him often enough to keep him alive. It is an unpleasant feeling, being constantly hungry, when the sustenance provided is only enough to stave off death and not enough to satisfy.

The male of the two humans looked up. "Oh yes," he said. "You're here to be studied and, so far, this is the only aspect of you that we haven't carefully observed."

The wraith snarled. Yes, that was true. They had taken everything from him; blood, skin tissue, and other fluids that he'd rather not discuss. They had even managed to take his pride from him, but they could not dismantle his need to survive. Something in the manner in which the human spoke, as if to suggest that he were but an object to be examined, snapped what little of his mind was left to him.

Coming round the meal they had intended for him to have one last time, the wraith pivoted on his foot quite suddenly, turning around and slamming his feeding hand onto the chest of the male human that dared to speak to him so. The female screamed and banged against the locked door as the pig began to squeal loudly in the background and his victim grappled uselessly at his arm as though certain he could dislodge the organ now draining his life away.

Bright, delicious life flooded through the starved wraith who hissed and purred in pleasure as the human's hair turned first grey and then white before finally, there was nothing left at all. Standing, the now rejuvenated wraith turned and leveled eyes filled with hatred at the woman that was no longer banging on the door but was now pressed against it sobbing uncontrollably.

"P-please," she whispered, tears cascading down her face, her hands wrapped tightly around the cross at her neck.

The wraith noticed this and knew, having had it explained to him once during the early days of his imprisonment, what it meant. Coming to stop in front of her, he leered down at the pathetic female and expelled a hiss of satisfaction.

"Your God cannot save you now," he said darkly before raising his hand to feed.

~xXx~

"So," John called out as he pulled out the map of Universal Studios and began to mark off the rides they'd already been to versus the ones they hadn't, "where to next?"

Kate peered over her brother's shoulder. "How about Jurassic Park?" she suggested. "We haven't been there yet."

Ronon turned towards them. "Isn't that that movie where some guy brings dinosaurs back to life and they eat everybody?"

Teyla nodded. "I do believe so," she said.

Kate leaned against her brother's shoulder. "So how 'bout it?" she asked, poking him in the side of his face.

"Hey!" John yelped, shaking her off of him and taking a few steps away. "Quit that."

Kate giggled. "Oh relax, John," she scolded him. "We're on vacation, have some fun."

He glared at her. "You poking me is not having fun," he retorted moodily. "Going to see the animatronics dinosaurs is having fun. Now let's go."

John started off but didn't get far as Kate caught up with him and began to poke him in any spot she could reach. "I think poking you is fun," she announced as John proceeded to spin out of her grasp and start running in circles around the statue of Jaws; Kate chasing him and catching him after only three laps.

"Awe, no stop it, leave me alone!" John complained as she took up poking him relentlessly. "Go poke Ronon!"

Ronon held up his hands, chuckling, and backed away from the Sheppard siblings. "Hey," he called out, "Leave me out of this."

Besides him, Teyla also could not contain her giggles at their antics. She was happy for them, as it had been a long time since either of them had had this kind of time together. "Do you think they will stop anytime soon?" she asked her friend, turning to look up at him to see that he to seemed pleased with John and Kate's sibling play.

Ronon shrugged. "Sheppard'll surrender eventually."

Teyla nodded. "Yes, it would seem as though Kate always wins."

As predicted, after a few more minutes of being attacked by his baby sister, John called it quits by waving the proverbial white flag. "Okay, okay," he said between gasps for breath, "when we get back to the hotel you can have the water bed."

Kate grinned and stopped her assault. "Fine," she said, turning on her heel and walking off, "onwards to Jurassic Park."

John straightened himself out of his bent over state and muttered to himself while following into step behind her with Teyla and Ronon joining in.

"She won," Ronon commented with a smirk, glancing towards Sheppard as they passed by several restaurants that, according to the two Earth natives, were outrageously expensive. "Again."

John glared at him. "Shut up," he said dully.

Ronon chuckled. "Admit it Sheppard," he teased, "you always let her win."

John sulked. "Not always."

Teyla snickered. "I do not believe that you believe that even for a moment," she said.

John scowled. "Well fine," he admitted, "but –"

Since they were there during the week in the middle of spring, there weren't as many people in the park as there normally would be. As a result, John was cut off when the four of them were engulfed by a white light halfway to the huge Jurassic park gates. When they materialized again, they were in a nicely furnished room complete with a long conference table, whiteboards, and overhead projector with screen, several chairs, and General Samantha Carter.

John frowned. "General," he said slowly, looking around, "To what do we owe the interruption to our much earned vacation?"

Sam winced at the thinly veiled reminder that the Daedalus had just beamed them straight out of Disney World. "Sorry, John, but duty calls," she said, folding her hands on top of the reports she'd brought with her and nodding for them all to take seats.

"Can't you just tell duty to take a hike?" John asked, lowering himself into a chair and leaning back; refusing to be formal considering that he was in shorts, flip-flops, a sleeveless shirt that said _'Air Force'_ on it, and sunglasses. The rest of his team and his sister followed his lead.

Sam sighed. "I would," she said truthfully, "but unfortunately you and your team are uniquely qualified to help with the problem."

Kate frowned. "What exactly is the problem?" she asked, kicking back and resting her feet on the table.

The general opened her mouth to reply only to get cut off by another bright flash of light that signaled the arrival of the rest of the team she'd been asked to assemble to deal with the threat. As soon as the persons within the Asgard beam, rematerialized the larger of the two individuals screamed loudly.

"SHEPPARD!!!!"

John groaned, his eyes widening as they fell on both Major Lorne and Todd, the clearly-unhappy-about-something wraith. "Well," he sighed, throwing up his hands in defeat, "There goes my vacation."

Kate, Ronon, and Teyla all snickered.

The wraith however, was not put off by the Colonel's tone and instead fixed the human with a glare. "Why have I been brought here?" he demanded.

John sent him an equal glare of disdain. "Don't look at me," he defended himself, pointing at Carter. "Ask her."

Sam cringed as the wraith turned and pinned her with the same death glare that he'd previously cast at Sheppard. "Welcome to Earth," she said with a sigh as a way to break some of the tension that was currently rolling about the room in waves. "Please take a seat."

Both Todd and Major Lorne sat, the wraith stiffly, before the former turned back toward the female General; his head cocked in question.

Sam opened her mouth, calling forth all her diplomatic capabilities as she did so and prayed that she didn't say something to piss him off. "I apologize for the lack of an explanation, but when I contacted Mr. Woolsey and asked for your assistance he assured me that you would be willing to help."

Todd sneered, the explanation lacking significantly in reason.

Kate snorted. "Woolsey lied."

Having previously not bothered to observe whom was in the room or not, the sound of Katherine's voice drew Todd's attention momentarily from the one called Carter, to the female seated on his left. His eyes widened as they took in her attire, more accurately described as the lack thereof, before lifting to her face.

"Katherine," Todd greeted, bowing his head slightly in acknowledgment of the truth of her statement. The gesture earned him a smile which increased his heart rate minutely, a reaction which bade him give pause as such had never happened before. Allowing his gaze to linger on her face, he dismissed the inquiry into his own response as something that could be dwelt upon later.

Farther down the table, John frowned. "Hey, Todd," he called, the wraith's head turning towards him with just enough hesitation for him to know that he really didn't want to look at him and would rather keep staring at Kate. "Stop –"

"If you say flirting," Kate interrupted him, "I'm going to throw my shoe at you!"

John looked sheepish and sunk down lower in his chair; a retreat that earned him snickers from nearly everyone in the room with the exception of Todd and the general.

Sam, meanwhile, was looking between Kate, her brother and the wraith in confusion. She had an idea that this wasn't the first time John had accused – or almost accused – Todd of flirting with Kate, which Sam had to admit was kind of disturbing. To their knowledge, wraith and humans were not capable of the kind of interaction that usually accompanied any type of playful sexual banter and the thought that they might be was a highly unsettling one. Although, she had to acknowledge that the way Todd had been looking at Kate before John had called his attention away gave strong evidence to support the possibility that their knowledge of wraith/human relationships might be seriously lacking. Or maybe the Atlantis team just knew something that she didn't.

Deciding that she'd only drive herself crazy if she continued to speculate over something that she really didn't want to know about even if it was possible, Sam returned her attention to the matter at hand. "Yes, well," she began and all of the room's occupants turned their attentions to her, "I apologize for Mr. Woolsey's lack of diplomacy."

Todd nodded, accepting her remorse.

Lorne eyed Carter. "He didn't tell me anything either," the major confessed, disdain for the man that was technically his boss coloring his words. "Todd arrived in Atlantis about the same time as Woolsey told me that I was going with him to wherever it was we were going. The gate was already dialed when we got to the gate room and the both of us only realized we'd been sent to Earth after we stepped through."

Ronon snorted. "That sounds like Woolsey."

Teyla nodded grimly. "Yes, unfortunately. He is not always forthcoming with information."

Hearing the members of Mr. Woolsey's premier team bad mouthing him made Sam Carter sincerely regret the fact that it was that man whom had replaced her. Her lament was compounded all the more because there was not a doubt in her mind that their opinions and evaluations of Atlantis' current director were wholly correct and accurate. She was glad that for all intents and purposes Richard Woolsey was just a figurehead while John was actually mostly in charge of Atlantis.

"Remind me to have a little talk with Woolsey when we get back," John said, glancing apologetically at Lorne. He didn't care that Todd had been left in the dark about what was going on, but there was absolutely no excuse for Woolsey to have left his second in command out of the loop.

Sam sighed and shuffled the papers in front of her. "I think I'll have a little chat with him as well," she muttered.

Todd looked around the room. "Mr. Woolsey's communicational shortcomings aside," he stated, choosing to rest his gaze on Sheppard for no other reason than he enjoyed watching the Colonel squirm, "why am I here?"

Across the table, Teyla also voiced her curiosity. "I too would like to know the reason why our vacation was cut short," she said gently.

Sam sighed and pulled out the report she'd brought. "As you are all well aware, when we defeated the hive a little over two years ago, we spent several months locating and killing those wraith that managed to escape the ship before it exploded."

Ronon grinned. "Yeah, it was fun," he said, recalling the three months they'd spent on Earth before the IOA finally agreed to send Atlantis back to the Pegasus Galaxy hunting wraith with great pleasure.

"Are you trying to tell us, then, that we missed one?" Teyla asked, having had an idea as to where this was going as soon as General Carter had mentioned the wraith attack on Earth.

"Unfortunately, yes," Sam stated matter-of-factly and with a touch of annoyance. "Several days ago an independent research facility in Brazil caught fire. The Air Force saw no reason to get involved despite our presence there because we believed it was accidental. However, we have since learned that the fire was set on purpose to destroy evidence of illegal testing."

Kate didn't like the sound of that. "Testing on what?" she asked, although she had a pretty good idea of what exactly they'd been running tests on. "Wraith?"

Sam nodded. "We think so yes. We think that this company, whom we've worked with before in backwards engineering several of the items brought back through the stargate, knew enough about aliens and the SGC to recognize that the meteor shower wasn't really a meteor shower at all."

"You think they realized that it was an alien ship blowing up?" John reasoned.

"One of the employees came to us shortly after the fire to tell us that a team was dispatched after their satellites were able to track an object falling from the sky," Sam continued by way of showing her agreement.

"A dart," Teyla concluded.

Again, Sam nodded. "It would seem that way."

At this point, Todd had gathered enough information to form a conjunctive analysis of the situation and decided to comment. "And you believe that this company of yours has been conducting experiments on the wraith captured from that dart?" he tilted his head to one side. "You are certain?"

"Well, we weren't until two days ago," Sam said unhappily.

John didn't like how that sounded. "What happened two days ago?" he asked, almost dreading the answer.

"We got a report from a small town in Brazil about a body they found outside their village," Sam informed them, turning in her chair and picking up the remote for the projector. Pushing the on button, a slide show of various pictures, all showing the same dried out corpse, began to play across the screen.

Having now seen the evidence, John cursed his luck loudly inside his head using every curse word he knew and then starting all over from the beginning. "So," he started after his internal monologue of profanity had stopped, "What you're telling us is that there's a wraith loose in the Amazon."

As always, John Sheppard possessed the ability to take a complicated problem and boil it down it its most simplistic form. Sam missed working with him. "You and your team will be shipped out in the morning. The mission objective is to subdue the target at all possible costs," she informed them, confirming John's statement in full before turning to look at Todd. "I know this wraith was once a crew member on your ship and therefore once under your command. It's up to you whether or not we attempt to return him to the Pegasus or not."

"You are giving me a choice?" Todd asked, surprised that this female would be so indulgent when the only leniency he had so far encountered was from Sheppard and, even then, what clemency he was granted by his human ally was very infinitesimal indeed.

Sam found his surprise oddly patronizing as it artfully summed up the fact that, even though he was their ally and had helped them quite a lot in recent years, he was still classified mostly as a resource to be used as they saw fit. "I thought I might," she told him, hoping that was enough to make him see that not all of Earth's leaders thought so little of him or of the help he had provided them with over the past few years.

Todd considered this. "Depending on the rank of the wraith he may or may not have participated in the decision to mutiny against me."

John snorted. "Let me guess, you want to wait and see before we decide to take him back with us or not?" he asked, already knowing that this was the case. Todd's nod only confirmed it. "Okay," he said, turning towards Sam, "so what's the plan?"

Sam grinned, having wanted to tell them this part since they got there. "Well, since your vacation got interrupted I've made arrangements for you all to have dinner in the city. Courtesy of General O'Neil of course," she informed them, watching as Lorne, John and Kate all broke out grinning.

"Sweet!" John exclaimed loudly thinking that maybe dinner in Vegas was slightly better than getting to go on the Jurassic Park ride.

Sam smiled and stood up, gathering up her papers. "Alright then, I'll see you all tomorrow morning for departure. Have a good evening, try not to get too drunk, and don't gamble away the stargate like Dr. Hailmen did last year. Dismissed."

~xXx~

Because going out to eat in the city of Las Vegas was a big deal, and because all of their luggage was still in their hotel rooms, after Sam told them exactly which restaurant they'd be going to, John suggested a trip to Nellis' base exchange. After a squad of marines came to escort Todd to a secure room, the five remaining members of Atlantis' expedition had all piled into a car that had been provided for them by the military and were driven over to the base so that they could find suitable attire for the evening.

"How about this one?" Teyla asked, removing a dress from the rack and holding it up for Kate to see. "I believe that it is tasteful enough."

Kate looked over at it. In the Pegasus galaxy there was some unwritten rule somewhere that all dresses must be below the knee so the one that Teyla was currently holding up was not exactly her first choice but, as she looked it over, she thought that the forest green halter would indeed do Teyla justice. "I like it," Kate said after a while. "It'll look good on you."

The Athosian nodded and draped her selection over her arm after finding it in the right size. Moving forwards, Teyla walked behind Kate as her friend continued to search for a suitable dress for this evening's activities. Even though she could tell Kate was focused mostly on the task at hand, the alien woman could not help but think that the major's mind was elsewhere.

"What is on your mind?" Teyla asked gently as Kate paused and picked up a black dress that was entirely too short in her opinion before frowning at it and putting it back.

Kate sighed. "Nothing," she answered absentmindedly, going over to another rack and picking up a blue dress that might work. Farther examination yielded that the neckline wouldn't work so after silently wishing that she had just a bit more up top, Kate replaced the garment back where it'd come from.

Teyla did not believe her for a second. "Come, Kate," she prodded lightly, "I know your mind wanders."

Teyla's unobtrusive attempts to get her to talk about what really was on her mind made Kate smile just slightly, even when she was prodding at you Teyla was polite. "You'll think I'm being silly," she said, still not sure she was comfortable discussing her inner thoughts with anyone. Well, maybe Evan, but he was on the other side of the store with her brother and Ronon trying to find a tie that matched the dress shirt he'd picked out.

"One's inner most thoughts are rarely impractical," Teyla soothed as Kate finally selected a dress in a hue of deepest red and the two of them turned towards the shoe department. "If it is pressing enough to hold your attention so fully then it must be of some value."

Kate snickered. "You really want to know?" she asked over her shoulder before picking up pair of shoes to match her dress that had a heel low enough that it wouldn't kill her.

Teyla dipped her head low. "I would not have asked otherwise."

With a heavy sigh, Kate gave in. "It's about Todd," she admitted.

Teyla immediately schooled her thoughts lest she come to a wrong conclusion or assumption before Kate had imparted to her all of the details. "And what of him?" she asked, digging farther cautiously.

"I don't like the thought of him being locked up in a room with twenty-six camera's pointed at him and armed guards at the door while we're out having a good time," she answered heatedly, a touch of her true feelings for the situation coloring her tone. "I mean, Woolsey practically tricked him into coming here. The least we could do is offer him some sort of compensation."

Teyla considered this and came to the conclusion that Kate's assessment of the circumstances was not so terrible. "What would you suggest?" she asked, curious over what Kate's idea of adequate compensation for the wraith might be.

Kate shrugged. "He could always come with us."

Teyla raised an eyebrow. "Do you think that wise?" she asked seriously. "Todd does not possess the ability that Ronon and I do to blend in. I'm sure that neither John nor General Carter would allow him off base."

Kate huffed, deterred but for a moment. "We have image protectors. We can make him _look_ human."

Teyla gave her a plaintive look. "I realize that you sympathize with him, but even if General Carter allowed him to the use of one of those devices are you quite certain that he could be persuaded to be civil enough to join us? Todd is not known for being particularly gracious nor does he embrace human eloquence well."

Kate took Teyla's protests under advisement. "He_ is_ capable of being nice," she told her friend. "He just doesn't do it often."

Teyla sighed. "You are set in this course of action aren't you?"

Kate nodded slowly. "We owe him something," she said knowing that this wasn't her only justification for wanting his company during the evening to come. Of course, telling Teyla that would probably not go over too well.

With great reluctance over this course of action Teyla gave her consent in the form of a slow and slightly jerky nod that showed her companion that she had her support in this. Her disinclination was born over two variables the greatest being that she had no desire to give Todd or Kate the opportunity to interact with one another in a social setting as she feared what might develop because of it. To date, they had only had the barest trace of social interaction as most of their dealings had been in combat or near death situations and she was most inclined to keep it that way. It was true that she had told both Ronon and Lorne that she did not believe that Todd would pursue Kate, and she still believed that, so long as she could be sure that the wraith's only attraction and want for Kate stemmed purely from sexual desire. Were he to be given the occasion to develop an equal fascination in her spirit, in her mind and personality, as he had already cultivated in her body, then Teyla could not see himself withholding from her for any length of time.

The second, less pressing concern was that if Todd were to indeed go with them then she could very much see both John and Ronon being in bad moods for the entirety of the night.

Almost as soon as Kate had gotten Teyla's support in her decision to ask Sam if Todd could go with them tonight, the boys came and found them. "Okay," her brother called as the reunited group headed towards the check-out lanes, "So, who's paying for all of this?"

Lorne snickered. "Well," he started, a smirk on his face, "You are the ranking officer here so by default you make the most money."

John glared at him.

Kate giggled. "He's right John," she grinned, loading her dress, her shoes and the accessories she'd picked to go with them onto the conveyer belt. "Besides, my credit card is still in Florida and I know for a fact that yours is in your pocket."

John glanced over at her. "Do ya now?" he asked, placing his hands on his hips as everyone else put down their goods too. "And how exactly do you know this?"

His sister offered him a shit-eating grin. "Because I swiped it from you this morning so that I could buy sunscreen before putting it back."

Lorne, Teyla and Ronon snickered while John shot her a mock scowl. "Why, you little thief," he exclaimed as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Still shaking his head over her harmless pilfering, he forked over his credit card to the cashier along with his military ID. The grand total came to about fifteen hundred and John sighed as he folded up his wallet and put it back in his pocket. "Well, come on, back to Area 51," he ushered them along wanting to get the tedious part over with so that the fun could start.

~xXx~

"I can't believe Carter's letting him go!" John raged for the tenth time or so as he, Lorne, Ronon and Teyla waited around in the parking lot of Area 51 for his sister and Todd the very much unwanted wraith to finish signing his release papers.

Teyla sighed, having known that this would be John's reaction to hearing that Kate had managed to talk General Carter into allowing Todd to accompany them this evening. "Kate presented a valuable argument that General Carter saw fit to agree with," she reasoned, keeping her own ideas about this change in events to herself; she did not need a reason to irritate the Colonel farther.

John continued to pace back and forth in front of the rest of them. "Yeah, but still," he argued, "Why'd she want him to come with us in the first place?"

Teyla and Ronon didn't have an answer for him and Lorne held his tongue. He knew perfectly well why Kate wanted Todd to go with them and he specifically remembered telling her that pursuing anything would be a bad idea. Evan Lorne was under no delusions that Kate most likely didn't see the harm in carrying out this idea of hers, but he did. He knew almost for a fact that if she and Todd got to act out a normal social engagement that could almost be called a date if it wasn't for the fact that he, Colonel Sheppard, Ronon and Teyla were coming along too, then the chances of anyone being able to stop them from doing something stupid decreased phenomenally. He could have sworn that he'd talked to her about this, but apparently she'd only been sort of listening to what he'd been saying.

In lieu of pointing out how drastically bad this could all turn out to the Colonel, as that would involve disclosing that his sister had a crush on a wraith and that said wraith would probably not pass up an opportunity to sleep with her if it was ever offered, Lorne decided to try another approach in order to alleviate some of the tension that was threatening to ruin their evening.

"You know," Lorne started, and his suit and tie clad commanding officer stopped pacing in order to stare at him. "With Todd's mental abilities and all that he'd probably be pretty good at poker."

It took maybe half a minute for Lorne's words to sink into John's skull in a way that made sense. Of course, that might have had something to do with the fact that the Colonel had convinced himself that nothing about this new situation could possibly be constituted as a good thing and so his XO's logic took a while to make it past all of his mental road blocks. Once it did, however; John felt his face break out into a grin that quickly threatened to swallow his face. Suddenly taking the wraith with them didn't seem so bad.

"Actually," he said, the cogs inside his head already turning as he did the proverbial math, "This might not be so terrible after all."

Teyla looked confused. "What is poker?" she asked, wondering what about it could possibly bring John to change his opinion on their company for the evening.

It was Ronon, surprisingly, that answered her. "It's a gambling game," he looked over at Sheppard. "Do you think he'll do it?"

"I think we'll make him," John replied as he figured, under no circumstances, was he going to let Todd talk his way out of this one. If he had to put up with the wraith while he was still technically on vacation then the wraith was going to earn his keep dammit.

"Make him do what?"

The four of them turned, Evan's mouth dropping open in the process as both Kate and Todd walked towards them. "Damn Kate," the major exclaimed, his eyes traveling over his best friend, "You do clean up nice."

Kate blushed. "Why thank you Evan, you're sweet."

John, meanwhile, was busy staring at Todd. The image that had been programmed into the projector was one of a man with the same dimensions as their wraith ally but that reminded him astutely of an elf straight out of _The Lord of the Rings_. All six foot four inches of Todd had been polished to perfection; his white hair was smooth and was halfway pulled back, his clothes were elegant and neat, and the only way that John could tell it was still him was because he was wearing a scowl that would've made the most hard assed IOA representative cringe in dread.

John peered at him, a grin breaking out over his face at how uncomfortable the wraith looked. "Well don't you look nice and…normal."

Todd glared at him. "Not a word, Sheppard."

While a part of John's brain was aware that teasing Todd was probably not the best idea in the world, the majority of it wasn't about to pass up the opportunity. "What's wrong?" the smirking Colonel asked, "You actually don't look bad. You have eyebrows."

The human's mockery grated on Todd in a manner that only served to shorten his ability to stand Sheppard for any length of time. Growling, the wraith took a step towards the still annoyingly smirking human only to stop as he felt a hand place itself on his arm. Glancing back he saw Katherine looking at him with an expression that told him she sympathized with him but would not tolerate him causing her brother harm. Reluctantly, as he much wanted to wipe that infuriating grin off the Colonel's face, Todd stood down.

As soon as she knew that Todd wouldn't hurt John, Kate released his arm and took a step towards her brother. He was still grinning for all of a few seconds before she smacked him upside the head.

John winced, aware that Kate didn't hit him as hard as she could have and grateful for it. "Awe!" he yelped, rubbing his head and turning to look at his sister. She had her arms crossed and had raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow at him. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

Kate snorted. "Don't apologize to me; I'm not the one you pissed off."

John groaned; apologizing to Todd was like number five on his list of top ten things he hated doing most right after going to family reunions and talking about his emotions. Sighing as he knew full well that his sister wasn't going to let him get away with doing nothing, he turned back towards the disguised wraith. Swallowing the unpleasant taste in his mouth he took a deep breath. "Sorry."

Todd huffed. "As always, your sincerity is astounding."

John glared at him. "Hey, I didn't have to say anything. Take it or leave it."

The wraith smirked at him. "Oh, I am well used to your less convincing attempts at remorse Sheppard, never fear."

John sneered. "Oh yes, because when you say you're sorry you sound so sincere."

"I only give you what level of contrition you deserve, which usually isn't great," Todd replied dryly.

John opened his mouth to make a retort and got cut off by Lorne.

"Oh, look," the major said loudly, drawing everyone's attention towards him, "The limo's here."

Lorne's announcement did the trick and the tension was eased from the situation as the five of them all walked towards the long, black car with the seal of the United States Air Force on it and piled in. Once inside, John felt his eyes widen as he realized that their transportation for the evening came complete with a bar and a flat screen TV.

"Awesome," John exclaimed as he slid into the seat that had the most access to the mini-fridge and immediately pulled out a shot glass and, tilting his head back, downed a shot that he poured out of the first bottle he grabbed. The liquid burned on the way down and after he'd swallowed, John held up the bottle to see what exactly it was that he's just drank. "Huh," he said, "Gin."

Lorne slid in after him and frowned at his commanding officer. "Wanna slow down. Sir?" he asked as Sheppard went for shot number two, "we've got all night."

"Yeah," Kate agreed as she pushed Todd in before her and then got in behind him, directing him to the seat across from Ronon and Teyla facing the back of the car.

John ignored both of them and downed a third before screwing the lid back on the bottle and putting it away. "Hey," he defended himself, gesturing at Todd who looked as if he didn't quite know what exactly to make of the vehicle he'd been put in, "If I have to put up with him for the rest of the night then I sure as hell ain't doing it sober."

Sheppard's logic caught up to Ronon first and the Setedan leaned forwards. "Sounds about right," he commented, "hand me the bottle."

John forked it over and watched Ronon down half of it. "Whoa."

Lorne personally agreed; his eyes wide. "I hope to God that you can hold your liquor."

Teyla smiled. "I have seen him drink," she informed them all. "It takes quite a bit," she gestured over the small collection of Earth made alcohol, "More then you have here."

"Well hell!" John took the bottle away from him and fished around until he pulled out a bottle of Grey Goose. "Here, this stuff's better, try this."

Kate groaned. "I thought Sam told us all _not_ to get too drunk."

Her brother shot her a look. "Now, Katie Beth, I know you can drink me under the table, so," he gestured at the bar, "pick your poison."

She scowled. "I'd rather not get drunk before we even make it to the restaurant."

John waved away her concerns. "One shot won't kill you."

Kate rolled her eyes. "With all due respect to our various brands of toxins, I'll have you know that I've grown to be rather fond of the stuff you find in the Pegasus."

Lorne had to personally agree. "Yeah, not only does it work faster but it tastes better."

Sheppard looked disappointed and, sitting next to Katherine, Todd couldn't quite determine why. What he could determine was that the foul smelling concoctions that both the colonel and the runner were consuming was apparently some form of alcohol and that if it's smell was any indication of its flavor, he was quite in the position to agree with both Katherine and Major Lorne. So, his curiosity peaked just slightly, he turned towards the woman sitting very near to him within the confines of this strange and far from steady mode of transportation.

Before he could ask his question of her, however, the vehicle they were in stopped. Seeing this as an end to their pervious conversation, Todd allowed the others to disembark first before following Katherine out of what he'd heard Lorne call a car. Once outside, his eyes widened.

"Impressive isn't it?" Kate asked, forcing herself to hide the giggle she desperately wanted to let out at the sight of Todd's face as he first saw the bright neon lights of Vegas' strip.

Todd could only nod. It was peculiar to him that humans such as this could possibly create such unique and eerily beautiful displays. He had not pegged them for being that appreciative of beauty.

The disguised wraith's wonderment made John absolutely tickled pink in joy, a feeling that was of course helped along by the shots he'd already taken. "Oh," he started, gesturing around at the various hotels, restaurants and casinos that lined the long stretch of road, "you think this is impressive, just wait until you actually go inside the building."

Todd opened his mouth to make a snappish retort about not being so easily impressed when he felt something link through his arm. Jerking his head to the left, he looked down in mild surprise at Katherine who now stood by his side. "What are you doing?" he asked her, feeling the unfamiliar and not yet explained sensation of having his heart rate increase just slightly.

Kate smiled at him, an action that only confused him farther. "Look," she said, and nodded towards her brother and Teyla. Todd turned and saw that the Colonel had offered the Athosian his arm and that they now stood in exactly the position that Katherine had maneuvered them into. Understanding, that this was a form of formal escort, Todd felt his body relax.

With Sheppard and Teyla leading the party, the runner and Lorne following in the middle and he and Katherine taking the rear, Todd allowed her to lead him into the magnificently tall building that seemed to be made of nothing but purest glass. Once inside, the wraith had to fight to maintain his composure because Sheppard had been right, the inside of the building was far more impressive then the outside. It was astounding what these humans could create and still be mostly oblivious to the rest of existence.

Besides him, Kate watched Todd as his eyes, in constant motion, moved about the lobby of the Hard Rock and took in all that he was now surrounded with. She found it endearing in a strange way how much beauty he seemed to find in her world even if he was keen on keeping that appreciation hidden. She couldn't wait to see what he made of the elevator.

"Okay kiddies," John announced as soon as they'd reached the elevators that would take them up to the restaurant. "These things are small and I'd rather not try and cram us all into one so, Kate and Todd you're on your own, everyone else is with me."

His sister rolled her eyes. "Gee," she scowled him, "Thanks John."

He smiled at her. "No problem."

Shaking her head is amusement and because they were still technically on vacation and she couldn't by rights stay mad at him, Kate stood back as everyone else crammed onto the first elevator before pulling a somewhat hesitant Todd onto the second one.

As the doors closed behind him, Todd turned to Katherine. "What is this?"

Kate grinned. "It's called an elevator. It'll take us up."

He frowned. "Up?"

Kate laughed at the expression on his face as the elevator started its climb. Once he got used to the feeling, Todd stepped away from her towards the glass and looked out over the lobby as the floor got smaller and smaller. Coming to rest beside him, she also looked down. "Cool isn't it?"

Todd nodded absentmindedly, his attention now on the female next to him rather than his odd, if impressive, surroundings. "Why did you wish for me to accompany you?" he asked. "It is obvious that Sheppard does not wish for my presence."

Kate shrugged. "Because if I didn't you would've been locked in some room somewhere with guards at the door and a whole bunch of cameras watching your every move," she looked at him, seeing through the disguise he wore to the face underneath that she had to now admit she preferred. "I just thought that with all you've done for us, you deserved better than that."

"Ah," Todd grunted, bowing his head to her logic, moved by the endless compassion that she seemed to display for him. Compassion, Jennifer had once told him, was not a weakness and he could see that now ever more plainly in the female standing so very near to him that he could feel her body heat radiating from her. In her, in Katherine, it was her greatest strength and Todd felt somewhat humbled by that.

The elevator stopped and Todd turned to her as the doors opened, presenting her his arm as he had seen Sheppard do rather than waiting for her to take it. The gesture seemed to please her and the wraith again felt the odd sensation of increased heartbeat this time incited by the smile she granted him. Truth be told he was quickly becoming used to the awareness whenever he was with or near to her.

The other humans were already seated when Todd and Kate joined them and separating himself form Katherine for but a moment, he pulled the chair she was to sit in back for her before sitting down himself. Only once he was seated did he notice the odd, if slightly infuriated, look that the Colonel was giving him.

"What have I done now?" Todd demanded, having been having a pleasant time, he was not in the mood to have the Colonel ruin it with false accusations of some sort or another.

John's left eye twitched. "You held out her chair," he explained, frowning. "Since when do you have manners?"

Todd snorted. "Believe it or not, Sheppard, the w…my kind have been known to carry on formally from time to time."

John didn't believe it. "Oh I seriously doubt you guys have ever –"

"Long ago, when we were still earth bound, our civilization was not much different than the period of your history that you call the medieval era," he glared at the Colonel, cursing him for his prejudice and the assumption that all wraith were uncivilized. There was more depth to them as a culture then simply war, it was just unfortunate that most of that depth had been lost to treachery and betrayal so that only a farce of it still remained.

John would have very much liked to snap back at Todd that somehow, even if the wraith did have some sort of manners that bordered on civility, he just couldn't see _him_ ever being that courteous. Todd's very presence screamed warlord whom, historically speaking, weren't known for their manners or chivalry. Of course, the same could be said of most wraith, who on the whole reminded John of space vampires, some of whom just happened to be more vain then others. Todd, on the other hand, wasn't vain, didn't particularly care for fashion, as it had been explained to him once before that the set of clothes he wore were considered by most wraith to be out dated, and was just plain scary ninety-nine percent of the time. Even the other wraith were afraid of him, which was saying something.

Of course, he couldn't really say any of this due to the fact that it was all classified and they were in a public place. So, without any other options, John let the matter drop as the six of them picked up their menu's and began to peruse the various selections. "You are going to eat right?" John asked after a few moments, fixing Todd with a look that dared the wraith to say no.

Todd looked up at the Colonel over the top of what he suspected was a readout of the various course selections that were served here; none of which he could read. "I believe that it would be contradictory to our deceptions, Sheppard, if I were to do otherwise," he stated sourly as if to convey exactly what he thought over Sheppard's appraisal of his intelligence. He was the last person the human should be concerned over whilst in the middle of a charade as it was more likely that Sheppard would give something away then would he.

John nodded, went back to reading his menu for a few moments and then frowned, looking back up at the wraith. "Can you even read that?" he asked.

Todd glared at him but did not answer.

Before her brother could make an even bigger mess of things, Kate leaned over towards Todd and began to describe the various things that he could choose to eat. To his credit, Todd was mostly able to follow along even if the position that Katherine was now in did present him with a rather nice view of her assets. It was a situation that the wraith was most reluctant to point out because he knew then, that the opportunity to so regard her would remove itself. He also knew that Katherine would probably not be pleased with him as human females, he had learned, were far more modest then wraith and did not often enjoy the appraisal that they received from members of the opposite sex. Unless of course, the appraisal was from someone whom they intended to provide a view for, but Todd somehow did not think that Katherine would go through effort of any kind to entice his eye to wander. Desire her he might, he seriously doubted that she returned any of it beyond the simple acknowledgment of basic attractiveness.

If Todd thought he was being covert, he was mistaken. Across the table, both Lorne and Teyla were watching him watch Kate with a mixture of feelings, the most prominent one being unease. John and Ronon were too absorbed with the seemingly endless possibilities of delicious fare to be aware of their surroundings, and so this left Teyla and Lorne the opportunity to observe the wraith and the woman without the fear of drawing in the Colonel's attention.

Kate, Lorne could tell, was not as oblivious to where Todd's eyes kept going as she was letting on and he cursed the thought that she didn't seem to mind. "She knows," he whispered aside to Teyla quietly, making sure to keep his voice as low as possible so that the two of them were the only ones that could hear their conversation. Thankfully, the table was rather large and there was about a foot and a half of space between all of them with the exception of Kate who was more or less in Todd's lap.

Teyla nodded, frowning. "She does not seem to mind."

Lorne shook his head. "No, no she doesn't," he murmured, watching the wraith's eyes flicker downwards once more before deciding to disclose something to the Athosian that only he and Jennifer had previously known, seeing Teyla as a valuable ally that he could trust not to tell Sheppard. "She likes him."

Teyla's eyes flashed to Major Lorne's in surprise and a small amount of fear. "In what way?" she demanded, still keeping her voice low, trepidation beginning to creep up her spine at the implications of this development.

"The same way Sheppard likes you," Lorne informed her gravely.

Teyla hissed. This new information was unsettling to say the least. Whereas before she had thought that only Todd could be considered in this situation, now she was being told that he was not the only one that felt things that were inappropriate, considering the state of their alliance, their difference in species and the simple fact that they did not even share a galaxy of origin.

"Hey!"

The both of them were snapped out of their conversation and their thoughts at the loud interruption from the Colonel. Schooling both of their faces into ones of innocence instead of guilt, they both looked up at him.

"Yes John?" Teyla asked gently.

John frowned. "What were you two talking about all quiet like over there?"

Teyla, knowing that Lorne couldn't lie on the spot if his life depended on it – unless it was to Mr. Woolsey, but that was a different matter – answered before her companion could. "I had a question about the menu," she replied with a slight nod of her head towards the menus that both she and Major Lorne still held.

The accusation on John's face disappeared. "Oh," he answered lamely, going back to reading his own selections sheet, "okay, then."

Fortunately for all involved, any awkwardness was immediately pushed away as the waiter approached them. "Hello," he began and all of the table's occupants looked up, "My name is Tyler and I will be serving you this evening. May I get you anything to drink from the bar?"

John grinned happily. "Yes," he answered jovially. "I'll have a Black Russian, on the rocks please."

The waiter nodded and turned towards Teyla. "And for you, miss?"

Teyla hesitated, not really all that familiar with Earth mixed drinks as the concept of mixing various types of alcohol with other things to improve the taste was alien to her. She did, however, know of one drink that both Jennifer and Laura had made for her on more than one occasion that she rather liked. "I'll have a painkiller please; I believe that is what it is called."

If the waiter found her lack of conviction curious he made no indication of it and simply nodded, turning towards Lorne with an expectant look on his face.

"I'll have what he's having," Lorne pointed at the Colonel. "And a glass of water."

"Rum," was Ronon's request and the waiter nodded once more before turning to Kate.

"Toscana White Terre di Tufi 2003. Bring the bottle and two glasses," she directed, nodding towards Todd to indicate to the waiter that she was ordering for him as well.

With a nod and a smile, the waiter retreated with a promise for quick service, leaving them all once more to their own devices. John turned towards his sister. "The whole bottle?" he asked, amused.

Kate shrugged. "I've had it before at one of Mom's little tea parties. It's the closest thing I can think of to anything that they might have in Pegasus."

John nodded in understanding. "Ah," he replied before looking back towards his sister. "How is Mom anyway? Have you talked to her recently?"

Kate shook her head. "I tend to avoid the rest of the family, John, you know that. I hate them more then you do."

He snorted. "Oh, I doubt that."

Kate sniffed. "At least you got married," she complained. "If I have to listen to Aunt Gloria talk about how proper young women grow up to marry old, fat rich men and then forget how to close their legs while they punch out brat after brat again, I think I'll shoot myself."

John chuckled and raised the glass that the waiter had just placed in front of him. "One of the perks of being born a girl, eh, Katie?"

Lorne looked between the two of them, confused. "Huh?"

John sighed. "Our family is what you'd call well off," he explained, nodding towards Kate. "It's their solid opinion that Kate's an absolute failure because she's past the age of twenty five and isn't married and doesn't have at least three annoying brats running around causing havoc."

Unfortunately, Lorne understood exactly what type of family the Colonel was talking about. "It probably doesn't help that she's in the military does it?" he asked, feeling sorry for the both of them at having to have been raised like that.

Kate shook her head. "Not really, no," she sighed. "I think Dad told me once, verbatim, that no respectable man is going to want a wife that he can't protect."

To this, Teyla frowned. "I do not understand," she turned towards Kate. "Would not your father be pleased that you can take care of yourself?"

Again, Kate shook her head. "No. In his mind it's a woman's job to be subservient to the man. The fact that I can defend myself is a turn off."

"Dad's opinion of us was always bad, even when he died," John continued to explain. "If he'd had his way I'd be running the company with David while working on wife number three and Kate'd have married Travers or some other respectable sort and started punching out kids."

Kate laughed at the disturbed looks on everyone's faces, even Todd's, before turning to her brother. "Hey," she called, "be fair, David's only been married twice."

John snorted. "Yeah and only one of his kids is legitimate."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Be nice," she reprimanded her brother. "He did marry her afterwards…eventually."

"And divorced her three years later," John reminded her, thinking about how much he'd hated their brother's second wife. "At least my marriage lasted longer than three years."

Kate smirked, John did have a point. For as much as their family considered them both failures, at the very least her second brother had been a better husband for longer than her eldest brother had been on either occasion.

As interesting as this conversation was, and as enlightening as it was a rare occasion when either Sheppard talked about their family life, there was one part of their conversation that had Teyla confused. "I'm sorry," she interrupted, causing all attentions to turn towards her, "but there is something about which I am unclear. What does legitimate mean?"

Across the table, Todd had to admit that that particular word in the entire conversation had made the least sense to him as well.

"It's a fancy way of saying that a child was born inside of wedlock, that it's parents were married when it was born," Lorne explained before either Kate or the colonel could.

Teyla frowned. "And it is frowned upon to conceive and birth a child while not bond?"

John nodded. "Generally speaking, yes," he looked pensive. "There are a few exceptions to the rule though."

Ronon, curious about the conversation for the first time, turned towards Sheppard. "Like?"

"Same sex pairs," Lorne suggested, as it was the first exception that he could really think of that had any kind of wide acceptance. Surprisingly, Todd seemed to understand the concept while Teyla and Ronon looked at him in confusion. It occurred to him, then, that in civilizations whose populations were constantly culled and thinned almost to the point of extinction, the need to reproduce would win out over anything else and so such things might not exist to the humans of the Pegasus galaxy. It disturbed him, somewhat, that it might to the wraith.

John picked up on it too. "Okay," he started, pointing first at Teyla and Ronon and then at Todd, "I figured that it might be a Pegasus thing, but why do they look confused and you don't?"

Todd snorted as all eyes turned to him in curiosity. "There are few females among my kind, Sheppard. Use your imagination."

If Todd had expected Sheppard to become confused, the wraith was sorely disappointed. "I thought that's what the worshippers were for?" John countered, frowning. "Not to mention –"

Kate cut him off. "If you're about to talk about the companion trade, can we not and say we did?"

John looked sheepish. "Right, sorry Kate."

Katherine nodded and took to staring at her plate while Todd's head snapped towards Sheppard in alarm. "You know of that?" he demanded, not at all happy that they would have learnt of this particular facet of wraith life when he had done all within his power to keep the knowledge from them.

John nodded. "Had an unfortunate experience a while back, nothing big," he fixed Todd with a look. "Kinda would've liked a heads up though. It would've been nice to know that you and us can…do that."

Fortunately for Todd, he was saved the trouble of coming up with an answer as their waiter returned for their orders. Lost in thought, concerned about what he now knew that his human allies had been made aware of, he didn't much pay attention to what Katherine ordered for him until it was placed in front of him a few minutes later. As the others around him commenced the consumption of their meals, Todd found himself confused by the utensils placed on either side of his plate.

"Katherine –"

Kate smiled, finding it cute in an odd sort of way that Todd had no idea how to use a fork. She wondered if the memory wasn't locked away somewhere inside his mind and that it simply had been too many thousands of years since he'd used one that he would remember how. Scooting her chair closer to his, she took his hand in hers and went about teaching him, discovering once more that while he looked human the illusion only went as far as his features. Touching him, Kate was pleased to find that he still felt like a wraith and her fingers grazed lightly over his feeding slit as they attempted to get his fingers to properly grip the fork.

Todd felt his body stiffen in response to Katherine's casual brush of her fingertips over his feeding organ. The light touch of her hand which he knew was meant innocently was received as anything but. That particular part of his anatomy was extremely sensitive, and even at so slight a touch he could taste her, the memory of his hand placed over her heart in Ford's prison rushing forwards and stirring his lust with a force that he had not counted on. If such an insignificant brush of her skin over his could cause this reaction in him then Todd was curious as to what a more substantial and meaningful touch would draw from him. A great portion of him wanted to find out but his common sense, thankfully, prevailed as he knew that it was damning to even think such thoughts.

Katherine was out of his reach.

"Well I'll be damned," John commented, after his sister had scooted her chair back over to its original place and Todd had taken at least one bite. "You _can_ use a fork."

Todd's thoughts vanished and he glared at the Colonel. "I am not as incapable as you seem to believe," he snapped.

John ignored the warning in Todd's tone as he usually did. "Yeah, I know," he said as if he didn't actually believe it, but was just stating such for Todd's benefit. "Still, I wish I had my camera."

Todd growled, unable to help the natural response to such banter even though he'd been told before they had left the base that he would have to contain his more animalistic qualities.

John glared at him, putting his own fork down. "Hey," he reprimanded, "no growling."

Todd's back stiffened in indignation as he felt his temper flare dangerously. The pressure of something relatively small settling on his left arm called his attention away from Sheppard and he looked to his left to see that Katherine was once more touching him although this time in a less incriminating manner. Her hand on his arm soothed him and bade him calm down and he was glad for her reassuring presence. Sheppard was getting on his nerves.

"Calm down," Kate said gently, removing her hand from Todd's arm and returning it to her own cutlery. "Eat your food."

Unable to do anything else, Todd complied to the command and managed somewhat gracefully to manipulate the eating utensil from his plate to his mouth. The fare was different than anything he had ever tasted as every now and then the wraith did eat normally if only because it provided a comfort and a reminder to those days when they had all been young and the world less complicated. He was no different, although the instances of him consuming solid food grew rarer as the centuries stretched onwards.

"Well?" Kate asked, after a good portion of the steak she'd ordered him was gone.

Todd turned to her and offered her a small smile and a nod of his head. "It is palatable."

Kate snickered. "Can't you ever just say something is good and be done with it?" she asked him, retuning his teasing smile with one of her own. "Or do you always have to be difficult?"

Lorne laughed outright before Todd could answer. "Didn't you get the memo Kate?" he asked his best friend and saw her glance towards him. "Difficult is what Todd does best."

Laugher went around the table and even the wraith joined in with a light chuckle while shooting a look of regret at Katherine that he had not been able to answer her with his planned response. Such things, anyway, were best done when not in the company of so many others when Todd was free to act himself around the one human that he wanted very much to know him in his entirety. Katherine was the only human that he felt could accept him in that capacity, even if it was in another that he truly wished for her acceptance.

The rest of the meal went smoothly enough and when at last their plates had been cleared away and their glasses emptied, Ronon turned towards Sheppard.

"So," the Setedan asked, "what now?"

John smirked. "Now, we go downstairs," he informed his friend.

Todd frowned. "What is downstairs?"

Lorne stood up and turned towards the wraith as his commanding officer gave the waiter instructions to sent the bill to General O'Neil. "A casino," he informed the alien, as the ladies both stood and placed their napkins on the table, all of them heading in a group towards a different set of elevators then the ones they'd used to ride up here.

As they all boarded the larger elevator, John turned to Todd. "Don't look so sour," he scolded the wraith. "You'll love it."

Todd frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "I very much doubt that."

The elevator doors opened and Todd was greeted with the bustling sounds and lights of the Hard Rock Casino. The wraith stiffened as both Sheppard and Lorne grabbed him by the upper arms and began to march him towards a set of tables around which human males were staring intently at handfuls of rectangular paper. Every now and then his mind would brush against one of theirs and the intricacies of the game, poker, would display themselves in his mind. As Sheppard and Lorne forced him into a seat and the runner took a seat across from him, Todd looked around him and decided that he'd just make Sheppard happy and then be done with it.

Then maybe the Colonel would leave him be.

~xXx~

Three hours later saw Teyla having a wonderful time at the slot machines, Lorne, Ronon, Todd and John had progressed to Black Jack, and Kate had taken to sitting at the bar sipping a cocktail and watching them all. She didn't know the specifics, but she did know that Todd had made her brother a hell of a lot of money in the past couple of hours after he'd figured out how each game they'd dragged him to was played. A smile lit her face as she looked up from her drink and saw the wraith extract himself from her brother's company and head her way. As he stopped besides her table, she turned to greet him.

"Done taking everyone's money?" she asked playfully as he rested his hands on the table and looked back out over the floor towards John, Ronon and Lore who were busy cleaning house.

Todd turned his attention towards her and tilted his head to the side. "The game is interesting but unfulfilling."

Kate snorted. "It helps when you don't read everyone's minds so that you know what they're going to do next."

"Sheppard told me to," Todd reminded her.

She laughed. "Yes, because you always do what my brother tells you to."

Finding the irony in the situation, Todd allowed her a smile. "I believe this circumstance is different."

Again Kate laughed and glanced once more towards her brother, best friend and Ronon. As she looked, her brother cheered and with a smile she turned back towards Todd. "You've made him very happy."

"There is a first time for everything," the wraith responded thinking of the strangeness that anything he could have done would please the human so greatly. Turning to look at Katherine, he regarded her. "I do not understand all of your customs, nor do I see why you must waste so much time pursuing such pointless flights of frivolity."

"Well, we don't live as long as you do," she reminded him which caused his head to turn back to her. "We try and enjoy the time we have"

Acceptance washed through Todd at her flawless logic and he nodded. "I can understand that, yes," he moved forwards, taking the seat across from her and leaning back to regard her. "As you know, from your time spent on my hive, the wraith do not often partake in such pursuits of frivolity. Even the games we play serve a purpose; they test us in our ability to plan and coordinate attacks and retreats strategically. Nothing we do is without purpose."

Kate frowned. "Where's the fun in that?"

Todd snorted, amused. "There is none, at least none that you would understand. There was a time, long ago, when we wraith did have small amounts of what you call 'free time' but such a time as that has long since gone. I certainly do not remember ever doing nothing for hours as your brother seems content to do."

Kate looked at him, really looked at him and found herself studying a creature who had seen and done more then she could ever imagine. He saw her looking at him and in curiosity turned his head towards her. "What do you think of our planet?" Kate asked, turning the conversation away from talk of fun towards the thing she had been burning to know since she first saw his eyes widen at the sight of all the Las Vegas light.

"Your home is bountiful, full of life and spirit," his eyes sought her face and, as his gaze lingered, he saw her eyes come up from the table to catch his. "I can see why you and yours protect it so fiercely."

Kate offered him a small smile, dropping her eyes back to a contemplation of her drink."It's a funny thing," she began, her voice soft, as if she were speaking from far away, "I was born here, on Earth, but it's not my home," she lifted her eyes to the wraith who watched her with such intensity. "My home is a hundred thousand light-years away from here, in another place, among other stars."

Hearing her speak of his home as her own brought a warmth to him that he could not explain and, like so many of his reactions to her, he did not wish to. To stop and contemplate over how many different things she made him feel would be to admit that she made him feel such things at all; that she awoke within him emotions long since buried or in some cases, ones that had never been felt by him at all. It was a strange thing to feel considering whom it was that was eliciting these emotions and responses in him. Katherine, indeed, was very unique and possessed about her such a quality of grace that Todd could help but to find himself drawing ever nearer to her in whatever little ways that he could.

~xXx~

"He looks greener than usual," John yelled out to Lorne over the roar of the wind as he eyed the wraith sitting across from him, feet firmly planted on to the floor of the transport plane whilst his hands gripped the shoulder harness much more tightly then was necessary.

Lorne nodded, turning towards his commanding officer. "You didn't tell him we were jumping did you?"

John snickered and shook his head. "If I'd have told him that we never would've got him on the plane."

Lorne smirked. "No," he agreed, his smirk getting wider as the plane hit some turbulence and shifted to the right just slightly which made Todd's eyes close and his grip on his shoulder harness tighten still. "Probably not."

Across the cargo hold from them, Kate didn't find Todd's discomfort quite so amusing as her brother and best friend did. The wraith was used to air and spacecraft with inertial dampeners, so the turbulence that they were currently experiencing was probably not at all fun for him. Sending her brother a glare as he leaned over to no doubt snicker some comment to Lorne, Kate reached out and pried one of Todd's hands off of his shoulder harness and held it tightly with her own.

As the unsteady and ill constructed air transportation vehicle jerked violently for what had to be the hundredth time or so, Todd concluded that Sheppard really was trying to kill him. The sudden touch of something to his right hand made Todd's eyes open and his head turn to his right, seeing as he did so that Katherine had taken one of his hands in hers and now held onto it as though to reassure him that he was not going to in fact die. Not for the first time her touch calmed him although nowhere near enough that he could begin to enjoy the flight that Sheppard had told him before they'd taken off would be 'fun'.

"Don't worry," Kate said aside to Todd, leaning towards him so that she wouldn't have to yell over the noise of the engines. "We should be coming up on our drop point; it'll all be over soon."

Todd could only nod.

Back on the other side of the plane, John had finally noticed that Todd no longer looked quite as nervous as he had minutes before. "Hey," he said to Lorne, "He looks calmer."

Lorne turned his attention towards the wraith to see what could have possibly eased some of his tensions away and, having found it, frowned. "Look at his right hand," he informed the Colonel.

John blinked and then glared. "Hey Todd!" the wraith looked up at him. "Let go of my sister!"

Kate rolled her eyes. "You're an asshole John, you know that!"

"I don't care!" the colonel protested, fixing his gaze on Todd. "Let go of her hand!"

Having realized by Sheppard's comments how Katherine's reassurance must appear to the other male, Todd attempted to extract his hand only to find that Katherine had clamped down on it rather hard so that he could not pull away. Curious, he looked at her and saw that she was glaring at her brother quite strongly.

"Chill, John," Kate reprimanded her brother, refusing to let Todd draw away.

Her brother glared at her. "You are aware of the implications of you holding his hand right?"

Kate let out an exasperated sigh. "I am, but he's not."

"So?" John countered, not seeing were she got off rationalizing the fact that she was holding Todd's feeding hand in both of her own rather tightly. If it was him, he'd be freaked out.

"So, in ignorance lays innocence, John, get over it. I'm trying to calm him down," Kate retorted as the plane turned sharply to the right, so that her brother and Lorne were now technically higher up then she was. Todd's grip on her fingers tightened in response.

Realizing that he was probably overreacting, John let the matter go and turned towards the cockpit. "Hey, Masters!" he called to the pilot, "we there yet?"

"Approaching drop point now, sir," the Captain called back to him as he angled the plane downwards a few degrees. "Opening back hatch."

A gush of wind roared through the cargo hold as the hatch lowered and John unbuckled himself and stood, looking down over the treetops of the forest below. Turning to look around at him team, his eyes glancing over the now really nervous looking wraith, he called out, "Alright, who's jumping first!?!"

Todd felt his internal organs do a strange little dance at the human's words. "Jumping?" he repeated and felt the loss of touch as Katherine pulled her hand away from his and began to unfasten herself from the seat next to him.

Kate looked down on him, offering him the most reassuring smile that she could. "It's not as bad as it sounds," she assured him before she pulled on her eye protection and went towards the cockpit.

John frowned. "Uh, Kate, the back of the plane is this way," he pointed.

Kate ignored her brother and once she'd reached the front of the hold, turned around and looked at Lorne. "Wanna race?" she called, "First one to the ground wins."

Lorne jumped up and went to stand by her. "Not a chance you'll beat me," he countered and took up starting position.

John frowned. "What are you doing?" he asked.

They ignored him. "One," Lorne yelled over the wind, "Two, THREE!"

John's eyes widened as the both of them then broke out into a run towards the hatch and the Colonel just managed to get out of the way before they both dove off the back of the plane. Looking after them, noticing that neither one had pulled their chutes yet, John Sheppard shook his head.

"Crazy Marines," he muttered before turning back towards Teyla and Ronon who had come to join him by the hatch. "Alright, you remember how to do this right?"

They both nodded soberly.

John nodded. "Alright, Teyla you first."

She looked at him briefly before complying, leaving Ronon standing beside Sheppard. Glancing back at the wraith who had not yet unbuckled himself from his seat, Ronon gave Sheppard an apologetic look.

"Good luck with him," the Setedan commented before making his jump.

John groaned and the plane turned, circling around for another pass over their landing zone. "Yeah, really," he muttered to himself before turning and walking back towards Todd. "Okay, you're next."

The wraith glared at him. "If you expect me to –"

"I don't expect, you're just gonna," John interrupted him, forcing the wraith out of his seat and, taking a firm hold of his arm, marching him towards the back of the plane. "Come on, you saw everyone else do it, it's not that hard."

Todd's eyes narrowed to slits.

Having figured out that Todd wasn't going to go easily, John let out a sigh. "Okay, on your way down; after you jump wait about ten seconds and then pull this blue tab," he instructed the wraith, indicating the pull tab that would open his parachute.

The wraith crossed his arms stubbornly. "I am not –"

John lost his patience and, having maneuvered Todd so very close to the edge of the plane, gave it up and pushed him. Watching Todd fall was quite comical and not for the first time on this little vacation, John wished he had his camera. Peering over the side of the plane after the appropriate time had passed, John saw that Todd had apparently listened to him for the first time ever because there were now five open chutes instead of just four.

"Thanks for the ride!" John called to the pilot who gave him a thumbs up before he, too, jumped.

He caught up with Todd about halfway down. " See," he called out to the now slowly descending alien who had his arms crossed and was glaring at him with enough malice to curdle milk, "That wasn't so bad."

Todd snarled. "You pushed me Sheppard."

John shrugged. "Well I had to get you out of the plane somehow and you weren't moving so…"

The wraith just snorted; a clear sign that he was hardly amused. By the time they landed, however, his sour mood had lessened somewhat and he was quite pleased with himself when he managed to touch the earth with grace rather than falling over as the runner did. Unfastening himself from the harness to which his chute was attached, Todd stepped out of it and looked around. The forest was dense and absurdly hot and humid making him suddenly wish that he had agreed to wear the uniform that Sheppard had attempted to get him into before they'd left.

Unfortunately, Sheppard seemed to read his mind.

"Bet you're wishing you weren't wearing so much leather now, huh?" John snickered as he began to roll up the wraith's parachute when it became clear that the alien wasn't going to do it himself.

Todd turned and glared at him. "I am not," he said stubbornly, not wishing to give the human the satisfaction of knowing that he was right.

John rolled his eyes. "Sure, whatever, we'll see how you feel in a couple days."

The wraith just turned away from him and went back to contemplating the surrounding foliage. His conclusion, after having a thorough look around was that he was going to be miserable in a very short amount of time. Todd hated water or more specifically he hated being wet and didn't even enjoy the pastime of swimming. This might have had something to do with the fact that one of his brothers had once tried to drown him when he had been still quite young but Todd attributed the dislike more to the fact that space was dry and therefore the unusual circumstance of being surrounded by water was unsettling. Here, water droplets clung to everything.

"Guess you've probably figured out by now why it's called a rain forest."

Todd turned and espied Katherine standing not far away and wondered when she had come to meet with he and Sheppard. "Yes," he answered her, tearing his eyes from her face and returning them to the various green and leafy things that surrounded him.

Kate smirked, recalling the last time she'd seen Todd wet before and remembering that he hadn't liked it at all. "You don't like water do you?" she asked him, curious.

Todd shook his head. "Not particularly, no."

John stood up, having finished packing away both his and Todd's chutes. "Well, get used to it," he told the wraith while shouldering both their packs as he had a firm feeling that Todd would refuse to carry his.

The wraith sneered at him. "It would seem I have no choice."

John nodded, looking around as Lorne, Teyla and Ronon all came to join them. "That's right," he glanced back towards Todd, "you don't." He looked around. "Who has the radio?"

"Here," Kate fished the survival radio that was also a GPS tracking system out of her pack and handed it to her brother. "There should be an AWACS in the area. Use frequency 287.35; call sign Goliath Victor. They're supposed to be giving us a heading."

"Do they have any idea what they're tracking?" Lorne asked, blinking his eyes against the light drizzle that had started up suddenly.

Kate shook her head. "No," she turned to her brother, "They're calling the wraith target x."

"Well, that's original," John complained as he keyed the radio to the frequency his sister had given him. "Goliath Victor, this is Capybara zero seven Ground on two eighty-seven decimal thirty-five, signal check over."

Lorne gave his commander a look. "Capybara?" he questioned looking around to see that he wasn't the only one that found being called this strange. Teyla and Ronon looked likewise confused.

"It's the largest rodent in the world, indigenous to the Amazon, favorite food of the anaconda, which is consequentially the world's largest snake," Kate informed them and had to try very hard not to laugh at the look on Lorne's face. "What's wrong, Lorne?"

"I hate snakes," Lorne shuddered. "Especially twenty feet long ones that could swallow a grown man whole."

Kate waved away his concern. "Oh, relax, the chances of us running into a twenty foot snake are slim to none," Lorne looked relieved. "Fifteen feet is much more likely."

Lorne paled and John turned towards the two of them, smirking as the radio crackled and they heard back from the plane.

"_Capybara zero seven Ground this is Goliath Victor, we have you loud and clear, over."_

"Likewise," John called as he waved his hand at Kate and pointed to her head and watching her nod in understanding. "Listen, we just landed and we need the coordinates for our target."

"Copy that ground," the plane replied. "Coordinates for target x are as follows: four degrees forty-six feet twenty-one inches south, fifty-nine degrees forty-three feet twenty-nine inches west, elevation 159 feet above sea level, over."

"We copy Goliath," John replied, "Ground over and out," he turned to Kate, "You got all of that?"

Kate nodded.

"Here," John handed her the radio, "Plug the coordinates into the GPS and let's move; we've got a lot of ground to cover."

"We gotta go south a good way," Kate called and pointed in the direction that they would have to take as she passed her brother the radio with the coordinates and their current position now logged into the mini-computer.

John nodded. "Okay," he looked around at his team, "rule number one: don't get lost. Rule number two: stay in groups, nobody goes anywhere alone. Rule number three: don't touch anything with bright colors."

Teyla frowned. "Why touch nothing with bright colors?" she asked.

Kate turned to her. "In this forest, bright colors generally mean that whatever it is is poisonous."

Lorne snickered. "Oh, yeah, this is gonna be such fun."

John couldn't help but agree with his second in command's sarcasm. "Right, let's move out. Teyla, Ronon stay with me at the front, Todd stay with Kate and Lorne at the back."

And with that they began to whack and hack their way through the jungle

~xXx~

They made good progress all things considered and by nightfall had only a few miles to go in order to reach their target which, thankfully, hadn't moved much all day. John wondered if this had anything to do with the variety of predators that inhabited the rainforest and the Colonel was briefly curious about what a wraith would make of a jaguar or a wild boar. _Dinner probably_, John's inner voice said and the Colonel chuckled softly at his own joke before calling a halt just as visibility started to become a problem.

"Camp time," John called as they all wearily stopped and unloaded their packs, dropping them where they stood as they all sat down on various rocks and fallen trees in the little gully he'd found for them to make camp in.

"Thank God," Lorne cried as he settled himself on a nearby boulder and proceeded to take off his shoes and socks, ringing out the water and then laying them next to him to dry.

Kate giggled. "Something wrong Lorne?"

The major glared at her. "Not all of our uniforms are water proof like yours little miss weapon x."

Kate snorted. "Ah, you're just jealous," she smiled and then turned to her brother. "So, what's the verdict on shelter for the night? Did the SGC pack us some or are we building our own?"

John frowned as he reached into his pack and pulled out a tarp, some five-fifty cord and a bag of stakes. "Well, they gave us some things but not much."

Ronon grunted. "So we build our own."

Lorne sighed. "Looks that way," he looked around and spotted two trees standing fairly close together. "Hey Sheppard," he pointed, "Think the tarp will stretch that far?"

John looked. "I think we'll make it stretch that far," he stood and shook out the tarp, frowning as it unfolded all of the way. "No way this is big enough for all of us."

"We could make him sleep outside," Ronon jerked a thumb at Todd who growled; the wraith did not like being wet.

John shook his head. "Naw, I want to live, thank you," he turned towards Lorne. "Hey, see if anyone else has another tarp."

Lorne reached for his pack. "I got nothing, Sir."

"Nor do I," Teyla replied.

"I have one," Kate pulled a second tarp from her pack, turning towards her brother. "What do you think, three and three?"

John nodded. "That'll work. You and Lorne get to have him," he gestured at Todd who snorted in derision at being referred to in such a manner.

"Fine by me, it's not like I haven't slept with him before," Kate grinned, throwing the wraith a smirk that he returned as he recalled their first mission together.

"What!" John yelped, all he possible connotations of that phrase intermixed with what he knew of wraith/human interactions and the indefinable way that Todd always looked at his sister causing his heart to literally leap to his throat. Spinning wildly around he glared daggers at his giggling sister and the smirking wraith who dared to joke about this highly disturbing possibility.

Lorne knew that joking about Todd and Kate in that particular situation was probably not a good thing, as the Colonel didn't attention to be drawn to the already delicate situation. Personally, Lorne couldn't quite imagine what his commanding officer's reaction might be to finding out that Todd actually did harbor those types of inclinations towards his sister or that Kate, on some level, returned them. Somehow, the major could quite see the man crying, and he knew that he would if he found out that a six-foot four inch tall life-sucking alien who was in serious need of a tan had taken a sexual interest in _his_ sister. He'd kill him and unfortunately for them it was a little acknowledged but well known fact that they depended on Todd for a lot and would probably all be dead without him.

In light of this, Lorne thought it would be best if he explained the joke to the Colonel before the man had a heart attack. "She means literally, sir," he said plainly and the Colonel calmed down just slightly and looked at him. Lorne sighed, "First mission we went on, you know the one where we found Michael's newest lab? Anyways, none of the other boys wanted to share a tent with him so Kate volunteered to sleep with him. I don't think she realized what she said until after I pointed it out."

John deflated, relief flooding him with the knowledge that it was just a private joke that hadn't been explained to him. "Oh," he said quietly and then eyed the wraith apologetically, feeling that in this instance he owed him an apology that didn't have to be coerced out of him. "Sorry, it's just that when I hear that term -"

"You think of mating," Todd interrupted him; not really wanting to go into any sort of depth on this subject with the colonel right now because, truthfully, he had often wished for exactly what the human male feared.

John stared at him. Having not recently explained to Todd all the different ways in which to imply the act of having sex, he wondered how it was that Todd even knew what the term 'sleep with' meant. He certainly hadn't told him and he'd have liked to think that nobody else had either as somehow the thought of what exactly someone would have to be discussing with him for that topic to come up was disturbing. "Wait a minute, how do you know what -"

"I explained it to him John," Kate interrupted her brother, turning to her pack and beginning to take out the various supplies needed for making camp.

John frowned. "How did that conversation come up?"

Kate shrugged and tied off both ends of her five-fifty cord to two trees that were separated by maybe five feet. "As often as he hangs around us I thought it might be nice if he understood more than a fourth of what we say," she draped the tarp over the rope and then started to stake down the corners creating a makeshift tent.

Before the Colonel could make a comment that would most likely make both Todd and Kate mad at him, Lorne intervened. "She has a point Sir," he commented, pulling his boots back on over on his now partially dried socks. "As often as he's around us, it might be nice if we don't have to constantly stop and explain our terminology to him."

John shrugged. "Yeah, every now and then it does get to be a bit annoying," he glanced over at the wraith that was currently sitting on a rock. "Maybe we should just buy him a dictionary."

"You would first have to teach him your language," Teyla pointed out as she knelt in an area between the two basic tents and began to build a circle of stones so that she might make a fire for cooking.

John considered this. "I keep forgetting that he can't read. English, I mean," he amended as the wraith opened one eye and turned it on him in a glare that almost hurt. "I know you can read other things."

Kate snickered. "Nice save, big brother."

Ronon grunted in amusement. "You should watch what you say, Sheppard."

John looked at the ground. "Yeah, I know," he said dejectedly before perking up. "At least I'm not as bad as Rodney."

Kate laughed. "Nobody is as bad as Rodney," she giggled before throwing her pack inside the tent she'd be sharing with Lorne and Todd and going over to help Teyla start dinner. They got the fire started easily enough but they all frowned when they pulled out what the SGC had packed for them to eat.

"I hate MRE's," Lorne complained, glaring at the package of dried food, "Somehow, no matter what it is, it always tastes like corn stew."

The other military members all smirked and agreed, Kate turning towards Teyla. "We could go find something," she suggested. "Like that octopus looking thing that you made Jennifer eat that one time."

Teyla grinned at the memory of the time she had shared in circumstances much like these while in the company of the then Dr. Jennifer Keller. "Her stomach has improved because of it," she informed Kate matter-of-factly.

Lorne snorted. "Mine would too, after that," he looked around. "So what's out there that won't kill us if we eat it?"

Kate shrugged. "I don't know; jaguar, snake…"

"You want to eat a jaguar are you crazy?" John yelped. "How the hell do you plan on catching it without it eating you?"

Kate glanced at Todd, who seemed to find their conversation amusing. "Well, we do have him," she nodded towards the wraith, "I seriously doubt anything in this forest could be as bad as him."

"What about those fifteen feet long snakes?" Lorne asked. "If they can swallow a human whole, I don't think they'd have much trouble with him."

Todd was curious. "You have creatures capable of consuming an adult human whole?" he smirked. "And yet you fear my kind."

John looked at him. "There's a difference."

Todd cocked his head to the side. "Oh?"

"Think about it," Kate interrupted before her brother and Todd could get into another argument, "If an anaconda tried to eat him, all he'd have to do is drain the snake dry before it could kill him. I stand by what I said about him being the most deadly thing out here."

Lorne considered this. "Okay, I'll give you that one," he sighed. "So, who's going hunting and for what?"

Kate stood up, removing a dagger from her boot as she did so, took aim and threw. John yelped and Evan screamed when a boa, still green and so therefore still young, fell out of a tree with her dagger in its head and landed in Lorne's lap. "There," Kate said with a huge grin on her face, "Dinner."

Teyla chuckled as she took the animal from Lorne and began to gut and clean it while the major scrabbled as far away from it as he could get and took to glaring at Kate. "That was so not funny!" he cringed.

Kate laughed. "Yes, it was. I didn't know you could scream that loud."

Evan glared at her before looking around and finding that both Ronon and Todd seemed to find the situation funny as well. Deciding to just let the matter drop, he sat back down and waited for their impromptu dinner to cook through all the way before he timidly tasted it.

John gulped his down without a second thought. "Well, after last night's dinner, this stuff tastes horrible but on its own, it's not bad."

The others agreed and Kate tore off a bit of her portion and handed it on a fork to Todd. "Here," she said, "Try it."

The wraith eyed her speculatively. "I think I will pass."

Kate pouted. "I killed it, I want you to eat it." When he made no move to take the fork from her, she continued pushing. "Please?" she asked, utilizing the same wet-eyed look that had always worked on John when they were younger.

Todd was well aware that everyone was looking at him and wondering the same thing. Katherine's request could well be considered flirting by human standards and, having had the meaning of the word described to him, he could also interpret it to mean much the same by wraith standards. Either way, as he looked at her, he realized that he couldn't deny her that which she asked of him regardless of the consequences whatever they may be. Taking the utensil from her, feeling her fingers brush over his as he did so, Todd was reminded vividly of how his body had reacted the night before to her touch over his feeding slit. Still focused on her gaze, he swallowed the portion of the animal that she had killed and then handed the fork back to her.

"Well?" Kate asked.

"I agree with Sheppard," Todd told her, returning his gaze to the fire knowing as he did that letting his eyes rest on her face was becoming problematic in the best of circumstances.

John laughed. "Ha! Will wonders never cease?" he exclaimed loudly before everyone fell amicably into conversation.

It was sometime later that the fire had been extinguished and the humans had all settled down to sleep that Todd sat awake, his back resting against one of the trees to which the cord that supported the shelter under which both Lorne and Katherine slept was tied, staring up at the stars. A movement startled him and he lowered his gaze to find that Katherine had woken and was now seating herself near to him.

"What's on your mind?" she asked him, her voice low so as to not wake Lorne or the others who slept not far away.

Todd turned to her, lowering his gaze from the heavens so that he might catch her eyes. He blinked, finding that the stars above him which he had been contemplating were reflecting back at him from her eyes. "You know that the wraith can communicate without words to one another across vast distances?" he asked her, wondering if she knew anything at all about the connection he had to his brothers.

Kate nodded, her face turning sad as she gazed at him. "You can't hear them, can you?" she questioned knowing already that this was the source of his disquiet.

Not for the first time, Todd marveled at her ability to understand an idea that must be foreign to her. "No, I cannot," he sighed, leaning his head back against the tree. "Always they are there, in the background, reminding me of their presence. Here…"

"You're alone," Kate concluded, her voice telling him that she felt nothing but compassion for him in this situation, not pity and not sorrow. That she did not see this as a weakness.

His gaze returned to her, holding her eyes to his even as she moved so that she was seated next to him. When she was settled, he at last let his gaze fall away from her face as he felt her lean towards him and rest her head on his shoulder. Just like that they sat and the stars above them twinkled and during this time, Todd realized that her presence more than made up for the lack of his fellow wraith and in the wake of this acknowledgement he felt the overwhelming urge to protect her strike him. His protectiveness had been raised to the surface before when he was near her but never so strongly, so completely.

As he realized that Katherine had succumbed to sleep, he also became aware that his want for her was changing. Where at first it had been merely attractiveness born from visual stimulation, then to desire for both her body and her spirit, now it was moving towards something else; something that he did not know as he had never felt such as this before. Katherine was growing to mean much to him, becoming important and paramount in his mind as well as in his desires and the pity of it was that he could never have her.

A frog croaked right next to Major Lorne's head, and while the creature's mating call did nothing whatsoever to disturb the woman or the wraith, it did wake up the sleeping major, who came back to the realm of consciousness with a start. Not quite sitting up, Lorne twisted around, instinctively looking for anything out of the ordinary. He found it sitting not too far away from him, and as his eyes slid over both Kate and Todd, his wide and disbelieving pupils taking in their arrangement, a strong feeling of unease crept over him.

The wraith looked so at ease, as if Kate resting her head on his shoulder while she slept was an occurrence that happened regularly, and as he thought about it, Lorne realized that it had happened at least once before, when they'd been down in Ford's cells. The fact that Kate felt comfortable enough to trust Todd to watch over her while she slept spoke volumes. She shifted and buried herself farther into Todd's side, seeking warmth. Lorne watched in awe as he wraith cast a look over her of such fierce protectiveness that the Major knew in that instant that something had changed. Whatever it was, it was small, maybe even minuscule, something that Lorne would have missed had he not saw it reflected in the alien's golden cat-eyes and he had to admit that it concerned him. He had no idea what would happen if Todd ever develop serious feelings for Kate.

With that, Major Evan Lorne rolled over and went back to sleep. It would have to wait until morning.

~xXx~

"Todd, don't move."

The warning, the wraith thought it sounded like Sheppard, called him from the realm of sleep and pulled him back into the world of the conscious. Blinking, the wraith opened his eyes and looked up at the Colonel who hovered over him realizing that he had not moved back into the tent during the night but had instead remained outside. As a result, in the hazy mist filled and muggy morning, Todd realized that all five of the humans were surrounding him, looking down on something that was apparently on his chest.

Lowering his head, Todd espied a strange creature about the size of his hand sitting perched on his sternum. The wraith frowned, having never seen such a creature before. It was hairy, brown and appeared to have eight legs. He wondered what it was and why Sheppard looked so fearful. "What is it?" he asked, taking the Colonel's advice and not moving.

Kate rolled her eyes, amazed that her brother could make such a big deal over something so tiny. "It's a tarantula," she informed Todd who looked up at her from the same position of rest he'd been in when she'd woken up to find him staring up at the stars the night before.

Todd frowned. "And what exactly is a tarantula?" he inquired, returning his gaze to the small animal that seemed to have taken a liking to him.

"It's a spider," Lorne answered shrugging and turning to his commanding officer. "It's not poisonous, but if it bites you it'll hurt like hell."

Hearing that there was even a remote chance that the thing might be dangerous even on a small scale – and because the excuse gave Ronon a reason to shoot Todd – the Setedan pulled his gun, set it to stun and took aim.

"Wait, no -" Kate and Lorne started at the same time but it was already too late, Ronon had fired and Todd was now stunned. The two marines looked at each other and grimaced, Todd wasn't going to be happy when he woke up.

John turned towards Ronon and grinned. "You know that wasn't necessary right?" he asked the now smirking former runner who was currently putting his gun back into its holster.

Ronon flashed Sheppard a grin. "I know."

John returned the smile. "Okay, just checking," he turned away from the now unconscious Todd and the dead spider who, being much smaller than a human, couldn't take a stun from Ronon's gun and live through it, looked like it'd been fried. Beginning to pack up the tent from the night before and fish around in his pack for an energy bar that would have to serve for breakfast, he glanced back over his shoulder towards his friend. "You know he's gonna be pissed when he wakes up again right?"

Ronon shrugged. "As if I care," the large man said tonelessly.

Teyla frowned, looking up from where she was putting away the cooking gear that they had used the night before. "I do not think you should have shot him," she said, her tone betraying what she thought of the whole situation. "As it has been said, he will not be in a pleasant mood when he wakes and I very much do not wish to deal with an unhappy wraith for the duration of today's journey."

Ronon had the good grace to look sheepish under Teyla's gaze and busied himself with helping Sheppard pack up the tent.

It took Todd ten minutes to wake up and when he did, he jumped up snarling and started in towards the runner. "You shot me," the wraith growled; fury making his fists clench and unclench repeatedly.

Ronon looked up at him. "Would you rather have been bitten by that thing?"

Todd glared at him. "I find that that is hardly besides the point," he informed the runner. "Your actions were unnecessary."

Ronon started to reply only to have Kate intervene. "Alright that's enough," she called out, turning first to Ronon and then to Todd. "The both of you just let it go and get back to packing."

John stood up. "The packing's done," he announced, gesturing around at their now clear camp, the only indications that they had spent the night being the ring of stones around the ruins of a fire. "Come on, let's go."

Todd was still less then pleased about the morning's proceedings but kept his mouth shut as he fell into line between Major Lorne and Katherine as they once again began to journey deeper into the forest. The rain began early; they had only been walking for perhaps an hour before Todd was not only completely and utterly wet but also miserable. The situation did not improve when, at the front of their little train, Sheppard called a halt.

"What is it?" Todd asked, following Katherine as she moved forwards to see why it was that her brother had stopped.

Kate frowned and, having reached her brother, looked out over the swamp that stretched before them. She turned towards John. "Is there a way around it?" she asked, not really in the mood to go wading through murky, muddy water that had an untold number of nasty's living it in.

John sighed and shook his head. "No," he pointed to the left and to the right, indicating that going around it would take them days which of course they didn't have. Turning around so that he faced his team, he grimaced. "Let's move."

Lorne repressed a shutter. "Are we seriously going to walk through that?" he asked as first Sheppard and then Ronon and then Teyla began to wade into the murky brown sludge.

Kate glanced back at him. "Unfortunately, yes," she informed him and then went back to focusing on not falling over and going under as her feet began to sink into the clay-like river bottom making walking difficult.

Lorne's response was one or two choice curse words as he followed after Todd who seemed to have difficulty walking. "You okay?" he asked the clearly unhappy wraith.

Todd growled, his left foot becoming lodged in the bottom of the swamp and causing him to stumble only avoiding becoming completely submerged due to Katherine's sudden grip on his arm. "I am beginning to detest this place," he snarled angrily.

"Shh! Don't say that!" John called out from the head of the line. "This jungle can hear you, now it's gonna try and kill us."

Todd's foot got stuck again and the vampiric alien let out a frustrated hiss. "I believe that it has been trying to do so for some time now."

About halfway through the swamp, Lorne started to feel an odd sensation coming from his back that he was sure wasn't normal. Stopping in the waist deep water, the major twisted around and tried to reach his back but unfortunately couldn't reach very far down his neck before his tac vest got in the way.

"Damn!" he growled.

Kate turned towards him, frowning. "What's wrong Evan?"

Lorne looked up at her. "There's something on my back."

Kate sighed and nodded to Todd to keep walking as she turned around and started making her way back towards Lorne. Stopping in front of him, she turned him around and helped him take off his tactical vest before peering down the back of his BDU's. "Holy," she exclaimed loudly.

Lorne grimaced knowing that anything that made Kate curse was not good. "What?" he asked, dreading the answer.

Before Kate could answer a yelp sounded from up in front of them and the both of them turned to see John hopping up and down and swatting as a swarm of insects flew and buzzed around him. "I HATE BUGS!!!!" the Colonel screamed from ten feet up and then took off as fast as he could in an effort to get out of the water and away from his tiny tormentors as fast as possible.

Taking her brother's cue, Kate grabbed hold of Lorne's arm and started dragging him the rest of the way to the opposite shore.

"What is it?" Lorne asked desperately as he stumbled but didn't go down as Kate kept a firm grip on his arm, pulling him along behind her passing Todd and Ronon and Teyla along the way.

Kate winced. "Leaches," she answered reluctantly and heard her best friend yelp in response.

In the end, Lorne and Kate beat John to the other side of the swamp but not by much as the colonel came screaming and cursing onto the opposite shore in a fury of waving and swatting hands some seconds behind them. A minute passed and they were joined by the others and, her brother otherwise engaged, Kate turned to address them still holding onto Evan's arm.

"Alright," she said loudly so that she could be heard over her brother's cursing and Lorne's whimpering, "Teyla come here, Ronon help John; there should be bug spray in one of the packs."

The Setedan nodded and started to rummage through their backpacks in search of insect repellant while Teyla crossed over to where Kate was busy stripping Lorne from the waist up. "What do you need my help with?" the Athosian asked as Kate finally pulled Lorne's shirt over his head and revealed his back, covered in strange looking brown creatures that appeared to be sucking the blood out of him.

Kate turned towards the other woman and handed her a lighter. "Here," she ignited it for her. "I need you to burn these things off of him."

Teyla took it and crouched behind the major, lifting the lighter to the nearest leech. "What will you do?" she asked Kate.

Kate waved towards Todd, who walked over to her. "In light of all of this," she gestured around at them all, "I think it'd be best if someone scouted ahead so that we don't run into anymore…surprises."

A few feet away from her and being sprayed unmercifully with bug spray, John nodded. "That's probably a good idea."

Kate nodded. "I thought so," she turned towards Todd, "Come on, let's go."

She didn't wait for him to respond before heading forwards into the forest. Todd fell into step behind her and together they began to scan the trail in front of them for any unpleasantries. They'd been walking for a few minutes before Kate stopped, having heard a very faint growling noise that she knew for certain hadn't come from Todd.

"What is it?" Todd asked, peering around them, having heard the noise as well but having no idea what it might belong to.

Kate shook her head. "I have no id…" her voice trailed off as the bushes parted to her left and the jungle cat took a step towards her. "Oh crap."

Todd twisted around and saw the predator start towards them. It looked like a slightly larger version of a hellsa cat, a creature indigenous to several planets in the Pegasus galaxy. The only difference, besides its obvious larger size, was its color. Hellsa cats were a grey with black stripes, this animal was yellow with black spots and on the whole was more much more menacing.

The hungry cat approached them without fear and Kate wondered if it'd ever seen a human before knowing for a fact that it had never seen a wraith before now. Still, she wondered why it was that she could sense Todd's predator status and the cat couldn't. She would have thought that one look at the wraith would have sent the jungle cat scampering away.

Reluctant to just kill it, Kate and Todd instead backed up until the ground behind them disappeared and the next thing either of them knew they were both falling. They landed with a splash and both of them came up sputtering as they took to treading water. Looking up, blinking the water from her eyes, Kate saw the damned cat looking down at them from the edge of the embankment they'd just toppled off of. She glared at him; she could have sworn the animal was looking at them with an amused expression on its feline face.

"Is it impossible to stay dry, here?" Todd asked angrily as he fought to keep his head above water, his heavy boots doing him no favors as they attempted to drag him down.

Kate turned to him. "Yeah, I think it is," she laughed, tipping her head back so that she could get the hair out her eyes before looking back at the now drowned looking wraith. "You look miserable."

Todd scowled. "I do not like water."

Kate snorted. "I can tell," she smirked and turned to look back up at the jungle cat that was still looking down at them. "I would have thought it'd run at the sight of you."

Todd looked up as well, growling at the animal that he would have sworn was getting some sort of amusement out of all of this. "As would I."

Suddenly, the cat let out a growl that was soon followed by a mewling sound and then vanished from above them. Curious, Todd turned to Katherine, about to ask what she thought of this new development, only to see that her eyes had gone wide. "What –" he managed before Katherine lunged forwards in the water, grabbing his arm on the way and pulled him under.

Water closed over his head and Todd was forced to swim backwards as Katherine continued to tug on his arm in a way that let him know something was wrong. Finally, he felt her jerk him upwards and, as soon as his head broke the water, he gasped greedily for breath.

"Katherine –"

Kate ignored him and continued to haul him backwards towards the shore of the little pound they'd found themselves in. Todd went, trusting her enough to go along with whatever it was she was doing until finally he felt his feet touch the bottom of the pool. Standing, he turned around and saw yet another strange creature swimming towards them, this one with jaws so full of teeth even he felt fear grip him.

"What is that!?!" Todd demanded, digging his feet into the muddy bottom and wrapping an arm around Katherine's waist as he quickened their retreat, pulling them both up and out of the water before collapsing backwards onto the muddy bank. The wraith didn't exactly wait for her to answer him as he continued to drag her backwards, concerned more for her safety then his at the moment.

As Todd pulled her form the water, Kate tripped backwards slipping on the mud and landed on top of Todd before rolling over and executing a low-crawl that her drill instructor would be proud of before she felt Todd reach out and grab her arm, hauling her upwards and then dragging her farther away from the snapping jaws of the still advancing predator.

"That's a crocodile," Kate informed the wraith as they finally made it a respectable distance away from the animal and started back up the embankment, trusting that the crocodile was the reason for the cat's hasty retreat and betting on it not being up there waiting for them.

It wasn't, and after they'd reached the top, Kate turned to look over Todd and herself finding that they were now not only wet but covered in mud from the tops of their heads down.

Todd, too, surveyed the both of them. "Is there nothing in this jungle that is not out to kill us?" he inquired, honestly curious.

Kate chuckled. "Why do you think nobody lives here?" she asked him, turning and leading the way back toward the clearing where they'd left the others.

Todd snorted. "Indeed."

Their arrival back at the edge of the swamp prompted mixed greetings from their fellows. John, now covered in so much bug spray he'd like to think even an iratus bug might steer clear of him, looked up and immediately burst out laughing. Ronon shook his head, Teyla frowned and Lorne, who was getting redressed, demanded, "What the hell happened to you?" before looking over the woman and the wraith who were both completely covered in mud.

Kate sent him a glare that would have curdled milk. "Well, let's see," she started, putting on a look of mock pensiveness. "We were walking along when we got cornered by a jaguar, said cat then proceeded to back us over the side of a cliff into some very dirty water where we then almost got eaten by a crocodile," she blinked and turned towards Evan, a smile on her face. "How are you?"

Ronon grunted. "This jungle is out to get us."

John winched and sent a glare towards Todd. "I _told_ you it could hear you," he blamed the wraith.

Todd growled and crossed his arms, the movement making a soft sucking sound.

Kate shook her head. "That's enough, John," she chastised her brother. "Now, the main river is about a five minute walk that way," she pointed towards the direction she and Todd had come, "I saw it before that damned cat popped out of the fucking bushes and sent us for a swim," she looked around at them all. "How about we get there and call it a day seeing as we're all miserable."

Everyone liked that plan, even Todd, and so they all got up and started walking. True to her word, it took five minutes to get there, and upon arriving, Kate set down her pack, rummaged around until she found a bar of soap and a towel and started towards the river.

John stopped her. "Hold on, wait, where do you think you're going?"

Kate turned back. "I need a bath," she said plainly, glancing over towards Todd. "He could use one too."

John eyed the both of them, possibilities he didn't want to think about running through his overactive mind. "No way in hell are the two of you taking a bath together," he exclaimed, crossing his arms and glaring at Todd who had taken to glaring right back.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Oh stop, do you have any idea how childish you sound right now?"

John sulked. "I'm not being childish," he insisted, "I just don't want-"

"I'm wearing shorts and a sports bra on under this thing John," Kate informed her brother patiently, as though she were talking to a particularly stupid child. "Just give him the BDU bottom's that I know you brought with you and let us go. We're starting to smell."

John sighed and crinkled his nose. Yes, the two of them were beginning to smell and it was awful. Grabbing his pack up from besides him, he pulled out the uniform he'd tried to talk Todd into before they'd left and unfolded it, handing the wraith the pants and waving at them to go on their way.

Smiling in accomplishment, Kate turned on her heel and walked determinedly towards the river, trusting Todd to follow. Coming out of the trees, she walked down the bank until they were out of sight of the camp before going over to a rock, sitting down and starting to take her boots off. She'd gotten one off before she looked up and noticed that Todd was standing only a few feet away, watching her with an odd expression on his face.

"Yes?" she asked, dropping her one boot down besides the rock and starting on the other.

Todd shifted uncomfortably, not at all sure how to proceed as he wondered if Katherine was at all aware of the situation she had placed them in. "How are we to proceed?" he inquired eventually, his eyes roving over her as the layers of material that kept her finer body hidden from his view were being slowly stripped away.

Kate ducked her head to hide a grin, sure that while he'd never admit it, Todd was embarrassed. Standing up and facing him, pulling her utility belt off and dropping it besides her boots, she nodded towards the BDU pants that he still held. "John brought two pairs of those," she informed him. "So I'll turn around while you put those on and then you get into the water. I know you hate it but you'll feel better when you're clean."

Deciding that her plan made sense, Todd nodded his head once and then proceeded to take of his bracers, shrugging out of his battle-coat and starting on the long leather robe he wore under it before he realized that Katherine had begun to unzip the bodysuit that she customarily wore. His hands stilling on the fastenings of his undercoat, his eyes glazing over just slightly as Katherine began to squeeze herself out of her uniform, wiggling her hips to and fro in a provocative manor that the alien doubted was intentional. He gulped as finally she stepped from her confinements and laid them out over the rock she had recently sat upon. Her back was to him as she walked towards the water and Todd allowed his eyes to graze over her form, only the barest scraps of cloth hiding her from his view, covering those parts of her that he longed to see.

She truly was as lithe and sinewy as she'd looked through her uniform, her skin tight over well defined muscles that dipped and bowed in the tantalizing fluidity of femininity. Katherine's body was hard and toned, rigid from her years serving as a warrior, her person as much a killing machine as was his but with a smoothness that his own sculpted form did not process. One could not accuse her of being supple or soft but neither could one accuse her of being anything other than perfectly female.

His fevered gaze watched as she descended into the water, waves softly lapping at first her calves, then her thighs and finally the smooth, taut skin of her lower back. Forcing his thoughts away from such a temptation, wondering how he was ever to get into the water with her, his deft fingers began again on the fastenings of his robe, divesting himself of it before starting on his shoes. His boots came off easily and he dropped them aside before glancing up at Katherine who was now shoulder deep in the water to make sure her attention was elsewhere. As aroused as he was currently, he did not want her first view of him, if she turned her head, to be one that clearly reflected the state he was in.

She would never forgive him.

Content that she was busy with the removing of the now caked mud from her hair, Todd was quick as he stepped out of his leather pants and into the terribly uncomfortable things that Sheppard called BDU's. But, as Katherine had pointed out, they would serve for now whilst he washed the dried mud and other organic filth from his body.

"Are you coming?" sang the question from the water and Todd grinned almost predatorily as he went to join her, thinking to himself that this was most likely as close to intimacy as either the two of them were ever likely to get with one another. The thought was mildly dissatisfying.

"The water is warm," Todd remarked as he continued onwards until the rippling liquid was lapping somewhere near his waist.

Kate nodded, sinking down into the water some five feet away from the nearly nude wraith. He had not seen her, but she had watched him as he undressed, taking the time to appreciate him without his knowledge. His body was perfect, at least in her mind, greenish-grey skin pulled tight over the bulk of him which looked as hard and solid as rock. She had taken the time to note, as more and more of his leather had come off, that his face was not the only part of him that sported a tattoo. He had one on his right arm from shoulder to nearly his elbow and another that graced the entirety of his back. It made him look dangerous and at the same time lust worthy in a primal sort of way. Suddenly, Kate was glad to be in the water as the liquid served to cool her as her thoughts turned feverish.

When Todd came up from his first submersion in order to wash away as much mud from him as possible, he caught the barest hints of an indefinable scent on the air that could only be coming from Katherine. Turning towards her, he cocked his head to the side as he tried to discern just what, exactly, it was. Unfortunately for him, the female in the water near to him was a perfect enigma, very good at hiding from him what she did not wish for him to see; she was very wraith like in that aspect. The thought made him remember that it was not only her body that he longed for but also her mind, her spirit and in simplest essence _her_. It was a scenario that the wraith had been unprepared for.

As Todd sat contemplating the various emotions he did or did not feel for her, Kate was busy vigorously washing and scrubbing her skin so that she could get out of this water and away from Todd as quickly as possible before she did something stupid. She was just about done when she felt something brush against her leg, the contact making her yelp and take a few steps backwards, dropping the bar of soap in the process.

Katherine's noise of surprise turned Todd's thoughts from the unthinkable back to reality and the wraith turned to her in question, his eyes flashing over the worry etched onto her face as she peered into the murky water around them. "Katherine?" he questioned, coming towards her just slightly, his predatory senses screaming that there was something stalking them, something that they could not see.

Todd's voice sounded distant and far away as Kate looked down, her eyes attempting to see through the muddy water. "I felt something move," she waved her hand over the surface of the water to clear away the soap bubbles, "Something alive."

"A predator?" Todd's mind leapt back to the last time they were both in the water, shuttering at the thought. "It is not another one of those, what did you call them?"

"It's not a crocodile," Kate assured him, deciding against telling him that if it was they'd have been eaten already. "It's something else."

Todd frowned. "What?"

Kate shook her head, unable to see more than two inches into the murky water. "I don't -" she stopped as her sharp eyes picked up on something lunging at her from within the water and with a scream she leaped backwards as the head of a very large snake, jaws wide and seeking her flesh, leapt at her.

"Holy shit!" Kate cursed as she stumbled backwards, the full extent of the animal's long, lithe body suddenly becoming visible just under the surface of the water. In her retreat, she felt something wrap around her middle and was jerked backwards, her back slamming hard into Todd's bare chest as the wraith held her away from the predator's snapping fangs.

"Perhaps we should get out of the water?" Todd rumbled, his arms tightening around Katherine's mid section as he began to move backwards towards the shore.

"That would be good, yes," Kate agreed as she felt Todd lift her feet off of the ground as the wraith effectively carried her out of the water.

As Todd settled Katherine safely on the ground and stepped back, Sheppard rushed forwards – having suddenly appeared out of nowhere, Lorne at his side - grabbing up the towel that Kate had left on the rock by her clothes as he went, and silently ordered her to cover up. Todd thought it was a shame, but, as the human male sent him a piercing look, he realized that it was most likely a good thing although, how much good it would do him had yet to be determined. Now that he knew exactly what Katherine looked like underneath her uniform, Todd had no doubt in his mind that he would no longer be able to look at her without thinking of what lay beneath.

As soon as Kate was back in her uniform and Todd, after much arguing with Sheppard, was in the BDU's that John had tried to get him to wear in the first place, Evan turned to Kate. "Now you know why I hate snakes," he told her with a grin as they made their way back to the others.

Kate snorted. "After that, I'll probably hate snakes too."

Evan nodded. "Did you see the size of that thing? It had to be at least thirty feet long!"

"The movie _'Anaconda'_ comes to mind," Kate agreed, looking up as Teyla and Ronon came into view.

"Hey guys," she greeted, coming to a stop and gesturing between herself and Todd who was still several paces behind them. "We almost got eaten by a giant man eating snake."

John joined her. "Yeah, after that, I don't know if I want to stop here for the night," he looked at Teyla and Ronon. "You guys okay if we keep going? There's still a couple hours of daylight left and –"

The Colonel was cut off as a growl followed by an ear piercing roar and then a scream split through the air and made the hair on the back of all their necks – the exception being maybe Todd – stand at attention.

"And that sounded like our target," Kate took over from her brother, turning to look at Todd who's scenery pits were flared just slightly. "I think he just found something to eat."

Todd nodded. "Yes, it does sound that way," he turned, his mind already focused on the task of tracking his fellow wraith. "I can sense his mind," he informed the humans. "He is afraid."

John took up the charge right behind Todd as the wraith began to lead them through the jungle. "Yeah, well, I'd be too if I were on a strange planet in a forest that will literally try and eat you."

Todd huffed. "Indeed."

John eyed him, trying to keep up with the wraith's strides. "Ah come on," he prodded, "Isn't there anything you're afraid of?"

Todd turned towards him. "No," he said bluntly knowing that even as he said it it was a downright lie. There were some things, things that Sheppard would never know of, that scared him senseless. Those things were horrors of a war that had been fought long before the conflict with the Lanteans, horrors that he prayed would never grace his home galaxy again.

As the six of them cut through the forest, their target getting ever closer, Todd realized that there was one other thing that he feared and that was Katherine in danger. Of course, he couldn't tell Sheppard this anymore then he could describe the Daemon to him.

Eventually they came out of the dense foliage into a clearing, in the middle of which crouched a wraith over the corpse of yet another animal that Todd had never seen before and didn't know exactly how to describe. The animal was nothing more than a husk by the time the wraith was through and it was apparent that he hadn't yet heard them. Todd knew he could use this to their advantage but before he could convey his plan to the others, the Setedan had already cocked his gun and taken up aim.

With a snarl the feeding wraith turned on his heel and looked behind him, noting the large group of humans spread out in front of him. "Come to take me back?" he hissed dangerously, ready to run before he'd let them take him back to his cell.

Ronon glared at him and took a step forwards only to have Kate step out in front of him. "Move, Kate," he yelled.

Kate ignored him and turned back towards the wraith. "We're not here to take you back to a lab," she told him, holding her hands up in a show of mercy. "If you'll let us, we'll take you home."

The wraith sneered at her. "Home?" he questioned, taking a step towards her. "And what would you know of my home, human?"

Kate leveled her gaze on him. "I've been on my share of hives," she informed him, taking a step closer.

Her use of the word 'hive' sparked an interest in him that made him pause and wonder if she spoke the truth. "You…are not here to capture me?" he eventually put forth, deciding that it might just be worth his wile to listen to what these humans had to say.

Kate shook her head but her brother beat her to an answer. "Depends on what you define as capture," John said and the wraith's attention turned towards him. "If you mean are we gonna lock you up then, no, if you mean are we gonna escort you back to the Pegasus then, yes."

Kate glared at her brother. "You're not helping John."

Todd had to agree with Katherine. While she'd been establishing dialogue with the wraith, Todd had discreetly prowled him mind and found the information he'd been looking for. This officer was young and had not been a part of the mutiny against him, had not even agreed with it and was still loyal to him although Todd doubted that the young wraith would recognize him if he saw him. Deciding that it was time to make his presence known, Todd took a step forwards.

"I agree," he sent the Colonel a glare to equal the one Katherine had cast him. "You are not helping the situation, Sheppard."

The welcomed speech of another wraith bade the younger turn towards this new anomaly. It also made him think as he had heard the name Sheppard before, it was the name of his true Commander's human ally; the Colonel John Sheppard of Atlantis. Now, looking over this older wraith, the younger was struck with an overwhelming sense of superiority and indeterminable age. Whoever this wraith was, he was extremely old, and by such a measure, equally powerful.

Todd took another step towards him. "You do not recognize me, do you?"

The wraith shook his head. "Should I?"

Todd grinned. "I am Eldest; I dare say you have at least heard of me."

The wraith's eyes widened and in the next instant he bowed. "Commander."

Todd turned a triumphant eye towards Sheppard. "See?" he mocked the human, "My reputation precedes me."

John scowled. "Well, you and your reputation can bite me," at the look on the wraith's face, John rolled his eyes. "It's a figure of speech, if you get anywhere near me with your mouth, I'll shoot you."

Todd made a face, as if the very idea of him doing such a thing made him ill. "I rather think you are safe, Sheppard," he said dryly.

With the boys back to glaring at each other, Kate stepped forwards. "Okay," she handed her brother the radio. "You call in the transport to pick us up and then we can all go home."

John took it, but looked at her. "I thought we might try and finish our vacation."

Kate shook her head. "Disney World is nice, but I'm ready to go home."

"As am I," Teyla agreed with her. "Your planet is wonderful, but I miss Torren and Kaanan."

"I miss killing wraith," Ronon deadpanned, sending a look of disdain towards Todd who raised an eye ridge in response.

While the Colonel walked a short distance away from them to go about calling in their air lift, Lorne sat down on a rock. "I miss Atlantis at night time, falling asleep to the sound of the sea and the twin moons."

"And you?" Teyla looked up at Kate, who may have started the conversation but had not yet told them what she missed most about being her in her native galaxy. "What do you miss Kate?"

Kate smiled slightly and glanced towards Todd, deciding that an honest answer was probably out of the question and so she settled for something else instead. "I miss my history lessons," she answered with a bow of her head.

Todd eyed her, having an idea that that was not what she was originally going to say. "If it would please you, I will give you such a lesson on the journey home," he told her, smiling down on her with a teasing smirk he had not employed in some time.

Kate looked up at him. "I'd like that."

Todd took a step towards her so that she had to tilt her head back to keep her eyes on his. "I bet you would," he almost purred.

It was this scene that John, having hailed the transport, walked in on and, predictably, flew off the handle. While he yelled at Todd and Kate yelled at him, Teyla, Ronon, and Lorne took to standing besides the other wraith who was watching the scene and shaking his head. The argument lasted for the hour it took the transport to get to them and well into the flight back to Colorado until Kate finally put a stop to it by throwing her shoe at her brother.

As the colonel took to starting up a conversation with Ronon and Teyla, Lorne couldn't help but watch the way Todd and Kate fell easily into a conversation about wraith history. The way he talked to her, the way her eyes would light up whenever a particularly interesting fact came up, especially in light of his nighttime observation of the pair, made Lorne honestly wonder if maybe, just maybe, Todd the wraith cared more for Kate then he had originally thought.

Maybe, just maybe.


	13. Varkan

**A/N: **Here you go everybody, sorry about the long wait. Read, review and enjoy!

* * *

**Episode XIII: Varkan**

All that Kate remembered was running, not the most pleasant memory to have when you first wake up in a strange place. She gingerly sat up and messaged her temples. More images began to flash through her mind: her brother telling her to keep going and not to look back as some sort of hellish creatures chased them back towards the gate, Teyla, Ronon and Rodney running and screaming, and shooting behind them wildly, something hitting her from behind. Groaning, Kate twisted around and reached for the small of her back, the place her foggy memories told her she had been hit. Her fingers closed around something and she pulled, bringing the object up to her face for inspection.

It looked wraith in design but it resembled an Earth made tranquilizer dart. Confusion rushed through her, as she couldn't think of why the wraith would want her and looking around, she came to the instant conclusion that she wasn't in a hive. In fact, the facility in which she was currently incarcerated didn't look anything like the sort of place in which a wraith might hide. It looked Genii, which begged the question of what a wraith tranq dart was doing in her back while she was being held in an obviously not wraith facility. As far as she knew the Genii were the absolute last people who would ever make an alliance with the wraith.

"I see that you are awake."

Kate turned sharply towards the sound of, she suspected, her captor's voice, watching as his figure approached from the shadows until he was standing just in front of the iron bars of her cell. Kate's eyes widened. There was no mistaking the features of the creature that stood before her: not quite human, not quite wraith. To have been captured by this being in particular did not bode well for her future.

"Michael," Kate whispered, her eyes cold and hard as steel as she gazed up at the hybrid from the floor.

The former wraith smiled down at her, his eyes alight with the triumph of her capture. "Hello Major Sheppard, it is such a pleasure to see you again."

His voice made Kate's blood run cold.

~xXx~

"Maybe we should all consider having sub-space transmitters implanted in us like the one Todd's got," Rodney suggested pensively as he, Lorne, Teyla, Ronon and Jennifer sat around their usual table in the mess hall trying to console Sheppard. The team was waiting to hear back from Woolsey, who, not unsurprisingly, wouldn't let them immediately return to MXK – 570 after they'd come through the gate without Kate. No, instead their illustrious leader was sending first a MALP and then an extraction team through to the planet to check things out before he decided whether or not to send in Atlantis One and Two, despite the strident complaints of both the commanding military officer and XO of Atlantis.

Across the table, John groaned and put his head down on the table while Jennifer attempted to sooth him by rubbing his back. Lorne glared at Rodney.

"Now's not really the time for this conversation, McKay," the major berated him.

Rodney snorted. "Humph, I think it's the perfect time really. I mean, you only ever think of these things after the fact and right now it'd be really good to know if she was still alive or-"

"MCKAY!" John shouted, lifting his head from the table and shooting the babbling scientist a glare that would have made Todd proud. "Shut up!"

With a few undistinguishable mumbles none of which anyone at the table could understand, Rodney fell silent. Without him to totally desensitize the situation and make everyone feel that much worse, Teyla turned to John who was now busy scrubbing his hands over his tired looking face.

"You mustn't worry, John," she said gently. "Kate is a survivor, she'll be alright."

John groaned.

Ronon looked at him in pity. "Yeah, we'll find her."

The constant reassurances were starting to sink in and John sighed. "Yeah, I know," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "I just wish Woolsey would hurry the fuck up and let us _do_ something. It's the sitting here and doing nothing that's killing me."

"I'm sure Captain Mathews' team will finish up soon," Jennifer commented, sending her husband a chastising glance that prevented the man from rejoining the conversation.

"Then we just need to wait -"

"Colonel Sheppard."

For someone that looked so tired, John was on his feet faster than any of them had seen him move in his entire life. Turning towards Atlantis' director as he approached them, John's eyes focused on Woolsey with a piercing intensity. "Woolsey," John greeted, a touch of anxiousness that couldn't be concealed behind military training that had taught to always keep your personal feelings out of the job creeping into his voice.

Woolsey stopped in front of their table and looked towards the only member of their group that was standing. "Captain Mathews' team has returned with some interesting findings that you might want to take a look at before you decide to go off guns blazing, Colonel."

John glared at the balding man. "What exactly did they find that was interesting?" he asked, noticing out of the corner of his eye that his team and all other assembled persons were on the literal edges of their seats.

Woolsey sighed, removed his glasses and proceeded to clean them, an action that he was sure irritated the Colonel to no end. Replacing them on the bridge of his nose, he turned back to the military leader of Atlantis. "What exactly do you remember about the creatures you said were chasing you?"

John shrugged. "Not much. We'd just finished an initial sweep of the area around the gate – couldn't have been more than a mile from it – when the things just came out of nowhere."

Woolsey nodded, folding his hands behind his back. "I see," he looked over the colonel. "Anything else?"

John resisted the urge to grab the man and sake some sense into him. "Forgive us if we didn't stop to take pictures," he sighed and, before Woolsey could interrupt him, kept going. "I didn't get to see much. They were big, fast, and had a hell of a lot of very pointy looking teeth. That's all I really needed to see before giving the order to make a break back to the gate."

Woolsey took the information in in stride. "Don't get me wrong Colonel, I understand why you retreated so hastily, it's just that – having now seen these creatures – I believe some caution is warranted should we decide to proceed."

John sputtered. "Should we decide…She's my _sister_! Like hell I'm gonna just sit here and let those things eat her!"

Behind him, and still seated, Lorne seemed to mirror his commanding officer's obvious disdain for the way things were going thus far. It had taken Major Lorne maybe ten minutes after meeting the man for the first time to build up a strong dislike for him and another five to outright hate him. Besides being a stickler for protocol - protocol that had been dreamed up by a whole bunch of stuffy bureaucrats that had never in their lives been off world and had no idea how quickly things could go wrong and was therefore mostly useless - Richard Woolsey had a maddening habit of putting certain values on certain people. Anyone who wasn't from earth, who wasn't normal or who didn't agree with him or at least pretend to had a fairly low value; Teyla and Ronon had only managed to squeak by because they were so very useful and they'd been there before he'd gotten here so he couldn't get rid of them without pissing off nearly his entire military staff. Kate, like her brother, wasn't the least bit intimidated by the balding director and also wasn't afraid to let him know when she thought he was being a complete bastard. The fact that up until they had all found out that she was Sheppard's sister she'd been considered a human weapon made her value, in Woolsey's eyes, quite minimal.

Lorne wanted to shoot him, and glancing to his left, it looked like Ronon had the same idea. Even Teyla was glaring reproachfully at the man, her fists clenched.

The leader of Atlantis sighed deeply and sent Colonel Sheppard a plaintive look. "I seriously doubt, given the evidence, that Major Sheppard will end up a meal of some -"

"What evidence?" John interrupted him, his brow furrowed.

Woolsey looked at him. "While your team may have been unable to get a proper look at the creatures -"

"Well, excuse us if we were running for our lives!" Rodney inserted angrily, standing up and positioning himself next to Sheppard in a show of support. Woolsey, like always, was getting on his nerves.

Woolsey cleared his throat and continued as though Dr. McKay had not just interrupted him rudely. "Captain Mathews' team was able to surround and kill one of the creatures, thus allowing for a close examination by their team's xenotologist. It would appear as though it is a creature you have run across before."

Ronon frowned. "I don't remember them."

Woolsey eyed the former runner harshly, trying to determine the volatile man's mood. "Let me refresh your memory," he said after a slight pause. "You came across them while trying to discover the demise of a group of people that we had recently relocated. You described them in your report, Colonel, as uber-iratus bugs."

John's mouth dropped open and he scrunched his eyes up in contemplation before looking up at Woolsey in unabashed horror. "You mean those things that chased us were some more of Michael's hybrids? \"

"If the creatures that chased us are indeed those that we encountered before then would it not be permissible to assume that perhaps they were not chasing us by accident?" Teyla asked, looking around and then up at John. "Michael has sent them after us before, would it not be safe to assume that he might have done so again?"

John nodded and then frowned. "Yeah, possibly," he agreed,. "but why'd he take Kate? Why not me or you, especially you? No offense, Teyla, but it's you he's got the obsession with, not Kate."

Teyla offered John an apologetic look. "I do not know," she said remorsefully. "I admit that it is strange that he took her and not another of us."

"Wait," Lorne said, looking up at first Sheppard and then glancing over to Teyla, "last time we saw him, actually saw him, didn't he tell Kate that he'd like to see her again? Said she was different then he rest of us."

The encounter that Lorne was referring to flashed across his memory and John nodded slowly. "Yeah," he said. "That sounds familiar."

Teyla cast him a sidelong glance. "Did you also not accuse him of favoring Kate?" she asked, remembering the way that Michael had scrutinized her friend and realizing that perhaps John had not been too far off. The hybrid's interest in her went beyond simple interest in her latent wraith abilities and treaded dangerously into infatuation and obsession. It was not wrong to assume that since Michael had failed to achieve his ends with her he'd moved on to someone else. Kate was, Teyla knew, a particularly strong woman not only in body but in spirit and heart. It was not beyond her understanding of the monster that they had helped create to think that he had, after meeting her, developed a similar fixation on Kate that he had once had for her.

"Yeah you did," Lorne remembered that too. He sighed, "So what do you reckon ol' Michael wants with Kate?"

John shook his head. "I have no idea."

Woolsey eyed the Colonel before he spoke again. He wanted to reassure the man that they would find his sister, but his experiences in this galaxy had taught him that thing were rarely if ever that easy. "Then perhaps we should do some more research into the situation before we take any immediate action."

Ronon glared at him. "You mean wait," he grunted.

Woolsey turned towards the Setedan. "Having dealt with Michael before, I am fully aware of his capabilities and as such I know not to underestimate him. The fact is that we have no idea where Kate may be and the best thing to do right now is to comb through our resources in an attempt to find a lead before we go rushing off half cocked."

Reluctantly, John had to agree with the man. though that didn't mean he had to like it. "Fine," he said gravely, turning towards Woolsey and shooting the man a look that dared the figurehead leader of Atlantis to contradict him. "We'll do it your way, but," and he stressed the word 'but', "I'm not just gonna sit here while you send out the other teams to go look for her. Both Atlantis One and what's left of Two are gonna be in on this. Understand."

Woolsey gulped. "Perfectly," he managed, his adam's apple bobbing.

John stood down. "Good," he turned and looked at Lorne. "Get your team together, we're going Michael hunting."

Lorne nodded, and reached for his radio.

~xXx~

The sound of breathing called Kate back from the realm of the unconscious and, groaning softly, she opened her eyes and focused on the figure crouching over her. Her pupils widening, she sat up quickly and scrambled backwards looking wildly around her as she did so. She gulped as her back hit one of the cell's walls. The prison she was now in was not the same one she had initially woken up in, and there was a wraith locked up with her.

"You need not fear me, human."

Kate looked up and glared at the wraith who was still crouched over the place she had recently been lying. "Yeah," she bit out, "Says the lion to the lamb."

The wraith cocked his head to one side. "What is a lion?"

Kate answered automatically. "It's a large jungle…you know what, never mind," she broke off.

Head still cocked to one side, the wraith studied his newest cell mate. This female, unlike the ones previous, did not seem to be afraid of him. Suddenly waking up to his presence had startled her surely, but she was not panicking as his previous cell mates had. Instead, she seemed quite calm. He decided to comment on it. "You are not afraid of me?" he asked, curious.

Kate looked at him from across the moderate sized cell. "No."

He hissed deciding that her behavior was most peculiar for a human, particularly a female, who experience had taught him, were more prone to fear then males. "You should be."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why?" she demanded already able to see that this wraith had a rather high opinion of himself. Todd was arrogant because he was old and because he'd pretty much seen and done everything; this wraith was just arrogant.

"Have you never seen my kind before?" he asked, wondering if she didn't fear him because she saw no reason to. It was rare but perhaps her planet had not been culled in many cycles and so she did not have any need to fear him. "Do you not know what I am? What I must do in order to survive?"

Kate snorted her opinion of this one dropping even more. "You're a wraith and obviously I've seen one or two of you before," she shrugged, glancing over him. He looked a little on the gaunt side as if he hadn't been feeding well or regularly which, when you considered who their captor was, was probably not far off. "You don't look particularly scary."

The wraith chuckled. "I am not at my best."

"Obviously," she looked him over once more. He was shorter and leaner than Todd. His hair wasn't tied back from his face but it was straight, not as wild as Todd's, and actually looked to be quite smooth. Kate got the impression that in the wraith world this one was probably well off, a hive commander maybe or a second in command, not somebody who you'd want to mess with if you were an average wraith.

The wraith watched her as she studied him and he wondered, quite honestly, what she thought of him. It was not in the nature of wraith to want to know or care what humans thought of them, but so far he had found this particular female to be unique..

"What do you see?" he asked, leveling his eyes onto hers and waiting for her reply.

Kate contemplated what to say lest she make a comment that revealed just how much she knew about the wraith by accident. Todd had told her, once, that the knowledge she possessed of his kind was enough to have her life terminated. _"The wraith do not like to have their food, those that they consider beneath them, to be so well informed,"_ he'd told her. _"Be careful, Katherine, that you do not revel to others that which I have bequeathed to you unless you see it in your benefit to do so."_ It was advice that she was more than willing to abide by and so she settled on stating the obvious instead.

"You're a commander," she said evenly, no trace of her true opinion of him in her voice.

"You are familiar with the ranking of wraith?" he asked, cocking his head to one side and studying her farther. Unlike his previous cellmates she was engaging and he found that speaking with her was not so trying as his past conversations - which usually consisted of a great deal of screaming and begging on the part of the females and an almost constant stream of 'I shall not harm you' on his.

Kate nodded absentmindedly, honestly more interested in figuring out as much as she could about where she was than she was in providing entertainment for a bored wraith who didn't have anyone else to talk to. "Fairly," she commented after she'd managed to piece together that she was still in the same system of tunnels that she'd first woken up in only farther underground.

The wraith watched her. "What are you doing?" he asked after he watched her eyes dart about for what had to be the fifth time.

Kate ignored him and crawled over to the bars of their cell, peering out about the cell block that reminded her a great deal of the one Ford had had before he'd been cured of his addiction to the enzyme and sent back to Earth. A sharp hiss behind her recalled her attention to the wraith.

"I asked you a question, human," the wraith said darkly, upset that his ability to intimidate seemed lost on this one. It did not suit well for a human to be so disrespectful of a wraith and while he could overlook the fact that she was not afraid of him, he could not let slide so obvious a slight to his superiority.

Kate turned around and glared at him. "Yes, I heard you," she snapped at him, pleased that his slender yet strangely beautiful face suddenly looked like it'd been slapped. "Just because you ask me something doesn't mean that I'm obligated to answer."

The wraith, after re-schooling his face to mask his surprise, sneered. "I am wraith, you are human, you will answer me when I ask questions of you."

The comment made Kate laugh and slide back to her original position opposite the wraith where she leaned back and looked right at him. "Yep," she said with a smirk that was part leer, "You're definitely a commander."

The wraith frowned. "What assurance of my rank have you drawn from your lack of propriety?"

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Well, for starters, most of the commanders I've met are arrogant sons of bitches, and I say that you fall right into that category," she gazed at him reproachfully. "You're used to getting your way and you obviously think that all humans are beneath you, two other indicators that you're probably pretty high on the chain of command."

For several long moments the wraith stared at her honestly pondering over how, exactly, he could handle this. The way she spoke to him allowed him the knowledge that she was not afraid of him in any sense of the word. In fact, the wraith rather felt like he'd just been chastised and the thought did not sit well with him. In no world should a human think so ill of a wraith. If she did not fear him then she should at least offer him respect in concession, but she did not. She offered him only open disdain.

He decided that he would wrest the respect that was owed him from her. "I am Hive Commander," he proclaimed, his eyes narrowed darkly. "Your estimation of my rank is accurate."

Kate snorted. "Thought so," she said and, when the wraith looked oddly at her she elaborated. "I knew you either had to be a hive commander or a second."

The wraith considered this. "And what made you so positive?"

Kate looked at him. "Like I said, you're arrogant."

The wraith sniffed and then let out a low rumble of a growl. "I am not arrogant."

Heedful of Todd's warning, Kate was also tired of fighting a losing argument and so she decided that letting go of just a little of her general knowledge of the wraith probably wouldn't get her killed; that and she doubted the wraith even had the energy to attack her. "You are too," she countered which surprised him, she tell by the look on his face. "You think humans owe you - if not with fear than with respect. Sorry, buddy, but respect is something you earn either by actions or with age, and I'll bet anything you're fairly young."

Her attitude disarmed him and the wraith didn't honestly know who to react to her. The only conclusion he felt confident in drawing from her statement was that this female obviously had a greater understanding of wraith then he'd thought if she was able to guess his age based solely on a few verbal exchanges. Of course, his pride would not allow him to voice this and he hotly retorted, "I am older then you."

Kate snickered, amused at his teenage like behavior. "Oh I don't doubt that you're probably several hundred times my age but you and I both know that that's not what I meant," she fixed him with a look she used on Todd whenever she wanted him to shut up. "You're young by wraith standards."

He snarled. "Who are you to make such assumptions?" he demanded, angry that in just a few short minutes this female had managed to unnerve him so completely.

She shrugged. "Sorry," she offered flippantly. "I guess I'm just used to dealing with elders."

In one swiftly delivered and only half hearted apology, the female managed to render the wraith completely speechless. His reptilian eyes widened considerable as his mind worked quickly to fully understand what she had just said and when it did he could only stare at her. "You are familiar with the elders?" he asked eventually, his mind traveling quickly to his years as a youngling before his first feeding. At the time of his birth the commander of his hive had been the wraith known to all others as the Eldest. Having such a wraith as that responsible for his rearing - or at least a large portion of it - had been trying and very difficult, the end result being that by the time he'd reached young adulthood a deep sense of fear, respect and awe for the few elders that still lived had been instilled within him. That a human would know of or have had any prolonged interaction with wraith of the same caliber as the Eldest was baffling and more than a little upsetting.

Kate nodded. "I've met one or two," she looked up at him. "In fact I was companion to one for two days before he let me go."

The young wraith swallowed hard at this information knowing immediately which wraith she was referring to. Caavin was the eldest son and first born of the Eldest himself; almost as feared and respected as his sire. The much older commander was less reserved then his sire and so had taken to the young wraith as a friend and equal with more ease then any of the other elders. When Caavin had come to him to rail about having to release the companion that he'd won from Emmagan, the young wraith had listened to the elder's description of her with interest, as by all accounts she was a great loss.

He also remembered that the reason that Caavin had had to relinquish his ownership of her was that she was not a human born of this galaxy, but rather an Atlantian hailing from Earth. Looking out across the cell at the woman that had done nothing to show fear of him and had instead spoken to him so brusquely, his eyes locked onto hers and he felt himself draw in a sharp breath. Storm grey eyes stared back at him from the face of Caavin's former companion: Katherine of Atlantis.

Before he could comment on the identity of his newest cellmate however, the creaking sound of the cellblock door and the heavy footfall that was growing louder by the second heralded the encroaching arrival of their captor. As one the both of them tore their gazes from each other and looked towards the bars of their cell, waiting to be graced with the presence of he who had imprisoned them both.

Michael came into view quickly, coming swiftly out of the darkness like some great evil spirit, a description that Kate didn't think was too far off the mark. He stopped just before the bars of their cell, his hands clasped behind his back and his eyes, within which a more human then wraith pupil resided, quickly traveling first over the wraith and then her. A smug smirk settled onto his features.

"Katherine," the hybrid's voice practically purred, a darkly sinister tone to his still wraith-like multi-toned voice. His eyes flickered towards the wraith before returning to the steel grey glare of the woman that he had captured. "I see you two have met."

Kate growled and stood, angrily taking several steps towards the leering science experiment gone wrong and stopping just in front of him on her side of the bars. "Michael!"

Her reaction only made the smirk on the hybrid's lips grow. "Your anger is impressive," he taunted her, stepping still closer to the bars until he was perhaps inches from them. "That is good; you will need it to fuel you."

Kate's lip curled and she crossed her arms. "And what, exactly, will I need fuel for?" she demanded scathingly.

Michael's smirk was replaced by a slight grin, barely noticeable on his many times transformed face. "You are going to help me."

Kate snorted. "Not a chance in hell."

Her defiance reminded him of Teyla the only difference being that hers was more powerful, rawer and less refined. Teyla's anger simmered just below the surface and spiked only rarely before subsiding, Katherine's was more like the wrath of a wraith queen then any human's. Michael had spent a good amount of time studying the woman that now stood before him since that day when she had offered her life as proof of her brother's word, and he had learned that her passions, the fire that was her spirit, would far suit his purposes better than any other's would including Teyla's. The sister of colonel Sheppard may be human but she had the spirit of a wraith and that quality above all others made her excessively valuable to him.

"Oh, you will," he assured her patronizingly. "It might, perhaps, take some time, but in the end you will conform to my wishes."

Kate lunged at him, hitting the bars of the cell forcefully and causing them to shake but not bend or warp as she'd thought they would. Hissing furiously, she backed away and only then did she feel the tenderness beginning to spread through her. Grunting in pain she backed away from Michael and gently pressed her hand to her chest where she'd made contact with the iron bars. She winces as she felt the bruise that was forming there and, horrified, she looked up; locking her eyes to Michael's in an accusatory glare.

"What did you do to me?" she asked, afraid for the first time since having woken up in her previous cell.

Michael regarded her. "You did not honestly believe that I was unaware of your…special abilities did you?" he gloated, leering at her through cold eyes that had long been bereft of any warmth.

Kate's breathing became labored as her body battled the effects of rushing a set of iron bars at full speed and colliding with them. The adrenaline that had fueled her outburst and prevented her form immediately feeling the aftershocks of her attack leached from her veins as a feeling of helplessness took its place. "What did you do to me?" she asked again only this time she could not help the note of fear that found its way into her voice.

Her terror alighted Michael and brought him great pleasure. "I have watched you," he informed her, watching as her face drained itself of all color and became pallid with despair. "I know that your genetics have been altered, enhanced, so that you are more capable then any normal human." He focused in on her, stepping up his taunting of her. "I even hear you won a fight against a hive commander."

Kate grimaced in pain, her chest hurt from where she'd struck the bars and already she could feel herself bruising, the contusions spreading down from her shoulders to run along the entire length of her torso. Forcefully and with great difficulty she focused her mind away from the pain and onto what Michael had accused her of, glad that whatever source was supplying Michael with his information was obviously not entirely reliable. He'd said hive commander rather than naming Todd, which meant that the hybrid had no idea which hive commander she'd battled with or the setting in which such a battle had take place. Todd's anonymousness as to having a connection to the humans of Atlantis was safe and in the wake of that reassurance, Kate decided to find out just how much Michael knew about that particular instance.

"Where'd you hear that?" she asked him, gritting her teeth against the aches that were currently wracking her body.

The hybrid smiled. "I have my resources," he informed her. "Not all worshipers are only loyal to the wraith."

So he had spies among wraith worshipers, Kate would have to remember that so she could tell Todd after she'd been rescued: there was no doubt in her mind that her brother and most likely Lorne would be coming for her. "Good to know," she ground out as some of the pain began to fade. She locked eyes with him. "Now what'd you do to me?"

Michael held her gaze. "I took the liberty of developing a serum that would suppress your extra…abilities for a time. Not long, but in your weakened state you will find it hard to resist when it comes time to administer it to you once again."

Kate glared at him, truly hating him more than any other person in her entire life at that one moment. "Bully for you," she spit at him, finally succumbing to the toll on her body and sinking to the floor to sit while leaning against the wall for support.

"Yes," Michael agreed looking her over, dropping his eyes to remain fixed on hers. "Now, perhaps you would like to know what else I have done to you?"

Kate's face, if possible, went even paler. "What do you mean 'what else'?" she asked wearily; afraid.

He stepped closer to the bars, encircling one with his former feeding hand. "You are aware that my research and development into the production of my hybrids has been stale of late?"

Kate nodded, having no idea where he was going with this. "Yeah," she affirmed. "We've run into one or two of your labs in the last couple of months, met some of your not so wonderful experiments," she looked up at him, her eyes growing dark as she remembered the wreck of a woman's body that she, Lorne and Todd had encountered on her first mission alone with Atlantis' wraith ally. "Why?"

"I have recently come by another method of producing my creations," he intoned, obliging her with an explanation. "No doubt you've seen the first attempts at it, however, I have refined it somewhat."

Now Kate was curious. "Oh really? How?"

"You have been injected with a significant portion of wraith genetic material along with a compound of my own composition designed to make certain that your own DNA does not reject the…modifications," he informed her.

Kate frowned, not at all liking where this conversation was going. "Why?"

"To make your body more compatible and to ensuring that it will not reject the embryo during conception," Michael answered coolly and then waited for comprehension to dawn on the female.

"Reject the…" The blood in her veins ran cold as she put two and two together and got a very disturbing four. She glanced towards the wraith who was now refusing to look at her before she looked back up at Michael. "Not a chance in hell," she promised him.

Michael made no reactions to her declaration other than to continue smirking. "You will eventually do as I wish."

Kate growled, her anger at what the hybrid expected her to do temporality masking the pain she was in. "Fuck, I will," she ground out. "No power this galaxy or any of the other two I've been in will get me to sleep with…" her head jerked towards the wraith who so far hadn't said a word since Michael had come into the cell block, "…him!"

The hybrid chuckled. "Your defiance will only last so long," he informed her. "You will eventually break down."

"I don't think so," she countered. "You see I'm a stubborn bitch when I want to be; I'll outlast you."

Michael's grin faded under the weight of the pure viciousness in her eyes; her conviction was noteworthy. "You will find I have ways of persuasion," he threatened, wondering which of his tools he'd have to use in order to make her comply.

Kate smiled. "You can try," she offered sweetly.

"We shall see," he retorted, giving her one more fleeting glance before turning on his heel and disappearing into the darkness, leaving her to contemplate her fate.

Kate snarled as soon as he was gone, leaning her head back against the brick wall and letting out a long sigh. Readjusting her position so that her back was straight and pressed firmly into the wall, she grimaced at the twinge her injured front made as she moved.

"You are in pain?"

Kate looked up, having almost forgotten that the wraith was there as she'd yelled defiantly at Michael. "Yeah," she acknowledged, hissing once before settling into her new position. "Normally I can take a hell of a lot more, but the bastard took away my strength."

The wraith nodded. "Yes, I heard," he looked over her. "You are normally strong for a human?"

"Hmmm," she inclined her head just barely, trying not to move anymore then she had to. "My government made me into a human weapon; their very own personal super soldier."

The wraith looked at her, noting her anguish and marveled that even when weakened she still had the strength of will to try to mask her pain. "You are strong," he told her, gazing intently at her face and remembering what Caavin had told him about her. "You know of the wraith."

Kate dropped her gaze to his. "That depends," she told him flatly.

He grinned, finding it laudable that she would be so protective of whatever secrets she'd been granted of the history of the wraith. "I know the commander who had you as his companion." He watched for her reaction and saw that she gave none, another sign that she was as strong of will as Caavin had told him she was. "And I know why he let you go."

"Do you?" she asked, lifting her gaze from his and closing her eyes. "Fine," she said after a moment's pause, "What is it you think you know?"

"I know that you were not born among these stars and that you reside in the city of the Lanteans," he tilted his head to one side, lifting one leg and resting his arm on his knee as he continued to look at her. "I also know that you are sister to Colonel Sheppard and that those of my kind that know of you know you as Katherine of Atlantis."

Kate popped one eye open and fixed him with it. "You're well informed."

The wraith inclined his head. "I am," he said matter-of-factly. "Your former master and I are a part of the same alliance.'

That made Kate open both her eyes and openly absorb the wraith in front of her. If he was a part of Todd's alliance then it stood to reason that he knew of the Eldest's relationship with the humans of Atlantis and apparently the wraith figured out the same thing.

"When you called me arrogant," he began slowly, "To whom were you comparing me?"

Kate sighed. "Todd."

The wraith raised an eye ridge. "Todd?" he asked, curious. "I am unfamiliar with whom that is."

Kate sighed again and decided to humor him with an explanation. "My brother likes naming things; Todd is the name he gave to the wraith that we work with."

"Ah, the Eldest," the wraith was amused. "Does he answer to that name?"

Kate nodded. "He does. It's a hell of a lot better than calling him 'wraith' or yelling out 'hey you'."

Her description made the young wraith smirk and he tried to picture the stoic Eldest answering or allowing himself to be called 'Todd'. He didn't know what the Eldest's true name was, no wraith did, but he was sure that it was something a great deal more ominous sounding then the pseudonym the human John Sheppard had decided to brand him with.

He dropped his eyes back to the female. "Has your pain lessened?"

Kate smiled slightly. "Worried?" she asked.

The wraith regarded her. "Believe it or not, Katherine, I wish you no harm."

That made Kate snort. "Yeah," she said disbelievingly.

"I will not force you," the wraith promised her just as he'd promised the same thing to each and every female that had come before her. Perhaps she would believe him.

Kate sighed and seriously looked at the wraith that the bastard Michael expected her to have sex with. "Promise?" she asked him, wanting to believe him beyond all reason.

He nodded. "I do," he vowed to her, looking over her as she tilted her head back against the wall and once more closed her eyes. "Do you believe me?"

Kate nodded minutely. "Yes."

Her reply brought a sense of gladness to the wraith that welled up inside of him suddenly. Caavin had told him that he had almost considered defying his sire and keeping her and now the young wraith could well understand why. Caavin had grown to care for her even though his time spent with her was short, and there was no doubt in the younger wraith's mind that his fate would be the same.

~xXx~

"We could call Todd."

Rodney groaned, sighing dramatically. "Well, it's nice to know we've hit rock bottom."

John glared at him. "Rodney!"

The Canadian physicist frowned. "What?" he asked, not sure why nobody else could see the irony of the situation. "Ah come on, you know it's gotta be bad when the runner is suggesting we call the wraith."

Nobody had an answer for him but Lorne, who was sitting across the table from the scientist thought that McKay had a point; things were defiantly bad when it was Ronon that suggested they call and ask Todd for help.

"Besides, "Rodney continued after nobody answered him. "It's not like he'd be of much help." The Canadian speared a forkful of tuna surprise and went on. "He doesn't even like us. He only ever helps us when we give him something for his trouble."

"He likes Kate," Ronon said tonelessly and then flinched when Teyla gave him a look. "What?"

John stopped eating and looked between both the large man sitting next to him and Teyla, who turned towards him to offer up an explanation.

"It is true that Todd does seem to behave more amicably towards Kate then he does to the rest of us, but I hardly think that that will be enough to persuade him to offer us assistance." She nodded towards Rodney. "Rodney is right, he would ask for something in return."

"And since it's us asking him for a favor, whatever he'd ask for would be something big," John added sadly. "Unfortunately for us, Woolsey would probably say no to whatever it was, so it's pointless to even ask at all."

Ronon mumbled something that was inaudible and then went back to eating his food.

Everyone else followed suit. It had become a ritual for the members of Atlantis One and Two to congregate in the mess hall after returning from whichever planet they'd gone to in search of Kate; Jennifer would join them if it was after hours or she was off duty. It'd been a week now and they hadn't found anything even remotely useful, and the seemingly endless flow of dead ends was exacting a heavy toll on their nerves and their spirits. They were running out of options and at this point in time they'd just about try anything, which was why Lorne wasn't quite ready to let Ronon's suggestion go.

"He might not," Lorne explored, noting that he'd suddenly become the center of attention and therefore had to defend his idea. "Ronon has a point, Todd does like Kate better than anyone else. I'd even call them friends." He looked around the table and, noting the looks of disbelief from everyone except Ronan, he added, "The worst he could say is no."

When nobody answered him - although Ronon was giving him an awfully piercing look - Lorne stood up. "I'll call him myself," he said hotly and looked down at the former runner. "You wanna come with?"

Ronon stood up. "Yeah."

John stared at them both, disbelief written clear across his face as he looked between the two of them. "Do you two seriously think Todd'll even answer?" he asked, baffled as to why his second in command and Ronon of all people would be so insistent and so sure that the wraith would help them.

Ronon looked Sheppard dead in the eye. "He'll do it."

John threw up his hands. "Fine, go call Todd." He sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Twenty bucks says he says no."

Rodney looked up, shoving his food to one side of his mouth so that he could answer. "I'll take that bet."

Lorne looked down at his commanding officer and the egotistical scientist. "Don't be surprised when you end up owing me and Ronon twenty bucks," he smirked.

"Each," Ronon added.

John looked squarely at both of them. "Deal."

"Okay," Lorne clapped his hands together and turned towards the nearest transport, Ronon following him.

"He'll do it," Ronon reiterated as he and Lorne boarded the transport that would take them to the east pier where their 'Todd Phone' was located.

Lorne nodded as he and the Setedan stepped out of the transporter and turned left down the hall. "Yeah, I know," he acknowledged as they entered the room in which their subspace transmitter was located and the major switched it to on, quickly typing up a message and hitting the send button as soon as fast as humanly possible.

They didn't have to wait long before their screen beeped and Todd's visage pooped up in front of them, a clearly irritated expression on his face; apparently they'd interrupted him in the middle of something important. Lorne was just happy he answered at all.

"Major Lorne," the wraith greeted, a somewhat curious undertone appearing just beneath his scowl as though he was surprised at to what matter of importance would have bade Lorne to contact in instead of the colonel. "I trust you have a good reason for contacting me?"

Lorne nodded. "We need you to do us a favor."

The wraith looked annoyed. "Do you?" his eyes swiveled between Lorne and Ronon and then back again. "And just what sort of favor would you have me perform?"

Ronon stepped up to the screen. "We need you to tap your intel."

Todd glared at him. "To what end and for what purpose?"

Normally Ronon would have looked forwards to dropping a bit of unpleasant news on the unsuspecting wraith but not now. "Michael's got Kate."

The expression on Todd's face changed so quickly that Lorne couldn't help but feel somewhat triumphant despite the circumstance. "You allowed Katherine to be captured?" he asked, his voice one of accusation, and both Lorne and Ronon resented the assumption that they'd 'let' Kate get put into harm's way through any action or inaction of theirs.

"Hey, it's not like we held up a sign and told him to come get her," Lorne snapped at the alien, whose accusatory expression didn't change one iota. "He sent some of his hybrids after her and not the human kind. These things are more like iratus bug super-monsters."

Todd didn't look in the least bit sympathetic. "Still, it is due to your negligence, that such a situation occurred," he responded. "Katherine is far more skilled in the area of defense then you, I doubt that she would allow herself to be captured unless she was specifically the target."

Ronon growled. "She was the target.'

Todd gazed at him, concern replacing the restfulness that had previously transformed his features. "You are certain?"

Lorne nodded. "Well, like you said it's not as if Kate would just allow herself to get captured, so, yeah, we're pretty sure."

Ronon watched as the wraith's entire body suddenly tensed with worry, his face changing yet again into one of absolute soberness, his reptilian eyes turning to stone. "I will gather what information I can," he promised them.

Lorne sighed in relief. "Thank you," he said honestly and noted that his gratitude or at least the expression of it seemed to surprise the wraith. Assuming that this was the end to their conversation, Lorne moved to turn the transmitter off, only to have Todd stop him.

"I do require something in return, Major," Todd said and suddenly Lorne felt his stomach twisting into knots as he glanced towards Ronon, who looked unnerved. They'd been so sure that he'd do it freely, maybe he didn't care about Kate as much as they both thought he did.

"And what would that be?" Lorne asked, preparing himself for the worst.

Todd surprised him.

"I would have you contact me when you have safely returned Katherine to Atlantis."

Both Lorne and Ronon stared at the wraith in open mouthed shock intermixed with disbelief. "Sure," Lorne managed to mumble after about five seconds of nothingness and in response Todd nodded.

"I will forward to you all information of use," the wraith said, and then the transmission went dead leaving Lorne and Ronon both standing there, still in shock and the latter with his mouth still slightly agape.

"Wasn't expecting that," Ronon eventually said, turning the workstation off and turning to Lorne. "Think that counts as him asking for something?"

Lorne shook his head. "How about we not tell Sheppard about that last part," he suggested.

"Probably a bad idea," the Setedan agreed.

"Right," Lorne said, still in shock at how openly Todd had expressed concern for Kate's wellbeing. He wanted them to call him and tell him that she was alright. Eventually the shock wore off and the major turned to the runner. "Come on," he said, already heading back towards the mess, "Sheppard and McKay owe us twenty bucks."

Ronon smirked. "Each," he added and followed.

~xXx~

For the past eight days, Kate had managed to keep track of time by how many times Michael came to re-administer her inhibitor. Their hybrid captor had figured out fairly quickly that his wraith prisoner had made some sort of promise to her, and by the end of the third day, he'd started to threaten both of them, promising the wraith a human to feed on if he forced himself on her and completed the mating. After the wraith refused nourishment for the fifth time, Michael moved on to death threats and he seemed to be stuck on those for the time being.

"I don't want you to starve to death," Kate had told him the last time that the wraith had refused his chance to feed in order to keep his promise to her. "Dying of starvation can't be pleasant."

"It is not," the wraith had answered her, his voice raspy from lack of strength.

Kate had swallowed harshly. "Well, then…" she had began but the wraith had cut her off.

"I will not force you," he'd repeated for what had to be the hundredth time before he'd laid down and attempted to retain as much energy as he could by forcing himself to sleep.

Now, almost six days later Kate woke herself from a listless and unfulfilling sleep that she'd executed out of sheer boredom. Across the cell from her, the wraith did the same. "Michael'll be here soon," Kate said softly, her own voice scratchy due to lack of water.

The wraith nodded slowly. "Yessss."

Kate looked up at him. "I'm sorry," she told him honestly able to see how his promise to her was killing him.

The wraith gazed at her from behind dull eyes. "Do not be," his voice barely audible, the end was near.

The sounds of Michael's approach, as Kate had predicted, cut off all former conversation between them. Looking up, Kate was the only one to greet their captor's gaze dead on as he appeared in front of them.

"Why, hello," Kate greeted him mockingly, plastering a false smile of pleasantness onto her face as she gazed up at him from the floor.

He looked disdainfully down on her. "You can dispense with your ridicule, it has grown tiresome."

Kate just kept smiling. "If you say so."

Michael sneered and waved his hand, summoning the two failed hybrids forwards; they were still good for something, and as they moved into view he was pleased to see that he now had both Katherine's and the wraith's attentions. He smirked ever so slightly as he unlocked the cell door and mentally instructed his hybrids to deposit their burdens inside before he waved them out again and locked the door.

"For you both," he said, turning his gaze towards the more cantankerous of his two captives. She was glaring at him. "Something the matter?" he asked snidely.

Kate glared at him, dropping her eyes to study the basin of water and the sponge that Michael had had brought for her. She knew what it was for, he expected her to bathe, but she decided to be difficult. "What's the water for?"

Michael cursed her for being so bothersome. While her strength was exactly what he needed in order to make his experiments a success, it also provided him with a level of difficulty that he had not expected. Katherine was almost as much of a trouble to handle as a wraith queen. "For you to wash yourself with," he replied, refusing to allow her contemptuous false ignorance to goad him.

Kate frowned exaggeratingly. "What about my modesty?" she asked, pleased with herself when she saw Michael's nostrils flare in exasperation.

Off to the side, contemplating his own gift from their captor - an unconscious male human of roughly middle age - the wraith smirked. Katherine, to her credit, had not wavered in her continued aggravation of their captor, despite her pain at the torture the one she called Michael meted out to her because of it. Her defiance was noteworthy and to be quite honest with himself, the young wraith found that when his own strength began to fail him, hers kept him going.

Michael hissed angrily. "You will accept what I have given you or do without!"

Triumphantly, Kate shrugged. "I guess I'll make do then."

Michael let out a low, almost inaudible growl before he turned on his heel and left the cell block, muttering under his breath in his own native language as he went.

Kate chuckled in spite of herself and crawled over to the washbasin, sitting crossed-legged in front of it. Aware that she was being watched, Kate reached for the greenish-blue sponge that had been left to her and dipped it into the water, wringing it out and then applying it to the back of her neck.

"You know," she spoke after she'd dipped the sponge back into the water several times, having moved from washing her neck to wiping down her shoulders and arms after she'd unzipped her suit and pushed the material down to her waist, "It's rude to stare."

The wraith blinked. "What would you have me do?" he asked her, not bothering to divert his eyes. If she were truly embarrassed, she would not be behaving so casually, he'd learned that much from her in the first day.

She glanced at him. "Oh, I don't know," she answered flippantly, offering him a shrug with one of her shoulders while she rubbed the sponge over the other one. "You could always look away."

The wraith snorted. "And why would I do that?" he queried, cocking his head to one side. "You are a desirable female, why should I not take what small measure of pleasure is available to me?"

Kate sighed. "I suppose when you put it that way…" she glanced towards him, flicking her eyes down towards the unconscious man laying not two feet away from her. "Are you going to feed?"

The wraith nodded. "I shall, when he wakes," he looked at her. "Does that bother you?"

Kate shook her head. "Not at all," she went back to her washing, standing up so that she could step out of her suit before crouching back down by the basin and starting on her legs noting the discoloration on her thighs and across her abdomen from Michael's attempts at persuasion. "Just curious."

The wraith regarded her, pondering over her disinterest in his future feeding. Most humans would be disturbed by it, even the worshipers that tended to him and his brethren were never completely okay with watching or being near a wraith while they fed. Caavin had said that Katherine had a certain apathy for wraith when it came to the source of their nourishment but he had not, until now, believed him and it intrigued him.

Her body intrigued him as well.

Katherine was every bit the warrior that Caavin had described her to be, and his friend had described her very, very accurately. Not a single portion of her was anatomy was soft or supple, instead every inch of her skin was pulled taut over tight, compacted muscles that betrayed to him her many years of physical exertion and struggle. He cocked his head to one side, able to only barely make out several very faint scars that accented her body. He decided that actually seeing Katherine was far better than the descriptions that Caavin had given him.

"Something wrong?"

The wraith looked up, the woman's voice having broken him from his thoughts and he shook his head. "No," he replied, repeating his earlier comment. "You are a desirable female."

Kate snorted. "You know, funnily enough you're not the first wraith to say that to me."

He looked at her. "Your former master?" he asked.

Kate shook her head. "He expressed the idea that I was desirable to him, but he didn't actually say the words 'you are desirable.'"

The wraith frowned. "Then who?"

Kate gently ran the sponge over her injured thighs. "Todd."

The young wraith very nearly choked on his own tongue. "What?" he yelped, completely and wholeheartedly shocked. The Eldest did not find any desirability in human females and had in fact condemned him over his indulgence in the female worshipers on their hive more often than once during the course of his youth. That he'd make or find exception with anyone was baffling.

Kate stopped washing and looked up at the clearly surprised wraith. "Yeah," she said slowly before she went back to her scrubbing. "Honestly, I think he said it more to get a rise out of my brother then because he was being honest."

The wraith doubted that, as the Eldest very rarely if ever lied. If he didn't want someone to know something then he simply didn't answer or omitted those segments of truth that he wished to conceal. If the Eldest had told Katherine that he found her to be desirable, then the young wraith knew very well that he'd meant it. The thought was mildly disturbing, mostly due to the realization that apparently he and the Eldest agreed on something. Revere him the young wraith might, like him he did not.

Kate finished her sponge bath and zipped herself back into her suit just in time to note the first signs of movement from the human that had been brought for her cellmate to feed on; apparently Michael had decided that starving him to death wouldn't be productive to his overall scheme. She glanced over the wraith who was currently occupied in staring off into space. "Your food is waking up."

Her voice snapped him out of his contemplations and he looked down. Yes, his future meal was beginning to stir and, in light of this, the wraith moved forwards coming closer to the male, his hand already itching in anticipation.

Slowly the man came to, sat up and looked around wildly. His eyes landed first on Kate who gazed back at him with her face a cold mask of indifference.

"W-where am I?" the man stuttered, looking curiously at the woman sitting in front of him, her body half hidden in shadow.

Kate held his troubled and confused gaze. "Somewhere that you don't want to be."

The man frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Please tell me what is happening."

Kate sighed. "You are about to be made into a meal," she explained coldly, nodding behind the man at the crouching wraith; poised to strike. "Turn around."

The man did as she instructed, saw the predator staring at him with dark golden eyes and screamed; scrambling backwards away from the white haired monster and turning to the woman in desperation. "Help me!" he begged her, knowing that if she was from Atlantis then she was no friend to the wraith.

Kate shook her head. "I can't do that," she told him, her eyes set as though they were stone.

The wraith advanced and again the human appealed to Katherine to save him. "Please!"

Kate dropped her eyes and looked away from the man. "I'm sorry," she whispered gently but still without emotion.

The man whimpered as the predator closed in on him, preventing him from escape and lowering his cold hand to his own exposed chest. His eyes in acceptance before he felt the wraith's skin touch his and then all his world faded to black.

Pleasure assaulted the wraith's senses as the male's energy flooded into him, filling him and providing him with much longed for nourishment. He hissed, growling as he fed, savoring the taste and the strength that was being given to him. He pulled away when the task was done and stepped back, allowing the dried out husk of the human to fall away and break apart as it hit the floor before he turned to scry out Katherine.

"You are in pain," he noted, his body feeling rejuvenated, his strength and virility having been returned to him.

Kate looked up. "I'll live,"

The wraith nodded and sat back down on his side of the cell, gazing across the floor towards Katherine. "I could spare a little to ease your discomfort," he offered already knowing that she would refuse him.

"Save your energy," she told him, "you don't know when Michael will decide it's in his best interest to feed you again."

Her reply was as he'd expect and so the wraith let the matter rest, the both of them falling to companionable silence.

~xXx~

"Define excessive."

John looked up at Woolsey from over the top of a huge stack of data reports and growled because not only had he had to shell out twenty bucks to both Ronon and Lorne, but they had received Todd's reply only about forty-five minutes after his second had placed the call, and the information file was so large that Rodney had had to resort to printing out over half of it so that it didn't eat up so much memory that the entire science depart swore up, down and sideways was being used for more important things than trying to locate Kate. Personally, at the moment, John didn't think there was anything more important than finding his sister, but apparently, as Rodney was only too happy to tell him, he was being biased.

"Yes, isn't it just wonderful?" Rodney said sarcastically in reply to Woolsey's question. The irritated scientist was pacing around the briefing room while trying to read three different reports all at once and was clearly not at all happy with the quantity of information that Todd the wraith had so graciously given to them. He growled, "How is any of this even useful?"

Lorne, like everyone else that had been assembled hastily to help go through the literal bucket loads of information they'd gotten, was rather shocked at just how much stuff Todd had sent them. Unlike Rodney, however, the major was more amused than irritated. "This is Michael we're talking about," he reminded Rodney, "the smallest detail could be the key to the whole thing."

Rodney sighed dramatically. "Well, did he have to send us so much useless stuff? Couldn't he have gone through it all first and only sent us the relevant material?"

"We're lucky he sent us anything at all," John commented. "I still can't believe he just gave us all of this for free."

From opposite sides of the room, Lorne and Ronon looked up and locked eyes for one brief second before going back to the various bits of intelligence they'd previously been reading.

Woolsey looked around the room. The entirety of the twelve foot long briefing table was visibly sagging under the weight of the piles and piles of data that their wraith ally had forwarded to them. In the corner of the room a makeshift computer hub had been erected hastily to digitally scan through the half of Todd's file that had not been printed out and all of Atlantis One, Atlantis Two, Jennifer, two of her nurses, Zelenka and three unhappy looking marines were arranged haphazardly about the room sifting through all of the information that had been sent to them.

"Have we found anything useful?" Woolsey asked, daring to take several more steps into the room in order to peer over the shoulder of one marine. He frowned, "These pages are in English."

John nodded. "Yeah, about that," he looked up. "Apparently Todd knows the language," he gestured around. "The whole file he sent us was in English to start with."

Atlantis' director frowned. "How odd."

John nodded, "Yeah."

Cadman, who was currently bent nearly double over a set of reports detailing missing persons reports that coincided with the MO's of Michael's experiments, agreed - for once - with Woolsey. "I wonder where he learned it?" she questioned out loud.

John shrugged. "No idea," he replied, squinting down at the page he was reading, "but his grammar's better than mine."

"Mine, too," Lorne muttered.

Rodney sighed and threw the papers he was reading down angrily on the table, irritated that despite everything that the wraith had managed to learn their native language without alerting anybody. It meant that keeping secrets from him was going to get even harder than it already was. "Honestly, where'd he learn? It's not like any of us have been giving him lessens and I seriously doubt, considering that all of the computers in this city are still in Ancient, that he'd have figured it out on his own."

Buried under several stacks of papers, Jennifer called out a muffled, "Kate taught him."

Her husband snorted. "Why would she do that?"

The doctor peered around the largest of the stacks that hid her from view and fixed her spouse with a look. "Kate gave him a world history book when he was here over Christmas. Since he's always telling her odd bits of wraith history, she thought it might be appropriate to return the favor, so she gave him the book along with a copy of our alphabet with the corresponding letters in that version of ancient wraith that he taught her."

Rodney's head snapped around and he eyed his wife speculatively. "What ancient version of wraith?" he asked, irked that apparently nobody had told him that there was another version of the wraith's language. He should have been the first person they'd told if they'd found one. It was his job to know these things.

Lorne sighed, bored with this very old news but not at all surprised that Rodney hadn't heard this story yet. "Todd gave Kate one of his handwritten command logs about five months back along with a translation page matching the old version of wraith script to their correlating Ancient letters. She read through the whole thing and then Todd gave her another one. I think she's gone through four of them so far."

John stopped reading. This was new to him, too. "And just when were you planning on telling me this major?" the slightly irritated colonel asked his second in command. "And just what could possibly be so interesting about command logs?" he added as an afterthought, frowning.

Lorne looked innocently up at Sheppard. "I thought I told you?" he feigned, mentally cursing himself for not remembering that this was one of those things that had he never planned to tell his commanding officer.

Woolsey seemed keen on this subject too. "You're telling me that Major Sheppard has been regularly reading through the command logs of probably the single most power wraith in the entire galaxy?" He glared at the major. "Why wasn't I told?"

Lorne held the bespectacled man's angry gaze with one of his own. "Because if Todd had wanted you to know about it, he'd have given them to you to read." He turned towards the colonel. "And for your information, thanks to those command logs, Kate now has a better understanding of wraith technology and how it works than the entire science department put together. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

Woolsey opened his mouth.

"Hey, guys," Cadman interrupted them, calling a halt to the conversation as all eyes turned to her, "I think I've got something."

John literally leapt out of his chair. "Really? Where?" he asked, coming to stand over her as his eyes scanned the page she'd been reading.

She pointed. "This report here talks about several local women who have gone missing, all young, childbearing age." She turned towards Sheppard. "What are the chances that Michael's trying to make more hybrids the old fashioned way?"

John shuddered at the thought. "But why'd he take Kate?"

Lorne spoke up. "Remember when we found that one lab with the dead woman inside?" The officers in the room who had been on that particular mission nodded, shivering at the memory. "What if he took Kate because he knows she'd stronger than those others? She'd have a better chance to survive the birth."

John groaned. "That was so not an image I needed thank you very much," he turned back to Cadman. "Got a gate address?"

She nodded. "Right here," she pointed to the page.

John stood. "Alright, Ronon, Lorne, Tyler you're with me, the rest of you keep looking, I want another option if this one's a dead end."

"We will not give up," Teyla promised, a general murmur of agreement sounding throughout the room.

John nodded once and then turned left the room, followed by the members of the extraction team he'd selected.

"I assume you have a gate address?" the director asked as John marched past him.

Lorne answered for him. "We do."

Woolsey sighed. "I don't have to tell you that if this doesn't work -"

"Then we'll just keep trying," John spoke over him not in the mood to play Woolsey's little games. "I'm not giving up on her."

Fifteen minutes later, the team was geared up at waiting in the gate room.

John looked up at the control room. "Chuck, dial the gate."

Richard Woolsey was forced to step back and watch as Sheppard and his team walked through the gate. They'd never even asked for authorization.

~xXx~

"How do you want to do this?" Lorne asked his commanding officer, looking around at the area around the gate and frowning.

John pressed his lips together and considered his options. "I don't wanna rush this," he said eventually. "The last thing we need is for Michael to get tipped off that we're here. He'll run and we'll lose our one chance at finding Kate."

"So, what do we do?" Ronon asked.

John turned to him, jerking his head towards the path that lead through the forest away from the gate. "Well, there are obviously some people around here, so I say we follow the path and see where it takes us.

"And if we find a village?" Teyla questioned. "What do we do then?"

John sighed. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." He started walking. "Come on, let's go."

As it turned out, a village was exactly what they found. About a mile away from the gate, the trees stopped and the ground opened up into a shallow valley beyond which were some pretty steep hills. As they neared, Ronon pointed out the dejected look that clung to the place, and a feeling of trepidation began to gnaw at Johns stomach the closer they got. As the approached the small collection of huts, that feeling of mild unease had only increased.

"Hi, folks," John greeted the contingent of villagers that had come to meet them. He tried to sound as non threatening as possible because, honestly, these guys looked like the slightest wind might blow them over.

The oldest of the three men that approached the strangers bowed. "Greetings," he said, his voice gravelly with age. "What brings you to our village?"

"Information," Ronon grunted.

The villagers looked confused. Again, the old man turned to Sheppard. "I do not understand."

John took a deep. "We have reason to believe that one of our people is being held captive somewhere on this planet, so any information you can give us would be appreciated."

Another one of the men, younger looking then the first one but still wizened, looked between the visitors. "And you believe that we are responsible for -"

"We do not," Teyla interrupted the man who turned his attention towards her. "We simply think that the one holding her is using your planet to hide upon."

John decided to cut to the point. "Have you had any people go missing recently?" he looked pointedly at the three men.

The one that had spoken before, the youngest looking of the three nodded. "Yes," he replied looking grieved. "For several moons now, every few weeks one of our girls will go missing."

"Both my granddaughters," the oldest man said, his voice a barely concealed wail. He looked wildly at the strangers. "They were taken, while out gathering mushrooms on the edge of the hills."

Cadman leaned towards Lorne. "Fits the profile, Sir."

Lorne nodded. "Yeah," he said softly. "I think we came to the right place."

"Has anyone gone missing recently?" John asked, zeroing in his attention on the oldest man.

He shook his head. "Not for several weeks. Do you know what had been taking our girls?" he asked desperately. "Is it the same thing that took your man?"

"Woman," John corrected automatically and then explained. "The person we believe is being held prisoner here is my sister."

All three men looked at John with pity. "We are sorry, then, for your loss," the youngest one said.

John swallowed and nodded, his tongue felt thick in his mouth.

Lorne took over the questioning. "Do you know if there are any caves in those hills?" the major asked, pointing off towards the far side of the village where the hills loomed.

The only man not to have spoken, a hunchback with graying hair, answered him. "No caves," he said, "but there are some abandoned mines."

Cadman frowned, seriously doubting that these people were capable of mining anything. "Belonging to who?" she inquired. "You?"

The oldest man shook his head. "No, we do not possess the knowledge to mine the earth." He looked around. "The mines belonged once to the Genii."

The mention of the Genii seemed to snap the colonel out of his daze and he turned back to the conversation. "And the Genii," he questioned, "they aren't here now are they?"

The young one shook his head. "No, they were gone long before I was ever born or my grandfather."

Lorne turned to Sheppard. "Abandoned Genii mines, the favorite hand out to every big and nasty in the Pegasus."

John nodded. " Well, thanks," he told them. "You've been most helpful."

He turned to go but one of them men, the one who'd lost his granddaughters stopped him. "If you find our girls you'll tell us?" he begged and John nodded.

"I promise."

The man nodded and backed away. John signaled them all to move out and then started off towards the hills.

"They were an informative bunch," Cadman remarked as they walked away, heading around the village's left side towards the mines.

Lorne nodded. "Yeah," he agreed, "wish all villagers we talked to were that helpful."

"We must count ourselves lucky that they were so willing to share information with us," Teyla said gently before lengthening her stride so that she could walk by John's side. "What now?"

John unconsciously quickened his pace. "Now, we check out those mines."

"And after that?" Lorne asked. "Are we just going to go barging in like we normally do?"

John shook his head. "Not this time," he informed them. "If the mines check out then I wanna do a complete sweep around the hills, make sure that Michael doesn't have another way out before we go in."

The entrance to the mines was exactly where the locals had said they would be and after John, Lorne and Ronon had done a sweep of the side of the hill on which the entrance was located, the colonel signaled for his team to come together. "Alright," he started, glancing backwards to the yawning mouth of the mine before looking around and settling his eyes briefly on each member of his team. "So we know where the mines are," he looked at Ronon. "I want you to take Teyla and go round the south side of the hill. Lorne, take Cadman and do the same around the west side."

Cadman looked over her commanding officer. "What are you gonna do Sir?"

John sighed and sat down on a rock. "I'm gonna sit right here and make sure the son of a bitch doesn't come out this way while you all are looking for escape routes."

"Sounds good," Ronon grunted before nodding to Teyla and starting off in the direction Sheppard had told him to go.

Teyla hesitated. She knew the position that John was in right now was one of difficulty. On one hand Kate was his sister, but on the other he had to think like a soldier. "Be careful, John," she begged her friend. "I know how much you wish to find Kate, but you cannot take Michael on your own."

John nodded, appreciating her concern. "I know," he offered her a one off smile. "Don't worry, if I see the bastard, I'll wait for back up before I do anything."

Satisfied, Teyla followed after Ronon while Lorne and Cadman turned and went their separate ways, leaving John to sit alone on his rock.

His team had been gone about ten minutes when he heard movement in the tunnel off to his right and the military man readied himself as the sound got closer. His breath coming out in heavy puffs of anxiety John waited. A few moments later the sound stopped and the colonel frowned, creeping out from behind his rock and coming closer to the entrance of the tunnel. Carefully he peered into the darkness, squinting his eyes against the dimly lit corridor as it went onwards farther into the hill. One breath passed, then two and finally John gave up, figuring that he must have been hearing things.

Lowering his weapon, he turned away, heading back towards his rocky perch to wait it out until his guys returned. The colonel made it three feet before the stunner hit him in the back and the surprised man fell to his knees, dropping his P-90 as his whole world went black.

~xXx~

"I worry about John."

Ronon glanced sideways at Teyla as the two of them walked along a well worn path that wound around the south side of the hills. His left eyebrow went up. "Why?"

The Athosian sighed. "Kate is his sister," she began slowly, shaking her head just so conveying to her companion the gravity she felt this situation had.

"You think it was a bad idea to leave him behind," Ronon stated, stepping over a particularly large rock and continuing on.

Teyla grimaced. "John has always kept a level head before, even when Kate was made into a companion." She glanced upwards at her large escort. "Do you suppose that it is the situation that is making him seem so…irrational?"

Ronon shrugged. "Michael's trying to use his sister to make more of his hybrid things. I'd be a bit irrational too."

Teyla nodded. "I suppose you are right. I mean, after what he tried to do to Torren…"

Ronon held up his hand, coming to a halt and motioning Teyla to come stand near to him. "Look," he pointed.

There, on the ground a good twenty feet downhill from where they were standing was a necklace of some kind. Being carful on the rocking and loose soil of the sloop, Teyla made her ways forwards and bent to pick up the trinket noticing that the design matched some of the carvings she's seen on the houses in the village. "Perhaps this belonged to one of Michael's other victims."

"I'd say that's a pretty good bet," Ronon deadpanned, his eyes fixed beyond Teyla.

The native woman turned and looked up at her friend who was standing on an outcropping just above her. "Ronon?" she questioned, curious at the anger in his eyes. When he didn't move, Teyla turned, tracking the line of his eyes and then gasping at the sight they landed upon.

Both she and Ronon were standing on the edge of a shallow ditch no more then ten feet deep by perhaps twenty wide but it was not the oddity of finding a ditch out in the middle of nowhere that was disturbing so much as what was in it. Filling the gully where the bodies of at least twelve girls all with expressions of pain written permanently into their lifeless faces and all of them clutching at their midsections.

"They are all pregnant," Teyla whispered, her eyes terrified of what they were seeing as her mind flashed to her own son and the horrors he and she had suffered at Michael's hands.

Ronon came down from her perch and went to stand besides Teyla, reaching out a hand to lay comfortingly on her shoulder. "Hey," she turned towards him, her eyes shining and Ronon held out his arms. She came towards him swiftly and he held onto her, silently offering her comfort, knowing that it was hard for her as a mother to witness this.

His eyes caught something. "Teyla," he released her and moved forwards, to the very edge of the gully, crouching down and peering intently at the mass of bodies. "Look."

Teyla joined him, her own personal feelings on the matter waylaid for now as she searched for what Ronon was trying to show her. She found it soon enough, a skeletal hand reaching out from between the bodies of the dead mothers. Ronon pointed and she followed his gaze and saw another and another, the realization making her stomach lurch. "These victims are not like the others," she turned to Ronon, horror written across her face. "They have been fed on."

Ronon nodded, standing and looking out over the mass grave, anger gnawing at his stomach. "Michael's not using a lab to impregnate these women," he looked soberly down at Teyla. "He's using a live wraith."

Teyla nodded, her face drawn. "We must tell John."

"Tell the colonel what?" Both Ronon and Teyla looked up and around, spying Lorne and Cadman standing above them and to the right, still on the path. "Seriously," Cadman started, squinting against the glare of the sun as she looked down on the two Pegasus natives, "Tell the colonel…" she trailed off as her eyes landed on the scene just beyond the two figure, "…oh my God."

Lorne frowned and followed his partners' eyes, his stomach doing a summersault at the sight. "I guess we found the other girls after all," he said remorsefully.

Teyla started upwards to join them, Ronon following behind. "That is not all we have found," she said grimly.

Lorne frowned. "What else?" he asked, almost dreading the answer.

"There are bodies down there that do not match the other victims," Teyla explained.

"Like how?" Cadman asked, "Like they're not pregnant, or not female?"

"No, like they've been fed on," Ronon grunted.

Both Lorne and Cadman blanched.

Teyla sighed, her face blank with seriousness. "Michael is not using artificial means by which to impregnate those women he captures," she looked pointedly at both Lorne and Cadman. "He is using a live wraith."

Lorne tried very hard not to gag at the thought of Kate being raped by a wraith. "We need to tell Sheppard."

The others nodded and as one they headed back towards the hills.

~xXx~

John groaned, his head felt like a ten ton weight but he lifted it up anyways and slowly opened his eyes, realizing as he did that he was lying on his back in a cell of some kind that reminded him entirely too much of the one Koyla had stuffed him into.

"John."

The colonel stiffened, recognizing his sister's voice and almost crying with relief. Turning, his head screaming in protest at being jerked so suddenly to one side, he saw Kate sitting in a cell across from him. She looked fine, physically, but her face was pale, like she was worried. "Katie?"

Kate smiled at her brother, happy to see him despite the circumstances. "Hey, John," she greeted.

Pushing himself up into a sitting position against the better judgment of his body which kept telling him to lay still and not move, John crawled to the bars of his cell and leaned heavily against them. Panting, he looked up and offered the best smile he could to his sister. "Marco."

Kate shook her head. "Polo," she answered soberly, eyeing her brother steadily. "You shouldn't have come for me."

John frowned, not believing what he was hearing. "I shouldn't have…of course I should have come for you, you're my sister!"

Somewhere behind Kate, deep in the shadows of her shared cell, she heard her wraith make an odd sounding noise that if she had to guess she would have said was disbelief. Since Michael had come in here half an hour ago and instructed two of his hybrids to drop John in the cell across from them, her wraith hadn't spoken to her and had instead retreated into the farthest corner of the cell. Kate opened her mouth to say something, perhaps reiterate how dumb an idea it had been for her brother to come after her by himself, but didn't get the chance before a cold voice spoke to them from the shadows.

"And that, is why you are here."

John whipped around, his eyes landing on the shadowy figure of the ever accursed Michael. "Could you be more specific?" he hissed, his ribs hurting with the effort of speaking. Somehow he got the feeling he'd been beat up after he'd been stunned before he'd been shoved into this cell.

Michael grinned maliciously, stepping forwards into the light. He looked at Kate. "I believe I told you that I would eventually find the right persuasion to ensure your cooperation did I not?"

Kate swallowed, hating him more in that moment then in any other. "You might have," she ground out coldly.

The hybrid nodded and stepped closer to her cell, looking inwards for the wraith and finding him crouched in one corner farthest away from the woman. "I shall make you an offer," he said eventually, triumph making him smile. "Do as I need of you or I will kill your brother."

The color drained from Kate's face and she glanced nervously behind her, her eyes locking on the wraith whose face looked equally surprised at this ultimatum leveled at them by their captor.

John frowned. "Kate," he questioned, glancing between her and the grinning abomination. "What exactly does he want you to do?"

Kate looked up at Michael. Truth be told there wasn't much she wouldn't do for her brother and sleeping with some random wraith in order to make this psycho happy was a small price to pay for her brother's life. Knowing that she had been beaten, Kate lowered her head and dropped her eyes to the floor.

John panicked, having never seen his sister look so utterly defeated before. "Kate?"

Michael just grinned, turning just slightly to signal his minions forwards and mentally giving them the order to remove Colonel Sheppard from his cell. "See that the task is completed," he said to the wraith who slowly began to creep forwards from the shadows until he heard Sheppard gasp behind him.

"You," John stared at the wraith that had suddenly appeared in his sister's cell, terrible, horrible, realization suddenly tumbling down on his head. "You want her to…with…" he tore his eyes away from Michael and leveled them with his sister's down turned face. "Katie Beth, don't do it. I'm not worth it!!"

Kate lifted her eyes, smiling sadly at her brother. "Yes, you are," she whispered, a single tear sliding down her face as her grey eyes stayed locked onto his hazel ones.

John protested loudly, struggling as two of Michael's hybrids grabbed him and began to drag him away. "I'm not worth it, Katie please, please, I'm not worth it. I forbid you, that's an order, Kate!"

Her brother's screams echoed around the cell block and Michael looked down upon the woman that had defied him for the better part of a week. Such a strong woman, he had only needed to find her weakness and, having found it, Colonel Sheppard had walked right into his trap. "You have an hour," he told them before turning on his heel and marching out of the block.

The ominous knell of the slamming door shook Kate out of her trance and she turned suddenly fearful eyes towards the wraith who was now hovering just beyond her still half hidden by shadows. "So," she asked weakly, "What now?"

The wraith regarded her, his head tilted slightly to one side. "I have promised that I would not force you," he stepped closer, his movements hesitant. "You are certain?"

Kate nodded. "Yes."

He stepped towards her, stopping when he was no more than a few inches from her. He could feel her breath warming his skin and, gently, he reached out and lifted her head towards him. "I will do you no harm," he assured her, feeling the need to once more repeat his word to her because he felt her caliber demanded it.

Kate swallowed hard and felt her heart skip a beat, her temperature rising in response to his nearness because in all honestly while he didn't quite ooze sexual appeal like Todd did he came pretty darn close. "I'm not afraid," she whispered, trying to hold herself together for as long as she could.

The wraith hissed and grabbed both of the female's arms, drawing her close so that her body crashed against him. "I will _not_ harm you," he reiterated, needing for her - above anything else - not to fear him. He did not want her to be afraid.

Kate looked up, locking eyes to the wraith above her. "It's fine," she reassured him, knowing through some undisclosed means that wraith were not gentle lovers.

He continued to look down on her, marveling at how the simplicity of having her body flush against this could elicit the reactions in him that such a simple contact brought.

"What can I give you," he asked, his eyes imploring hers, "what kindness can I render that will make this, our mating, seem less…painful for you?"

Kate considered his offer, knowing the one thing she'd ask for that would make all of this seem less like rape was the one thing he wouldn't give her. "Nothing," she said eventually, dropping her eyes.

The wraith hissed, able to read from her eyes that there was something she wished from him but was afraid to ask. "You would have my name," he surmised, knowing the stock humans put in knowing the names of their lovers. It was the same with wraith to some degree. One wraith did not engage in copulations with another wraith of the same rank without first knowing their names. In reality it was not such a terrible thing for her to ask.

Kate kept her eyes down cast. '"I know the value a wraith's name holds," she said softly. "Your names define you, are you, and to know them gives others power over you," she lifted her eyes. "It is something that would make this easier on me, but it isn't something I can ask you to give me."

Her understanding of a concept that was so totally foreign to her and her kind and her blind acceptance of it made the wraith realize that if ever there was to be a human that deserved to know the name of a wraith it was her. "Varkan," he hissed softly, the corners of his mouth twisting upwards just slightly at the surprised expression on her face as she looked up at him. "My name is Varkan."

Kate stared at him, completely and totally flabbergasted that a wraith had just told her his real name. "What does it mean?" she asked, suddenly curious.

Varkan smirked. "I am my motem's only child, a rarity for wraith and especially rare for a queen," he looked down on her, his head tilted just slightly to one side. "It means 'future hope'."

The meaning made her smile and suddenly, some of Kate's trepidation faded away. "Varkan," she tested the sound out on her tongue and then looked up, locking her grey eyes to his green-golden ones, "Thank you."

He nodded, dropping his hands from her arms and returning one hand to her face to trail the back of his fingers down her cheek while the other came to rest on her hip. "I will not harm you," he repeated again.

Kate looked up at him. "I know."

Varkan bowed his head and lowered his mouth to the pulse point on her neck, gently pressing a kiss there as he began to work on the fastenings of her clothing.

~xXx~

"This is not good."

Cadman looked at her commanding officer. "No shit," she replied sarcastically, looking around the spot where they'd left the colonel and coming up only with his gun which was laying near the entrance to the mine. "Think he's in there?" she asked, pointing inwards.

"I think Michael got him," Ronon offered, coming to stand by Cadman. "And yeah, he's in there."

Lorne joined them. "So," he said slowly, looking around at them all, "if Woolsey were here, he'd tell us to follow protocol and check in with Atlantis before we do anything, in which case he'd tell us to come back and leave both the colonel and Kate here to rot while he checks his books and figures out what the proper procedure is for all of this is."

Ronon grunted. "Good thing Woolsey's not here."

Teyla sighed. "Then it is settled?" she looked around at the others who all nodded.

"Yep," Lorne agreed, tightening his grip on his P-90. "I guess we're going with colonel Sheppard's favorite option: barge in guns blazing while shooting anything that moves."

Ronon grinned. "Sounds good to me," the Setedan answered, setting his gun to kill and then leading the way into the tunnel.

Lorne, Cadman and Teyla followed.

~xXx~

"MICHEAL!" John screamed, once more rushing the door of his cell and slamming his shoulder into it before backing off and doing it all over again. "MICHAEL YOU SON OF A BITCH, I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!"

For the fifth time or so the colonel bounced off of the steel door that kept him prisoner in the tiny room he'd been thrown into after being dragged away from Kate. His shoulder was killing him and his other injuries weren't doing him much good either but the thought of doing nothing while that wraith raped his sister was just not something he was going to sit through quietly. Grimacing against the blaring pain in his entire right side, John took a deep breath and prepared to hit the offending door once more.

He took three steps and then stopped as he heard someone on the other side. Whoever it was they were letting him out and he prepared himself for a fight with Michael's guards only to find himself face to face with Ronon.

"Sheppard," the large man nodded towards his commanding officer.

John stepped out of the cell and looked around, noticing the dead guards at the entrance to this cell block. "You guys have no idea how glad I am to see you," he said, letting out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

Lorne smiled. "We're happy to see you to Sir, but we've got to go."

John stopped him. 'Kate's here," he told them, causing everybody to freeze and stare at him. "Michael has her locked up with a live wraith and he excepts them to…"

"We are aware John,' Teyla assured him. "We found a mass grave where he has been dumping his victims and along with several pregnant women we also found bodies that had been fed upon."

John nodded and took the gun that Lorne offered him. "Listen, that's great, but I'm not leaving without Kate."

Ronon turned to him. "How long ago did you see her?"

John did the math in his head. "Maybe ten minutes."

Cadman nodded. "Then there's still time to get to her before…you know."

John jerked his head up and down once, his mouth set into a grim line. "Right," he took off down the corridor he'd been dragged down by Michael's minions. "This way, we've got to hurry."

His team nodded and followed.

~xXx~

Kate was facing away from Varkan, her bare back pressed up against the wraith's firm torso. Varkan was leaner then Todd was, less solid and more sinewy and Kate held onto that fact while he carefully administered his hands over her body, down her shoulders and along her neck. He was being kind and Kate had to admit that his ministrations felt good - in fact they felt great - but the whole while he was touching her she couldn't shake the feeling that this was wrong or that she didn't wish that it was a different, older wraith doing this to her.

Varkan had just dipped his head back down towards her neck when they both of them heard gunshots. The mood was shattered as they scrambled away from each other, Kate more quickly than the wraith, who was somewhat reluctant to release her, as she reached for her suit and shoved her arms back into it before pulling up the zipper. Beside her, Varkan didn't bother getting redressed in his robe or battle-coat and seemed perfectly content to just sit there and watch her.

She looked down at him. "We're getting out of here," she stated, grinning as the gunfire got closer and then suddenly the door to the cell block opened and in strode first Lorne, then Ronon and finally an extremely pissed off looking John.

Varkan nodded, acknowledging her statement before finding that he had a gun pointed at him. He hadn't even moved.

Kate turned on her brother. "John!" she yelled at him, "what are you doing?"

John didn't flinch and instead kept his P-90 trained on the half dressed wraith that had slowly risen to his feet and was not watching him. "Don't move," he growled at the creature, his mood darker then it had been in a long time.

Kate rolled her eyes and took two steps forwards, putting herself in between her brother and Varkan. "John, drop it," she hissed at him, "I'm fine!"

John glared at her. "He tried to rape you!"

Varkan snorted, not at all pleased with the assumption, but wise enough to leave the talking to Katherine. Humans, especially these humans, were hard to reason with; it was best that all communications come from one of their own.

Kate rolled her eyes. "He barely touched me, besides, I gave my consent."

"But -"

"John, drop it," Kate interrupted her brother. "He's been forced to do this over and over again under threat of death and starvation. He's as much a victim of Michael as I am!"

John sputtered at that but Cadman could see where Kate was coming from, the marine also knew that her friend had a penchant for seeing things from the wraith's point of view. "Kate's got a point, sir," she defended Kate who sent her a grateful sort of look that Cadman returned with the slightest nod.

John snarled but dropped his gun, glowering at the wraith. "You better be glad my sister's stubborn."

Varkan smirked. "Oh, I am," he reached down and grabbed his cast off clothing, pulling on his leather armor and fastening his bracers and belt before turning towards the one called Sheppard. "What course of action do you wish to employ now?"

John didn't reply, he just glared; angry that the wraith was being so civil, it was something Todd would do and for some reason that bugged him.

Kate rolled her eyes and turned towards Varkan. "We'll walk you to the stargate," she turned towards her brother. "That sound good to you?"

John remained mute but nodded; he had really, really wanted to shoot something.

"Right," Kate said tersely, stalking out of her cell and past her brother and teammates, Varkan following behind. "Come on, let's go," she called out over her shoulder. "I really want to get out of here."

Wordlessly, the Atlantians formed a line and filed out of the mines, noticing each to themselves that Michael was nowhere to be found and not a single one of them finding it surprising.

~xXx~

As soon as they'd stepped though the gate Woolsey was ready with a lecture about how he'd once again disobeyed orders, but quite frankly, John wasn't in the mood to hear it and before the director of Atlantis could even breathe, John had cut him off. "Not now, Woolsey," the colonel called as he walked right past the disgruntled balding man and continued steering Kate towards the infirmary.

Woolsey glared after him. "Why does he always do that?" the former IOA representative asked under his breath.

Lorne decided to take pity on the man and walked over to him. "In the colonel's defense, sir," Lorne began, "Michael did threaten to kill him if Kate didn't sleep with his pet wraith."

Woolsey's face turned a blotchy shade of red. "What?"

Lorne sighed. "Michael had a male wraith that he was using to impregnate women so that he could make what the natives call nature born hybrids."

Woolsey paled. "And did major Sheppard…" he couldn't finish the sentence.

Lorne shook his head. "No, thankfully not, but they got close. Kate gave the wraith her consent and then Michael chucked Colonel Sheppard into a holding cell. We found him and then went to go get Kate before they could, ah, do the deed and then Kate made us let the wraith go."

Woolsey suppressed a shudder. "I'll be in my office," the man squeaked and then backpedaled faster than Lorne had ever seen him go. Shaking his head in amusement that the bespectacled man would get so squeamish talking about wraith and sex, Lorne left the gate room and headed towards the infirmary to check up on Kate.

He found her sitting on one of the exam tables with her arm extended while Jennifer checked over a bruise that was beginning to develop on her forearm.

"So," Lorne asked, coming closer and peering over Jennifer's shoulder, "What's that from?"

Kate gave him a look of extreme exasperation. "Torture," she said evenly.

The major looked remorseful. "Sorry we couldn't get to you sooner so that you didn't have to go through all of that," he said dejectedly, hoisting himself up onto a neighboring bed and looking over his friend concernedly. "Where'd the Colonel go?" he asked, noting that the man wasn't anywhere to be found.

Kate snorted. "To beat the shit out of something probably," she sighed. "He really wanted to kill Vu-the wraith."

Lorne crossed his arms. "Yeah, well, if you were my sister, I probably would have wanted to kill him to."

Kate nodded, knowing that Evan was right and that she really couldn't be mad at John for accidentally slipping into overprotective big brother mode.

Jennifer snapped Kate out of her thoughts by handing the major an analysis ball that was used to test strength. "Here," she said, the glazed expression leaving her friend's face as she turned towards her, "squeeze this."

Kate complied and Jennifer looked over the current readouts before comparing them to the strength levels she had for Kate on file. Lorne hovered over her shoulder.

"Is she alright?" he asked, concerned and frowning.

Jennifer nodded. "The levels match, apparently Michael's serum has worn off," the doctor regarded her patient. "How do you feel?"

Kate shrugged. "Fine I guess. It was weird, though, Michael's serum."

Lorne eyed her. "And what, exactly, was so weird about it?"

Kate looked at him. "Back on Earth our government was having trouble with a couple of NCs that had gone rogue; broken through their conditioning and decided to get revenge on the government for making them that way. Anyway, the President had the guys at Area Fifty-one come up with an inhibitor that does basically the same thing as Michael's serum only it lasts longer, is much more potent and, from what I hear, has some nasty side effects."

Both Lorne and Jennifer made a face. "Disturbing," Lorne said after a while. "Usually the things our friend Michael comes up with are the worst out there."

Jennifer nodded. "Yes, it is a bit scary," the doctor turned to Kate. "Still, come see me if you feel anything out of the norm."

Kate nodded solemnly. "I will."

Jennifer smiled at her. "Then you're free to go."

Kate hopped off the exam table at the same time that Lorne dismounted from the bed he'd been sitting on. "So," she asked, eyeing the both of them, "How'd you find me?"

Lorne opened his mouth but then closed it, taking her hand instead. "Come on," he said, dragging her out of the infirmary and down towards the nearest transporter, waving a hasty good-bye to Jennifer on the way out. "We've got a call to make."

Kate glanced at him out of the corner of her eye but nonetheless let him steer her out of the room and down a connecting hallway. "To who?" she asked.

"Todd."

Kate frowned. "Why?"

Lorne pushed her into the transporter. "Part of the deal."

Kate was even more confused. "What deal?"

"Ronon suggested that we call Todd-"

"_Ronon_ suggested?" Kate interrupted her friend, completely and totally baffled. Maybe she should go back and see Jennifer because this was way _not_ normal.

Lorne nodded and took her by the shoulders, placing her in front of the screen on which Todd would be appearing in the near future. "Yes, Ronon suggested we call Todd and ask him to send us all his intel on Michael."

Kate eyed him as her best friend stepped away from her and began punching a message into the interface and pushed send. "And what sort of deal did you make in order to get all of this information that I'm assuming Todd sent you?"

His job done, Lorne stepped back and looked Kate over. "Todd asked that we call him when you were safely back in Atlantis," he informed her, watching Kate blush with amusement.

"WHAT!?!" she screeched loudly before the screen beeped and suddenly a very relieved looking Todd had appeared on screen. The expression on his face, while being obvious to Kate, would have passed off as indifference to anybody else.

"Katherine," he greeted, his eyes scanning over her before settling on her face. "You are unharmed?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah," she said, at a complete loss, more so now then she had been when he'd shown open concern for her the first time on the Travelers' planet. "I'm fine."

Some of the worry left Todd's normally stern features and he inclined his head. "I am glad."

Kate smiled, deciding that it was pointless to try to figure out Todd's reasons for worrying for her and just accept them. The eldest of wraith was a complicated individual. "So am I," she replied, offering Todd a smile that the wraith quickly returned.

Lorne looked on, watching the exchange, grinning from ear to ear.

~xXx~

Luck was on his side, Varkan decided, as it had taken little or no effort on his part to establish contact with his hive after the Atlantians allowed him to go free. He owed that last part to Katherine, of that he was sure, as he seriously doubted that Sheppard would have been willing to let him live, much less leave if she had not persuaded her brother otherwise. In fact, the young commander realized, as he steered the transport ship sent by his queen to collect him into the forward most dart bay, he owed Katherine a great deal more than just his life. It was strange to think that there was now another female to whom he owed loyalty to other then his queen, a human female that knew his name and who lived within the lost city of the Lanteans. By all rights he must have been out of his mind to have told her his name, but looking back on the situation, it had been a small concession to make. A female of Katherine's caliber demanded nothing less.

Docking the ship into its proper place, Varkan stood and nodded to the junior officer that had flown to meet him, mentally telling the younger wraith to go back to his regular duties and that he would be rewarded for his services later. Opening the back hatch, the returned hive commander walked off his transport already feeling the familiar life of the hive buzzing in the back of his mind. He was greeted by his second and the queen who stood waiting for him at the end of the ramp.

"Greeting upon your return, my commander," the queen inclined her head towards him .

"My Queen," he responded, bowing and keeping his eyes trained to the ground whilst they were in the presence of others.

The queen lifted her head. "It is good to see that you managed to return to us," she said quietly, the veiled question readable to even the most obtuse listener.

Varkan raised his eyes and stood at rest, his hands behind his back. "I had help."

The queen looked intrigued. "Did you?" she asked, lifting one brow ridge as she gazed at her commander and son. "And who should I thank for your return to me?"

Varkan smirked unable to help himself, and action that gained a brief but notable look of confusion from his motem. "I fear, my queen," he began, "that you shall never have the opportunity to thank the female responsible for my return to you."

The queen eyed her son. "And why is that?" she asked, curious.

Varkan leveled his gaze to hers. "Unless you, my queen, know the location of Atlantis and know of a way to contact them without endangering our hive, then I'm afraid that Katherine shall go unthanked for now."

The queen hissed. "Atlantis!" she growled, "what have they to do with you?"

"I was held in captivity by the Abomination Michael," he informed her, knowing that she was well aware of who that was, just as all wraith knew of Colonel Sheppard. "He wished to use me to help breed his hybrids. The last female to be given to me was Colonel Sheppard's sister, Katherine of Atlantis."

"Katherine of Atlantis is sister to the bane Sheppard?" the queen asked, surprised. "Of this I was not aware."

Varkan nodded. "She is and it to her that you can credit my escape."

The queen sniffed, folding her hands in front of her. "It would seem as though you are correct, my commander. I will not be giving her my thanks anytime soon." She looked over her son and her gaze softened. "I am glad to have you returned to me," she said, her voice more gentle then it had been in a very long time.

Varkan bowed. "I am glad to be returned."

The queen nodded. "See that you return to your duties as quickly as possible, Commander. The hive has suffered for your absence."

Again Varkan bowed, this time remaining in his bent position until the queen had removed herself from the dart bay before he straightened and turned his steps towards the bridge, his Second following him.


	14. Threshold

******A/N: Here you go folks, the next instalment. Warning, this episode has NOT been beta-ed as my wonderful Rachel is currently out of town so, please forgive any mistakes and as always read, enjoy and review. Please review, I love hearing from ya'll; it really makes my day!!!**

* * *

**Episode XIV: Threshold**

"So what'd you think?" Lieutenant Scott asked his team's commanding officer, Captain Martin, as he and the rest of Atlantis Recon Five traveled deeper and deeper in the tunnels of the mine they'd found on PX9 - 712. "Abandoned Genii mine, or the fallout shelter for a planet that got completely wiped out by the wraith?"

Martin smirked and glanced over his shoulder towards the young lieutenant that was responsible for the majority go the betting pools back in Atlantis. "I'm gonna go with abandoned Genii mine," the Captain guessed.

Scott nodded quickly and turned to the other two members of his team. "What about you guys?" he asked his fellow lieutenant Stevens and Sergeant Herrera.

Stevens shrugged as the four of them came to bend in the tunnel that pointed them eastwards. "I'm gonna go with the captain on this one."

Herrera shook her head. "You're all wrong," she said confidently.

Martin shot her a look. "Oh really?" he asked good-naturedly teasing the only female member of his team. "And what makes you say that?"

Herrera gestures around, pointing the flashlight positioned atop her P-90 at various points of interest along the tunnel walls. "See there?" she shined her light on a large cluster of webs before moving on to another cluster farther along the tunnel. "And there? This place gives off definite creepy vibes. I'm gonna have to go with one of Michael's labs complete with left over experiments."

Scott scoffed. "Really?" she smiled and the young blond haired man nodded and grinned, willing to go along with his teammate's idea. "Okay, okay that's a good one. I didn't think of that possibility."

"We're not gonna find one of Michael's left over labs," Stevens argued. "Stuff like that only ever happens to the Colonel's and Lorne's teams."

Unfortunately, Stevens was mostly correct in his assumption and the four of them all nodded silently in acknowledgment that nothing exciting ever seemed to happen to them as they continued to travel farther into the underground labyrinth.

At the head of the team, Martin held up his fist to stop them as his light fell across a locked bulkhead door blocking them from continuing farther. "Stevens, Scott," he called out, lowering his P-90 and going over to the door, "Help me with this."

The two men moved forwards to help their commanding officer while Herrera held back and made sure that they had plenty of light to see with. As soon as the three of them had pried the door open a rush of stale air that smelled distinctly of chemicals met them and they all wrinkled their noses.

"God," Scott complained. "What' s that smell?"

"Smells like the infirmary back in Atlantis after Jennifer's done some sort of surgery," Herrera said, stepping up and peering inwards at the room she and her team had discovered before following her teammates inwards.

The room was large and wide but with a low ceiling and, as the four of them spread out across it, it became apparent that they were indeed inside of a secret lab. "Lucky guess," Stevens tossed towards Herrera teasingly before turning back to his survey of the room at large, his sights landing on a row of what looked like cryo chambers lining one wall. "Hey Captain," he called out, wandering over to peer at them, "Look at this."

Martin come to join Stevens and was joined by the rest of his team who all shared in looking into the tanks. 'There're people inside," he noted, looking into first one and then the other. "They're all the same."

"Clones," Scott guessed, turning away from the tanks and coming around a corner in the room and immediately stopping dead in his tracks. "Ah, captain."

Martin was still comparing the faces of the frozen bodies and trying to decide why they all looked so familiar. "What?" he called.

Scott blinked but could not tear his eyes away from the sight in front of him. "You're gonna want to see this," he informed his commanding officer.

Martin sighed and went to join his lieutenant. "What now -" he started only to trail off as his eyes landed on what, exactly, had so captivated his second. "Holy shit," the captain exclaimed as his eyes traveled over the two bodies that were lain out on a pair of parallel lab tables, a mass of wires and cords hooked up to each body at their temples. His eyes traveled upwards to the haphazardly assembled mix of pilfered Atlantis computer parts intermingled and hybridized with wraith tech that both sets of wires hooked into, his astonishment growing more and more profound by the second.

"We need to go back to Atlantis," Martin managed after a few moments in which he could do nothing but stare, his eyes traveling first from the human body of flesh and blood and then on to the other artificial body. "Colonel Sheppard is gonna want to see this."

Silently his team nodded and together they retreated from the room.

~xXx~

"My money's on Kate,"

"I don't know, she might let him win. She does that every now and then; boasts moral."

"Yeah but not with Ronon, he'd kill her if she just _let_ him win. My money's still on Kate."

Listening to Sheppard and Lorne discuss the sparing match between Ronon and Kate, Rodney shook his head. "I can't believe you two are actually betting on this," the Canadian complained loudly. "It's pointless, Kate's gonna win she _always_ wins."

Two rows down from the physicist, Lorne twisted around and grinned. "See," he told his commanding officer cheekily, "the most brilliant mind in two galaxies is on my side."

John scowled and sent a dirty look towards his team mate. "Thanks Rodney, knew I could count on you."

Rodney looked unabashed. "What? It's true, your sister can kick Todd's ass. I'll admit that it doesn't happen often but it _does_ happen so of course she'll slaughter Ronon and besides, like Lorne said, Ronon would hurt her if she went easy on him the outcome was fixed before they even started trading blows."

John harrumphed and crossed his arms, glaring out at the gym floor where Kate and Ronon were currently having an all out beat down. It was like watching fight club only better.

"Ah, excuse me Colonel."

John turned to his left and espied a nervous looking marine that he thought had been one of the ones from the newest batch straight of the Daedalus. "Yes?"

The marine swallowed. "Sir, Captain Martin is requesting that you and your team join him on PX9 - 712. Says they found something that you're going to want to see."

John nodded and dismissed the messenger with a wave of his hand before standing up and whistling to get Ronon's attention. The spar stopped and Ronon looked up at him from the headlock that Kate'd put him into. "What?"

"Fight's over Chewie, we've got a mission," John called to him as he hopped down from the bleachers and landed not far away from the combatants. "Gotta go see something that Martin's found."

Rodney joined him just as Kate and Ronon disentangled themselves. "What?" he asked, his voice both questioning and condescending. "Why?"

John shrugged. "Don't know."

Rodney gave him a look of exasperation. "You didn't ask?"

John frowned at him. "No, Rodney, I didn't ask. I trust Martin to not ask to see us unless it's something big so let's go."

Ronon joined them. "What about Kate?"

John looked over his sister and then turned on Lorne. "Wanna take Ronon's place, Major?"

Lorne paled. "Are you crazy, Sir?" he glanced at Kate who smirked at him, a mock look of innocence plastered across her face. "I won't be able to walk for a week."

Kate giggled. "Ah, come on Evan, I'll go easy on you."

Lorne tried to protest but Kate had already grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him into the sparring ring. "I'm gonna regret this in the morning aren't I?"

Kate grinned and John nodded. "Probably," he called, turning towards Ronon and Rodney and telling them to go gear up while he went off to do the same. Trusting that someone would have told Teyla by now; she'd been eating lunch with Jennifer.

As it turned out John, Teyla and Ronon were ready and in the gate room in ten minutes while Rodney took slightly longer.

"This had better be good," The irate scientists complained loudly as he joined the rest of his team about to disembark. "I'm working on so many things right now it's not even funny so whatever the hell is going on better be, like, a galactic emergency or someth-"

"Martin said that we'd want to know," John interrupted the triad currently spilling out of McKay's mouth. "I trust that it's pretty big and what do you mean you're very busy? You were in the gym watching Ronon and Kate fight same as me."

Rodney gave the colonel a once over as if to impart the impression that he doubted the man knew the proper definition of 'something big' while completely glossing over the last part of the colonel's speech. "Yes, well, it'd better be. I had to leave Zelenka in charge and the last I-"

"Radek is more than capable Rodney," Teyla said gently. "The incident last week was not his fault."

Rodney huffed; John's face screwed up.

"That reminds me," The colonel said offhandedly. "When we get back, remind me to fill out a requisition order for more guinea pigs from the SGC; we've killed off all of ours."

"Or the botany department has stolen them to keep as pets," Rodney added. "Seriously, I tried to go and get one of them back from Dr. Claire; she threw a pot at me."

Ronon snorted and even Teyla snickered a bit.

John looked around at his team. "Alright, let's go," he called out to them as they looked up and nodded at Chuck and then walked through the gate.

They met Martin on the other side. John hailed him.

"Captain," the colonel greeted as he and his team came to a stop in front of Captain Martin. "So, what's all this about?"

The captain looked up at his commanding officer somberly. "It's Weir."

John did a double take. "Elizabeth?" he shook his head. "That's impossible, she got downloaded into a replicator remember, walked through the gate into space; she's probably floating around somewhere above MX7 - 329 -"

The captain shook his head. "Not anymore Sir, Michael found her," he jerked his thumb in the direction of the lab he and his team had found not a hour before. "He's got her hooked up to this massive computer terminal and…" he paused and looked at Sheppard closely. "You'd just better come see for yourself, Sir."

John nodded not really trusting his voice to speak and apparently, none of his team members trusted theirs either. The trek up to Michael's lab was silent, Martin lead the way and John and his guys followed; all of them thinking. John had given up on ever recovering the replicator Weir because, to put it bluntly, Woolsey would never let them try anything that would help her. The man was a hard ass and a stickler for the rules and those rules had cost him and his men more than one chance to save someone over the years. By the time they'd entered the tunnels, John had decided that he'd do everything in his power, call in all his favors with the brass back on Earth, if it meant that they had even a chance to get Elizabeth back.

"How much farther?" Rodney asked from the back of the group, anticipation clearly evident in his voice and John smirked. He had a feeling that Woolsey just wouldn't get a say in this one no matter how difficult the man tried to be.

Martin glanced over his shoulder. "Just round this bend here," he replied, gesturing at the turn ahead of them. "I left Herrera and Stevens in the lab, figured we'd get an early start on cataloguing everything, check for traps; this is Michael after all."

John nodded, remembering their last run in with the damnable hybrid. What he'd done to Kate, what he'd expected her to do; John had never been more pissed that the bastard had run, he'd have liked to have killed him with his bare hands. "Much appreciated," he told the captain and then took his first step into the newest of the long line of secret labs they'd found belonging to the aforementioned bastard.

It didn't look so much different than any of the other labs they'd found although the bullet shaped cryo chambers along the back wall were sort of new. John walked through the many tables filled with canisters and jars of things he didn't want to know about and came to a stop in front of one of the chambers. Peering into the frosted window that was maybe five inches wide, he squinted at the human-like face that sat behind the glass.

"Ah, Martin," John called, turning his head this way and that trying to figure out why the face looked so startlingly familiar. "What are in these?"

Martin looked up. "Clones," he informed the curious colonel who turned to him and frowned about the same time as McKay, who had immediately headed towards the jumbled mass of computer parts, shouted, "HOLY SHIT!"

Abandoning the people in the cryo chambers, John went to go see what Rodney was so excited about only to, when he saw it, have his mouth drop open and his eyes threaten to bug out of his skull.

"Elizabeth," he whispered, walking over to the two examination tables and looking first from the replicator body in which Elizabeth's consciousness resided and then swiveling to the right to take in the perfectly cloned human body of the same woman.

It was Carson all over again.

"It never creases to amaze me where Michael gets his stuff from," Rodney muttered from somewhere over by the computer terminal and John looked up, frowning.

"What was that?" he asked.

Rodney ignored him and kept typing into his data pad, zoned out from the world. John shook his head and turned around to find Teyla and Ronon hovering off to the side. "Well," he asked his two silent team members, "what do you think?"

Ronon shrugged as if to say that he didn't quite have an opinion yet while Teyla trained her eyes on the sight. "It is…I do not know what to say."

John nodded, understanding, before turning to Martin. Like his team, Martin had been around to serve under Weir and so John valued his opinion in this case. "So," the colonel began as Martin's team gathered round, "the question here is do we try and figure out what Michael was doing and then keep going or just throw in the towel now?"

Herrera shook her head. "We can't do that Sir," she said. "Dr. Weir gave up everything for us, the least we can do is give it everything we've got."

Scott and Stevens nodded vigorously.

"What about Woolsey?" Ronon asked, eyeing Sheppard. "He won't like this."

John opened his mouth.

"Ah, guys," Rodney called and they all looked at him. "I think I've figured out what Michael was trying to do," he looked down at his data pad to be sure and then looked back up at Sheppard. "He's using electrical impulses to try and remove her consciousness from the replicator body into the empty clone body."

John frowned. "You mean like the Asgard?"

"I was thinking more like the computer entity that got into Carter," Rodney offered before going back to his tablet.

John sighed exasperatedly. "Same difference," he complained. "So what's the plan? Like Ronon said, Woolsey's not gonna like this."

"Well," Rodney called absentmindedly, "As near as I can tell, I can't find any viruses or anything else to indicate why Michael didn't complete the transfer. It's like he just stopped or got bored or -"

"Found something else much more dangerous to do yeah, got it Rodney," John interrupted him. "That still leaves Woolsey."

"We could always not tell him," Martin suggested, looking to his commanding officer. "Finish up here and then go back with Dr. Weir."

John's eyes lit up. "Yeah, yeah there's an idea. It could wor-"

"Not really no," Rodney crushed his hopes. "Normally Michael's tech is top notch but this," the flustered physicist gestured wildly at the miss mashed computer screens and hardware in irritation, "This looks like that mega computer that that entity that downloaded itself into Sam made in the malp room."

John bit his lip and had to admit that he agreed with Rodney. "Can you do anything with it?" he asked, looking down on Elizabeth's serene face once more.

Rodney shook his head. "Not here," he explained. "Elizabeth's consciousness, from what I can tell, is already in these computers," he gestured at the jumbled up screens. "The only problem now is getting all of her memories into this body," he pointed at the clone. "Michael couldn't do it, not with the equipment he has here." He looked at Sheppard. "I might be able to interface these computers with the more advanced systems we have in Atlantis but even then I don't know if it'll work."

The small possibility that it might was enough for John. "Well then it's settled then,' he said, looking Rodney dead in the eye. "We load all of this up," he gestured at the whole alcove that they'd been standing in for the past hour, "Take it back to Atlantis and figure it all out there."

Rodney did not look happy about the prospect of taking everything apart but in light of what they might achieve because of it, to actually have Elizabeth back, the scientist wasn't about to complain. Barking out orders to his assistants Rodney began drawing diagrams detailing everything's position so that he would be able to put it all back together again once they got it all through the gate and then set to work while Sheppard headed back to the gate to inform Woolsey of what was going on whether the director agreed with the plan or not.

~xXx~

Murphy had struck again.

John looked around the disaster zone that was Rodney's lab and sighed as he waded in to try and the find the scientist. Apparently, contrary to Rodney's beliefs, getting all of Michael's stuff back to Atlantis and substituting the city's computers for the patch jobs that the hybrid had used wasn't working as well as the Canadian had thought it would. McKay had been hacking and whacking away at Michael's codes and the city's own operating system for two days just trying to get everything to work together properly without damaging the section of coding that Rodney had identified as being Elizabeth. John felt sorry for him and, as he made it all the way into the very heart of the lab, he found his team's resident genius sitting on the floor hiding his head in his wife's neck while she rubbed his back.

John stopped and looked down on the two of them. "What happened?" he inquired.

Jennifer looked up. "He hasn't slept in two days, has barely eaten and -"

"And I've hit a wall," Rodney finished for her, lifting his head up and rubbing his hands over his tired and haggard looking face. "I don't have anything else to try, I've tried everything, I just…I don't know what to do."

Hearing those words come out of Rodney McKay's mouth made John's blood run cold and the hope that had been gently building in his heart suddenly flicker and go back to being just a tiny little spark. "Don't say that," he tried to sound reassuring and failed miserably. "Maybe you just need a new set of eyes."

Rodney's head jerked up and he glared at him. "What, You think I haven't tried that?" he demanded, miffed that the colonel would think that he hadn't already exhausted every single resource available to him. This was Elizabeth they were talking about after all, not just some other less important project that could be shelved until he thought of something else to try. Rodney was fully aware of the time restraints on this.

John sighed and crouched down so that he was eye level with his friend. "I'm not attacking you, Rodney," he told the irate physicist. "I'm just wondering -"

"Yes, I've showed it to everybody," Rodney snapped. "I've showed Zelenka, I've shown all of my assistants, Dr. Adams, Dr. Steel even Dr. Brustode; everyone with even a shred of background knowledge on computer programming. We're all stuck."

It was a little known fact that John was smarter then he looked and certainly smarter then he acted. Faced with any other situation he would have only to gladly allowed his friends and co-workers to go on believing this and except for the fact that Rodney knew he could do complicated math in his head really quickly, he'd never really demonstrated his academical prowess before. But this was not just any situation, this was Elizabeth and, like the exhausted Rodney, John would do anything in his power to save her and that included dropping his protective I'm-just-a-grunt-with-a-gun-who's-cute-and-has-nice-hair persona.

"Let me see it," John sighed, standing and moving towards the terminal were Michael's programming code still flashed.

Rodney hopped up like a gnome out of a garden and practically teleported over to the workstation, positioning himself in between the computer interface and one Colonel John Sheppard. "Why?" he demanded shrilly, a reproachful and condescending look on his face.

John rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'm smarter then I look Rodney, just let me see it," he'd known that this wouldn't be easy, but it was too late to turn back now. Rodney'd never let it go.

Rodney crossed his arms and glared at him. "No," he said loudly, a defiant look in his eyes.

John sighed and threw up his hands. "Just let me see it Rodney, maybe I can -"

"Rodney, he's just trying to help," Jennifer interrupted, coming to stand besides her husband, placing a calming hand on his shoulder which Rodney shrugged off.

"No," Rodney said, turning accusatory eyes onto his team's leader. "I want to know what makes Colonel fly boy over here think he could possibly help with this situation. I mean, if it were how to look effortlessly cool or how to attract women one-oh-one then his advice might be worth something but you habitually break your game-boy and come running to me to fix it. What makes you think -"

John exploded. "I'm not an idiot Rodney! I went to the Air force Academy, I graduated with honors, I'm not just an moron pilot which, by the way, you have to have at least a bachelor's degree in order to be!!"

Rodney still didn't look convinced. "This is Elizabeth we're talking about," he reminded the colonel. "We're talking about complicated computer programming not just the stupid mathematical logic questions that you find on the Mensa test!"

John rolled his eyes. "I know that Rodney, why do you think I'm offering -"

"You don't have any computer skills, you can't even use word," Rodney retorted. "If you think that I'm going to just let you mess around in your usual fashion when we've got a time restraint weighing us down and Elizabeth's life on the line then you are sadly -"

"I have a double masters in engineering and applied computer programming," John countered, raising his voice so that he'd be heard over Rodney's rant.

The physicist stopped mid-sentence and stared at the colonel. "You…wait, what!?!"

John sent the shorter man a quelling look. "In order to be a pilot you have to have at least a bachelor's in a math or computer oriented field. It just so happens that I like math, was always good at it, so I've got a Masters in engineering and another one in applied computer programming."

Rodney blinked at him. "That's…that's why you can do equations in your head so quickly," he sputtered, the clogs in his brain working at double their normal speed. "But wait, why is it that you always come to me for -"

John sighed. "Because if everyone knew I wasn't as dumb as I pretended to be then I'd have nearly as many people coming to me to fix things as you do," he looked pointedly at Rodney. "I've got a base to run and a contingent of military personnel to keep in line. I don't have the time to be a genius _and_ a commanding officer not to mention Woolsey's baby-sitter."

After hearing this, Rodney still didn't move and continued to stare at Sheppard as though he'd never seen him before. Finally, after several minutes had passed, John turned away from Rodney and looked at Jennifer who met his eyes with an amused twinkle in hers. "I'm gonna go get us some food," John told her. "Round up Zelenka and Dr. Adams and then see if we can't figure this out."

Jennifer nodded. "I'll work on getting him used to the idea that you're intelligent," she nodded towards her husband who was still staring off into space where John'd been standing a few moments ago. "I mean, intelligent as in -"

"An IQ over one-forty, I know what you meant," John interrupted her, waving away her worry that she'd offended him. "Just…keep him positive. I'll be right back," and with that, John turned and left the lab, making a bee-line for the mess hall.

When he was gone, Jennifer turned back to her husband. "Rodney, sweetheart, look at me," he didn't move; Jennifer rolled her eyes. "Rodney!"

Her husband's head jerked up and he looked around, startled, before seeing her and relaxing. "What?" he asked, looking around again and frowning. "Where'd Sheppard go?"

Jennifer sighed and took her husband's hand, leading him away from the workstation and over to the couch that she's demanded he put in his lab so that when he slept here he'd sleep on something soft and stop straining his back. Pulling him down on it, she twisted towards him and held both his hands in her lap. "Rodney," she probed gently, catching his eyes to hers and holding them. "What's wrong? Is it that you're stuck, that you're worried about being able to save Elizabeth or that John has -"

"He lied to me," Rodney said softly, cutting off his wife as he dropped his eyes down to his lap. "I mean, we've worked together for over seven years now and not once did he think to tell me that he's got a degree in something, it doesn't even really matter what it is just…I'd have thought he'd have told me."

Jennifer understood, she really did, but she also knew where the colonel was coming from as well. "Rodney," she began again, softly so as to show that she wasn't attacking him. "When I was in college, I was pretty much the smartest kid there but, I was also about five years younger than everyone else. The point is, that even though I knew I was as smart if not smarter than everyone else it was sometimes better for me to keep quiet about it. The fewer people who knew how high my IQ was meant that nobody except my teachers expected much from me and I liked it that way."

Rodney looked at her. "So, you're saying that you're on Sheppard's side?" he accused, looking chest fallen that his own wife didn't support him.

"I'm always on your side, Rodney, I love you," she smiled at him. "I'm just saying that I understand why John maybe didn't tell you or anyone else about his academic achievements and he's right. He really doesn't have time to be a genius and fix everything when he's already got so much more on his plate."

Catching the look on her husband's face, Jennifer quickly added. "That's not to say that you aren't busy too, it's just all you have to worry about is the science department and the occasional problem within the city. John has to worry about everyone all the time and that includes you and your department," she squeezed his hand with both of her own, toying with the wedding band on his left ring finger. "Just try and look at things from his point of view before you jump down his throat."

She had a point and Rodney knew it; she usually did. "You're right," he sighed, pulling his hands back and standing up. "Thank you."

Jennifer stood and leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek. "You're welcome and I usually am," she teased before pushing him back towards his workstation. "Now, go back to work. Elizabeth's counting on you."

Rodney nodded and moved off towards his lab tables, alternate lines of thinking already whizzing through his mind.

"Nice job, doc."

Jennifer glanced behind her. "Colonel," she greeted as the returning military man came to stand next to her. She looked down at the stack of food containers that he was carrying and took the top most one from him. Peering under the lid, she smiled. "You know," she teased, "When you said you were bringing us food, I didn't think you meant the entire dessert line at the buffet table."

John tried to look innocent. "It's not the entire dessert line-up, just most of it," he winked at her, taking back the container she'd lifted from him and walking over to once of Rodney's clear lab tables. "Besides, thinking burns calories and cookies always helped me think better then carrot sticks."

Jennifer laughed and helped him set out the various tubes and bowels of snack foods and cakes that he'd pilfered from the mess hall. "Rodney," she called, glancing towards her husband who was bent nearly double over his keyboard, his nose about a hair's breath away from the screen. "Food."

Rodney grunted and kept typing. "I'm busy," he replied, clearly absorbed in whatever he was currently doing.

John smirked and picked up the container filled with the Canadian's absolute favorite dessert of all time. Walking over to the hunched over scientist, he waved the container around where he knew Rodney could smell it. "Are you sure you're not hungry?" he asked impishly. "Because I got this just for you but if you don't want it -"

"Give me that," Rodney grabbed the container away from the colonel in a blink of the eye and went about stuffing the gingersnaps into his mouth without ever creasing to type and, seemingly, without stopping to breath.

John shook his head. "It never creases to amaze me how much food you can pack away in such a short amount of time."

Rodney glared, not at him, but at the computer screen. "I thought you were going to be helping me, not criticizing my eating habits?"

Laughing outright, John shook his head and made his way over to an unoccupied terminal. "Zelenka and Adams are on their way down, they just need to wrap up their reports to Woolsey," he said, still chuckling as he booted up the computer and then cracked his knuckles; immediately getting to work.

Rodney, predictably, ignored the statement and kept up his erratic pace as he scanned through the lines of corrupted or incomplete code that had resulted when they'd removed Michael's stolen computers and replaces them with the city's more advanced ones. He was getting close, he could feel it, and he didn't need any interruptions that would distract him from achieving his final goal.

Nine hours later, however, his goal had not been reached and Rodney, John, Zelenka and Adams were completely out of options.

"It's not a problem with configuring the city's systems to recognize the wraith software because we know that Atlantis' computers know that the wraith tech is there, we just can't get the wraith software to recognize the city's programming," John summarized for what had to be the tenth time but, every time he said it, he felt like he was emphasizing the point. He turned away from the massive screen that they'd all been staring at for the past three hours and looked around the room. "Any ideas?"

The novelty of having the commanding military officer of Atlantis working with them on their level and directing them because he knew more about what was going on than they did had worn off after about an hour. Thus, as John asked his question instead of being stared at or blinked at, Zelenka and Adams just shook their heads.

"Our understanding of wraith programming code is rather limited," Adams observed, ranking a hand through his shoulder length hair and readjusting his glasses. "The newest evolution of wraith technology is pretty straightforward, but this stuff," he gestured at the various wraith portions of Michael's crude super computer, "this stuff is ancient. It's got so many backdoors and work arounds that I'm not even sure where the hell to begin."

Rodney nodded. "You'd think the older stuff would be simpler," he sighed and continued to stare at the screen, his eyes running over the ever changing lines of wraith script.

Zelenka sipped at his coffee. "Yes, well, since when is anything involving the wraith ever easy?"

On this point, nobody could argue but it did give John an idea. The problem was that the older versions of wraith technology were completely foreign to them so what they needed was a wraith who'd been around back then and who'd possibly helped write all these programs in the first place. Fortunately for them, they were on semi good terms with just such an individual and, although John had no idea how he was going to convince him to do it, he figured that it was probably their only shot.

"I'll be back," John said hurriedly as he turned from the screen and made a beeline for the door.

Rodney looked after him. "Where are you going?" he demanded, irked that the colonel would just up and leave in the middle of their trying to solve this thing.

John broke into a jog and called back over his shoulder. "I've got an idea!" his feet already taking him towards the west pier.

Back in the lab, Rodney let out an exasperated growl as he, Zelenka and Adams continued to work on the problem.

~xXx~

Admittedly, it could probably be said that John hadn't been thinking all too clearly when he'd made the decision to ask Todd for help with their dilemma but by now it was too late to rethink things. For the past hour, John had been explaining the situation to a very disgruntled wraith who didn't appreciate the fact that once more he'd been called to Atlantis in order to render favors. Todd didn't do anything for free and so, as his explanation continued, John wondered what he'd end up owing the alien this time.

"So you see," John wound down his argument to a close, "Since you've been around a while I figured that you might be able to -"

"And what," the wraith interrupted, growling softly, "Would be my motivation for assisting you?"

John faltered. "What do you want?" he asked tensely.

Todd rolled his shoulders. "Nothing definable at the moment Sheppard," he fixed the human with a look. "What do you have to offer me?"

The question threw John for a loop as he honestly didn't _have_ anything to offer Todd at the moment. This mainly stemmed from the fact that Woolsey had only very reluctantly gone alone with this whole idea in the first place and had specifically said to only use resources they had at hand and not waste time if this proved fruitless. Unfortunately for the director of Atlantis, he was the only one that actually cared about how many resources or what tricks they had to pull in order to make this work; everyone in the city with the exception of maybe Kate and the other new expedition members that hadn't served under Weir would gladly give their left legs or any other body part if it meant getting Elizabeth back.

The question now was, what were the entire science department, half the botany department, three fourths of the military and over sixty medical doctors willing to give Todd the wraith in order to achieve that elusive goal.

John wasn't going to hold his breath.

The human's reluctance to answer made Todd consider that perhaps there had been a flaw in Sheppard's logic when the colonel had made the decision to called him. "You have nothing to offer me, do you?" the wraith asked although he already knew the answer.

John looked at him and held the alien's reptilian gaze. "No," he admitted, "I don't."

Todd nodded slowly. "Then there is no reason why I should remain."

Panic griped John as Todd made to rise and, desperately, the colonel grabbed for anything and everything he could in order to get the wraith to stay; he was Elizabeth's only hope."Woolsey doesn't know you're here," John said loudly and watched Todd stop and turn towards him. "In fact, Woolsey doesn't know much of anything about this."

Todd cocked his head to one side. "You have not told him?" he asked, now curious as to the importance of the woman Sheppard wanted him to save if the human was doing this behind his director's back.

John shook his head. "No," he affirmed and then sighed. "Look, Elizabeth means a lot to a lot of people and we'd be…grateful if you'd help us."

"Gratitude from you and the other humans of Atlantis is not something I can use, Sheppard," Todd explained. "It does me little good."

John snapped. "Don't you ever do anything without asking for something in return?" he demanded, angry that working with Todd always had to be so damned difficult. "I mean, if one of your commanders or something asked a favor from you would you not do it unless they had something to offer you?"

The wraith stared placidly back at him, unaffected by the human's anger. "That depends upon the amity, if any, that is shared between the asking commander and I."

John blinked at him. "So, if the one asking asked you to do it as a friend you'd say yes but no otherwise?"

Todd rolled his shoulders. "That is a distinct possibility, yes," he answered and then affixed the colonel with a look as though he had just thought of something. "Is amity the condition under which you have asked for my assistance in this…matter?"

John sputtered at the idea of asking Todd to do anything out of friendship but, if it saved Elizabeth, then he'd agree to just about anything. "What if it is?"

The expression on Todd's face changed instantly and his eyes narrowed in at the human. "I was not aware that we were on so easy of terms."

John shrugged. "Well, why not; I've saved your ass you've saved mine and we probably know each other as well as we're ever gonna so yeah, I'd say we're friends…kind of."

Todd snorted. "'Kind of' will not win you my assistance."

"Well how about please, then?" John questioned, an imploring look on his face.

Todd considered his options. He was fairly certain that his human ally would agree to or try anything in order to save the life of the one he called Elizabeth and the wraith had to admit that his loyalty to the woman had to be admired. It was a great deal like the loyalty that his generations of wraith held for their house's matriarch, the guardian and ruling female of a particular bloodline. It was a strong and all consuming loyalty that was unbreakable and unquestionable; nothing at all like the blind, false loyalty that a hive's queen inspired. That similarity and the fact that Sheppard had never asked anything of him involving the word 'please' made the wraith bow his head and relent, acceding to the human's request.

"Very well," he said slowly. "I will grant you what assistance I can in your endeavor."

John felt like a great weight had been lifted off of him and that little flicker of hope in his heart glowed brighter because of it. "Thank you," he said honestly and watched as Todd's eyes widened a fraction before going back to their usual blank neutralness.

"Hmmnnn," was all Todd said in response to an actual expression of appreciation from the human before he moved on to questioning the operation he'd agreed to assist with. "What progress have you made?"

John stood up and motioned for the wraith to follow him. "Not a lot," he admitted as he led the wraith through the moonlit corridors of Atlantis towards Rodney's lab. "We put the cloned body in a stasis pod down in the infirmary to keep it stable but all the computers are in here," they entered the lab and found Rodney, who had apparently dismissed Radek and Adams, asleep at his desk. "RODNEY WAKE UP!"

The Canadian astrophysicist yelped and jumped which caused him to fall off his stool and crash ungracefully onto the floor. Looking up, the startled and still slightly disoriented scientist beheld the sight of both colonel Sheppard and Todd the wraith laughing at him. He blinked and glared at the smirking alien. "When the hell did you get here?"

The smirk currently twisting the corners of Todd's mouth upwards deepened. "Oh," he informed the comically sprawled human, "some time ago."

"He's agreed to help," John explained as Rodney shook himself off and got up, turning to face them two of them once he was standing.

"Really?" he glanced between the two of them. "How on Earth did you get him to agree to that?"

John shrugged. "I'm just that good."

Rodney traded the colonel a look of clear disbelief. "Seriously?" he asked, hoping that the military man would give him a straight answer this time.

He didn't, in fact Sheppard didn't answer him at all, Todd did. "I believe the colonel said 'please'."

Rodney stared at him. "You're doing this 'cause the colonel said please? That's it?"

The wraith nodded. "There are other factors but I needn't trouble you with them Doctor," he regarded the human. "And his apparent loyalty to this…Elizabeth is admirable. I am not without compassion."

Rodney grunted. "If you say so."

John clapped his hands. "So," he looked from Rodney to Todd and back again. "Why don't you get him up to speed and then the two of you can get to work."

Rodney nodded and moved off to begin waking up his various computers that had all gone into sleep mode while Todd, instead, turned toward Sheppard.

"What will you be doing?" the wraith asked, slightly up set about being once again left to work with only McKay.

John eyed him. "I'm gonna go get you some more help."

Rodney perked up at that. "From who?" he asked. "Zelenka got called off world, Adams is handling a problem with the city's water heating system, you're here and I don't trust my assistants with something this important," he gestured around at the Michael's technological creation.

"I'll be back, Rodney," John called as he made for the door. "Just don't touch that program I was working on, I don't want you to screw it up."

Rodney sputtered indignantly but was denied a chance to retort as the colonel was gone before he'd managed to even think of a proper reply. Annoyed, the physicist wandered over to one of his labs computers that was hooked into the mess that Michael had made and began to explain what they'd managed to figure out so far to Todd.

He was still explaining things when Sheppard came back ten minutes later and Rodney wrapped up the explanation, Todd moving away almost eagerly to another work terminal, and rounded on the newly returned colonel. "So glad you could join us," he said darkly to the man. "And I'll have you know that nothing you could possibly do could be ruined by -"

"Shut up Rodney," a feminine voice said from behind Sheppard and Rodney cringed when he peered around the colonel and found Kate standing there in her pajamas.

"Ah," the Canadian scrambled for something to say only to come up short. "This is your help?" he asked, turning to Sheppard.

John nodded. "Kate's good with computers, part of the whole espionage, super spy thing," he eyed Rodney, daring him to contradict his choice of help. "Remember the training mission we went on with her, the one where she wrote that program to change base twelve math into base ten?"

Rodney's face screwed up in memory before finally he nodded and waved towards a terminal next to Todd. "Fine, whatever, you can have that one just don't screw anything up. We can't afford to make any mistakes here."

Kate glared at him. "Hey," she snapped at him. "I'm not dressed, have been awake for longer then you have and am in a very bad mood; be nice or I'll hit you."

Rodney gulped and ducked quickly behind his many computer monitors. John turned to Kate.

"I see about getting us some coffee," he said before walking over to one of the eight coffee makers that sat on various tables, desks and filing cabinets inside of Rodney's lab. Quickly adding the coffee grounds and filing the machine with water he pushed the start button and then moved over to another desk to do the same before going back to working on the portion of coding that Rodney had so graciously given to him to figure out.

They worked though the night and well into the morning before somebody told Woolsey that there was a dart sitting on the west pier and the man himself came storming down to Rodney's lab to demand an explanation. He'd gotten maybe three steps into the room before promptly stopping in his tracks, blinking several times to make sure he really was seeing what he thought he was seeing.

Colonel Sheppard was currently arguing with Dr. McKay about what was the best way to rewrite a sequence of computer code, Major Sheppard was barefoot and wearing a pair of baggy sleeping pants and a black tank top while typing away steadily at something that Woolsey couldn't see and Todd the wraith was likewise besides her doing the same thing. All in all, the four individuals currently working on the problem were the least likely group of people he'd have figured on banding together to solve the problem.

"No, no, you're not listing to me, you have to invert the variables otherwise -"

"That's crap Rodney and you know it."

"It is not! Need I remind you that I have a doctorate -"

"And I have a masters, doesn't mean I'm wrong and you're right."

"Well Actually -"

"Colonel Sheppard is correct," Todd interrupted the two arguing males, a smirk on his face and a new found respect for Sheppard beginning to take root within his mind.

John smiled at the wraith. "See, he says I'm right," he shot his benefactor a look expressing his gratitude. "Thanks Todd."

The wraith grunted and went back to his own lines of code.

Woolsey stared, feeling as though his entire world had just shifted and turned upside down. He was still staring when Major Sheppard realized he was standing there and turned to him, calling over the attention of the lab's other occupants. "Yes?" she asked tiredly and Woolsey almost regretted coming down here. Kate Sheppard was not known for being particularly kind when she was tired; in fact she could be downright mean.

Four pairs of eyes fixed on him, Woolsey swallowed and looked around. "Would somebody like to tell me what, exactly, is going on here?" he looked specifically at Sheppard. "And why is Todd here?"

John crossed his arms and stared down Atlantis' director. "He's helping us," he said, daring the bespectacled man to argue with him.

Woolsey felt like slapping the colonel silly. "And what do we owe him for his generous assistance?" he asked, mad at the man who always made deals with the wraith before consulting him.

Todd answered. "As it stands, Mr. Woolsey," the human turned towards him, "at this point in time you owe me nothing."

Woolsey gave the wraith a disbelieving frown. "Is that so?"

Todd nodded. "It is, Colonel Sheppard asked this of me out of amity and I felt inclined to reward him."

Woolsey felt all equilibrium leave him. "You're doing this for free!?!"

Kate snarled at him. "That's what he said," he looked at her. "Now, get out and go away; we've got work to do."

Normally, Woolsey would have reprimanded her for that but one look at her face and the pot of coffee that sat beside her keyboard and the former IOA representative thought better of it. "Very well," he said instead and turned on his heel. "Keep me informed," and he was gone.

Kate stuck her tongue out at him before he could disappear and then went back to her calculations.

John and Rodney went back to arguing and Todd turned towards Katherine.

"You are tired," he observed, noting the discoloration that had begun to appear under her eyes that had darkened as the hours passed.

Kate sighed and corrected a set of variables that she'd assigned the wrong values to. "What gave you that idea?" she asked ruefully, not quite pleased that Todd was seeing her like this.

The wraith peered at her out of the corner of his eye. "You need not feel ashamed Katherine, I do not see your tiredness as a weakness."

Kate silently cursed his ability to read her so well. "Good to know," she said softly, sitting back away from the computer screen and reaching for the pot of coffee that her brother had given her for her own personal use to re-fill her cup.

Todd watched her. "Perhaps you should rest rather than to continue to consume that liquid at such a rate."

Kate smirked over the rim of her cup. "Worried?" she asked, her mind going back to the last time she'd seen Todd and, as a result, she felt her heart flutter gently against her ribcage.

The wraith dipped his head in acknowledgement. "I am," he admitted knowing that, having openly showed concern for her before, it was a pointless fact to try and deny. "You do not look well."

Kate shrugged and continued typing. "Might have something to do with the eighteen hour recon mission I went on or the eight hour training camp Woolsey had me run or the fact that I haven't slept in four days."

Her presentation of facts made Todd frown, get up and go over the arguing Sheppard and McKay. "A word," the wraith said, interrupting the human scientist before he could berate Sheppard's programming skills yet again.

John looked at him. "Sure," he followed Todd a ways away from the others and then turned back to him. "What's up?"

"Katherine requires rest," Todd answered bluntly.

John frowned and leaned around the wraith to peer at his sister. His frown deepened. Todd wasn't far off, Kate was almost dead where she sat and she looked horrible, he turned back to the wraith. "That'd probably be a good idea," he agreed before squinting and looking upwards at the wraith, an accusatory glint in his eyes. "Wait, why do you care?"

Todd growled quietly and crossed his arms. "Need I have a reason?" he asked heatedly.

John mimicked his posture. "Yeah, as a matter of fact you do because I -"

"Ah, Sheppard," Rodney called and John turned around only to find Rodney pointing towards Kate who had apparently passed out. Her head was on her keyboard and she was snoring softly.

John groaned. "Well damn," he muttered and walked over to his sister. "Stay with McKay," he instructed Todd as he prodded Kate back into wakefulness so that he could escort her to her room. As he passed by Todd he could have sworn the wraith glared at him.

Alone with Dr. McKay, Todd returned to his work terminal where he continued with his calculations in silence.

~xXx~

It took them another two days, in which Todd practically re-wrote the entire operating system for the wraith parts of Michael's super computer, before they got everything to recognize everything else and for everything to work together smoothly. Strangely enough, and here Woolsey once more felt like his world had gone topsy-turvy, it wasn't McKay that figured it out but rather Colonel Sheppard and Todd. After the director had been briefed on their progress and told that they were ready to begin preparing for the transfer Woolsey was so confused and so confounded that he'd just agreed with a nod of his head before going back to his reports.

Thus, with permission granted, Rodney and John handed everything over to Jennifer and Todd who had set up one of the private infirmary rooms for just this purpose. It was now or never.

"Are you sure this'll work?" Sheppard asked for what had to be the tenth or twelfth time, Todd had lost count. The human was currently hovering behind the wraith whilst he completed the last of the preparations needed before they could attempt to transfer the consciousness from the replicator body into the cloned body of the female he'd heard Sheppard call Elizabeth.

"The chances might improve, Sheppard, if you left me be," Todd snapped at the irritating human, ignoring his sputtering protests and continuing with his last minute calculations. "I believe we are ready," he called out to Jennifer who was prepping the cloned body for the upcoming procedure.

The young doctor nodded and turned towards the anxious looking colonel. "Maybe you should go," she said to him, wincing when he shot her a look of hurt.

"But -" John started to argue before his brain caught up with him and he figured that it'd probably be easier for Todd and Jenn to do this if he weren't here. "You'll tell me when it's done?" he asked, already turning towards the door.

Jennifer smiled. "Of course," she assured him.

John nodded and took his leave. Jennifer turned to Todd. "Beginning transference," she announced, giving the signal for the wraith to key in the code that would begin the process.

With a few quick strokes of his fingers over the kiosk, Todd did as he was told. Within minutes a surge of electrical current coursed through the wires attacked to the temple of the replicator body and into the medical leads attacked to the clone. It was over in less than a minute and Todd stepped back, having done his part, to allow Jennifer to come forwards and take readings on the clone's vitals.

"She looks good," Jennifer said after she'd checked over all of Elizabeth's vitals. She looked up at Todd. "Now all we have to do is wait."

The wraith nodded. "I shall inform Sheppard," he said sharply and turned abruptly on his heel.

Jennifer listened to the sounds of Todd's heavy boots as he left the isolation room and turned her attention downwards to the evenly breathing Elizabeth Weir already hoping that she would not take too long to wake.

~xXx~

Consciousness seeped through her and Elizabeth opened her eyes to the bright lights that shown down on her from the ceiling of an unknown room. Groaning, she moved her head just a little from side to side gathering from her surroundings that she was in the infirmary in Atlantis. How she'd gotten there she didn't know; the last thing she remembered was walking through the gate and out into space, the mind numbing cold freezing her body as her mind went blissfully blank.

"You are awake."

The voice that greeted her was unfamiliar and seemed out of place. Still blinking her eyes, Elisabeth turned her head towards the sound. Her eyes widened and her mouth started to form a scream as her senses took in the menacing presence of the monster that stood over her. Before any sound could erupt from her throat, however; the wraith rolled his eyes and sighed which, even in her state of panic, Elizabeth found rather odd.

"Do not be alarmed Dr. Weir," Todd said, trying his best to make his deep, multi-toned voice sound as gentle as possible. Gauging for the look on the female's face, he'd failed miserably. He tried again. "I will not harm you."

Elizabeth struggled to sit up, discovering in the attempt that her muscles were shaky and weak. That didn't stop her from managing to rise into a sitting position and press her back as far into the bed she was on as she could. "You know my name?" she asked, fear gripping her as she looked wildly around before focusing her eyes on the predator in front of her.

Todd sighed and crossed his arms, leaning back against a nearby lab table and taking the time to look over the woman in front of him more thoroughly. "Yes," he answered her, completely giving up on sounding less then threatening and simply speaking as he normally would. "Sheppard said -"

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "John?" she asked, confused now as to what sort of relationship John might have with a wraith, particularly one that looked this horrifying. Elizabeth swore she'd never seen any single wraith look as terrifying as this one did simply by breathing.

The wraith nodded. "Colonel Sheppard, yes," he replied and then cocked his head to one side in curiosity. "Do you not recognize where you are?"

Confused, although slightly less scared then she had been upon first waking, Elizabeth looked around this time slowly enough the her surroundings actually registered. Frowning she turned back to the wraith. "I'm in Atlantis," she said, now concerned as to why a wraith would be standing so casually within the lost city.

"In the infirmary," Todd modified her answer coming out of his lean and reaching for the radio that had been left to him when Jennifer had finally succumbed to weariness and retired.

Elizabeth jumped as the creature moved. "What are you doing?" she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest in both protection and because she was just slightly cold.

Todd raised the radio now held in his hand for the woman to see. "Summoning Sheppard and the others," he informed her, trying again to sound less threatening then he normally did. This time he succeeded; the female relaxed.

"Sheppard," he called into the radio and then waited for the response.

"This is Sheppard," Came the reply and Todd saw the woman's attention turn to him as Sheppard's voice came out of the communication device.

"She is awake," he answered swiftly, hoping that Sheppard was quick in his arrival. There was another place that Todd wished to be at the moment and the sooner Sheppard came to relieve him of his duty the more quickly he could excuse himself.

The colonel's reply was quick. "One my way," sounded over the radio and Todd grunted as he replaced the communication device on the lab table, returning his gaze to the auburn haired female.

Elizabeth shifted under the intense gaze she was receiving from the predator. "What are you doing?" she asked him, wishing fervently in the back of her mind that he'd stop staring at her.

Todd blinked. "You are an intriguing female," he informed her, cocking his head to one side and continuing his observation of her. "Sheppard's loyalty onto you is noteworthy."

Elizabeth dropped her head, not at all sure how to reply to that and, thankfully, she didn't have to. A moment after the wraith spoke, the door to her room opened and both John and Dr. Keller walked into the room.

Todd eyed Sheppard on his approach. "I trust I may leave now?" he asked dryly, pointedly pinning the human with a look that relayed just how much he abhorred being here.

John nodded. "Yeah, go on, go do whatever it is that you're dying to do but," he paused and looked at the wraith, "Don't leave the city. We're not done with you."

Todd snarled. "As you say, Sheppard," he hissed angrily, inclining his head only slightly before turning on his heel and hurrying his leave from the room.

With Todd gone, John turned to Elizabeth and smiled. "Ignore him, he's moody."

Elizabeth nodded, too shocked to say anything else. The wraith's interaction with John spoke of a familiarity between the two of them that Elizabeth found herself very curious over, curious enough to ask questions even though she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing here or what was going on. "John," she called and the colonel turned to her expectantly, "What's a wraith -"

"Doing in Atlantis?" John finished for her having anticipated the question since Todd'd left. "He's our ally and he's here because he's really, really old and really, really good with wraith computers. We needed him to help us get you back."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Get me back?" she questioned looking around at both John and Dr. Keller. "What do you mean?"

John looked at Jennifer and the doctor sighed, reaching for a mirror and handing it to the confused Dr. Weir. "Here," she told her gently, "Look."

Elizabeth took the offered mirror and flicked her eyes onto her reflection; her mouth dropped open. "I'm…"

"You're you," John offered softly, smiling.

Elizabeth nodded, her eyes roving over not the replicator face that she'd come to expect but her own human face that she had thought had been lost to her.

"Michael cloned you," Jennifer started to explain after a few minutes had passed by. "He found your replicator body and pieced together a super computer out off all these wraith parts and even stolen Earth computers so that he could download your consciousness from the replicator into his clone."

Elizabeth turned wide eyes to the young doctor. "I don't understand," she said slowly, shaking her head before turning to John, "You both know better than to try and finish anything that Michael of all people started. Even for me, what were you think -"

John cut her off. "We've got it covered," he told her, reassuring her. "Besides, that's what Todd's for. He's smarter than Michael and about a hundred thousand years older so we figure that if Michael had had some sort of virus or something hidden inside his computer codes, Todd'd have found it."

Elizabeth squinted. "Todd?"

John looked sheepish. "Yeah, Todd. I named him after a friend I used to have in college; really pale, manipulative and generally an asshole."

"Doesn't sound like the type of person you'd want for your ally," Elizabeth concluded ad Jennifer moved forwards to take her blood pressure and some other vitals. "Why are you allies?" she questioned. "He doesn't seem very…pleasant to me."

John shrugged, not really ready to go into an in depth discussion on how and why Todd came to be such an integrated part of Atlantis at the moment. "We've had our ups and downs, he's not so terrible once you get to know him."

Before Elizabeth could pry farther into the reasons for the wraith's presence, Jennifer cut her off. "There," the young woman soothe softly to her, a fact for which Elizabeth was grateful. "You're all done, everything looks fine."

John looked at the doc. "When can she leave?" he asked.

Jennifer pondered this. "I'll keep her over night tonight but I think she'll be alright to be put in guest quarters in the morning."

John nodded and turned back to Elizabeth. "Get some rest, we'll be back in the morning."

Elizabeth sighed and sent looks of gratitude towards them both. Thank you John, Dr. Keller."

They both nodded and quickly took their leave, leaving the weary woman to rest.

~xXx~

Elizabeth was released as promised in the morning after Dr. Keller cleared her to go and, as predicted, she'd been in her guest room for a grand total of five minutes before John came knocking. "Come in," she greeted him, stepping back so that he could enter her room and then turning towards him. "So, what's on your mind, John?" she asked, happy to see her friend now that she'd had a proper night's sleep.

John grinned at her. "Well, he started. "I thought you might like to see some people, catch up. Teyla's got someone she wants you to meet."

Elizabeth smiled excitedly. "Lead the way," she replied and, ten minutes later, found herself being lead into the mess hall. Glancing around the familiar room, Elizabeth let John steer her though various tables over to the one that sat in the back corner of the large area and the one at which she could remember passing many an evening.

"Hey guys," John called out, planting Elizabeth at the end of the table and waving to get everyone's attention. "Look who I've got."

Ronon, Teyla, Rodney and Laura Cadman turned towards her and smiled warmly in greeting, making Elizabeth's heart soar.

"Glad to have you back," Ronon spoke first as Elizabeth took a seat at the end of the table across from Rodney.

She smiled at him. "It's good to be back," she said honestly and then felt something poke at her from below the table. Looking down and to her left she found herself staring at a little boy perhaps three years old. "Hello," she greeted hesitantly, not at all sure who he was or what he was doing here. "And you are?"

"His name is Torren," Teyla supplied for her son and sent the wayward boy a look that commanded him to come back to her. He did and, as he crawled up onto her lap, she smiled up at Elizabeth. "He is my son."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "I…congratulations," she sputtered, surprised but happy for her friend; he looked just like her.

Teyla nodded. "Thank you," she looked down on her child and smiled, gently threading her fingers through his hair. "He has just turned three this past month."

Teyla's obvious joy at having a child made Elizabeth incredibly happy. "Such a big boy," she commented, smiling at the shy child.

John nodded. "Yeah, he's growing fast."

Companionable silence reined for a few moments before their table was joined by a slightly frustrated looking Major Lorne. "Dr. Weir," he greeted her as he sat down before turning on Rodney. "McKay, you're a moron," he scolded, completely flabbergasting the scientist.

"What'd I do!?!" he scratched, at a total loss. Ronon and Sheppard snickered.

"What'd he forget to do this time?" John asked, amused.

Rodney rounded on him. "Why do you always assume that I've forgotten to do some -"

"Because you did," Lorne interrupted him before taking pity on him and deciding to explain. "Remember how you promised that you wouldn't sign up for that three week assignment on PX3 - 967?"

Rodney looked confused; everyone else at the table looked amused. Lorne continued to explain. "Let's see now, who's birthday is coming up…oh yeah, Jennifer's!"

The color drained from Rodney's face. "Oh no…" he muttered, suddenly feeling very, very ill.

John slapped him on the back. "Dude, you forgot her birthday. You're wife's gonna kill you."

Rodney whimpered. Elizabeth looked confusedly around the table.

"Wife?" she echoed, a frown on her face.

John turned to her to explain. "About six months ago this one," he jerked a thumb at the sick looking astrophysicist who was currently looking down at his plate in horror, "married the doc," he gave his friend a incredulous shake of his head. "And apparently he's still getting the whole husband thing down."

Rodney looked up. "I'm sorry!"

Lorne shrugged. "Tell that to Jennifer."

"Tell me what?"

Rodney looked up at his wife in absolute terror. "I agreed to go to PX3 - 967, I forgot why I said I wouldn't and I'm really, really sorry. I can get out of it if you want, or -"

"Rodney stop," Jennifer held up her hand and tried to hide the smile on her face. "It's okay."

Every single male at the table stared at her. "It is?" they all voiced in unison, completely socked.

Jennifer nodded and sat down. "Yes," she explained. "You see, I'm completely aware that my husband as the social grace and understanding of a teaspoon so I half expected this," she shrugged. "He wouldn't be Rodney if he always remembered the little things," she shot her husband a look. "But forget our anniversary and I'll lock you in a room Todd after pouring a bucket of water over his head."

Rodney gulped. "March the twenty-third; I remember."

Ronon and Lorne snickered.

Elizabeth turned to John and the colonel took the cue to explain the joke without her having to ask. "Todd hates water, hates being wet and his already charming mood darkens several shades whenever he's in one of the two already mentioned situations and let me tell you, he's downright scary when he's pissed. Even the other wraith are afraid of him."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "And yet you allow him in the city?" she shook her head. "I still don't understand, he'd a wraith."

Surprisingly, it was Ronon who came to his defense. "Todd's…Todd. He's useful."

Elizabeth stared at him. "But you can't control him," she argued. "How -"

"He's not uncontrollable," Lorne countered. "Just mostly. He listens to Kate."

"He does a lot of things for Kate that he won't do for anyone else," Cadman reminded them all. "Like last Christmas, he drank eggnog because Kate told him to."

Now Elizabeth was really confused. The causal way everyone was referring to this wraith worried her as to date, she'd never met one that was trustworthy and saw no reason why this one was or should be any different. Something, however, was bothering her more than their overwhelming confidence in the life sucking alien. "Who's Kate?" she asked.

John smirked. "She's -"

"Behind you," Lorne interrupted him, pointing. "And look, Todd's with her; what a surprise."

"Half dressed," Cadman added, giggling at the look of utter horror that flashed across their commanding officer's face.

"What!?!" John yelped, twisting in his seat so that he could look behind him at his sister, who'd just walked into the mess, and the wraith who was following her. Sure enough, Todd was out of his usual layers of leather and it didn't take a genius to figure out what he and Kate - who was in her workout clothes - had been doing. "They've been sparing," the colonel said moodily, turning back to the table and its occupants and glaring down at the table top as if it'd done something terrible to him.

Ronon shrugged. "What's wrong with that?"

John sent the Setedan a glare. "They use knives," he reminded them all. "Remember what happened the last time they sparred? Kate had to get stitches."

"Yeah, but she kicked his ass," Cadman defended her friend. "That's gotta be worth something right?"

John fumed.

"What's wrong with him?"

Everyone looked up. Kate was standing not too far away, her arms crossed and a look of amused curiosity on her face. Todd the shirtless wraith stood just behind her, his posture and face mirroring hers. They were so in synch it was scary. Elizabeth took the time to look over the woman and found her to be unusual in many ways. For one thing her features were harder and less kind then the former director of Atlantis had expected and she didn't appear to be wearing any makeup. It struck Elizabeth as odd, almost as if the woman didn't care about her outwards appearance; she could be very pretty if she'd put some effort into her looks.

Lorne smirked and gestured for the newly arrived Todd and Kate to sit. Todd did, in the only seat left available while Kate glared at him.

"Oh, real gentleman you are," she scolded the wraith who smirked at her.

"I shall relinquish my seat if it pleases you," he teased her, laughter dancing in his reptilian eyes.

Kate opened her mouth, John cut her off. "There will be no pleasing," he dictated. Kate shrugged and sat on Lorne's lap, her brother turned to Todd. "And why in God's name are you…" he gestured over the wraith's lack of attire, "…like that?"

Todd quirked an eye ridge. "There is something wrong with my appearance?" he questioned, amused. "Do not you yourself and the runner often come to public settings thus?"

John scowled. "That's not the point. We're us and you're you. People like looking at us, nobody likes looking at you -"

"Now John," Kate interrupted. "That's not really fair now is it?" she gestured at Todd who was suddenly eyeing her. "There's really not much difference between you and him accept he's in better shape then you are."

"He is not," John defended automatically before backtracking. "Well, okay, maybe but he's green and has way too many tattoos."

"I happen to like them," Kate countered; Todd was now watching her very intently.

Lorne snorted. "You would," he shot his commanding officer a look of pity. "Sorry, sir, but I happen to know for a fact that half the female population of this city likes to look at him so you're SOL."

John growled.

Todd smirked. "I win."

John glared at him. "Drop dead."

"You first," the wraith hissed, his smirk festering.

John opened his mouth.

"Okay," Kate intervened before her brother or Todd hurt somebody; or each other. She looked at the wraith. "Didn't you say you'd teach me how to fly your dart?"

Todd nodded. "I did."

Kate stood up. "Wanna do that?" she asked, pointedly looking at her brother before fixing her eyes on Todd. The wraith bowed to her suggestion and joined her, the two of them walking away.

John called after them. "Don't get any ideas!" Kate flicked him off and John snickered, turning back to the table and shrugging when Lorne, Cadman, Jennifer, Ronon and Teyla all sent him incredulous looks. "What? Hey, there is exactly one seat in a dart; not much room for a student pilot accept on top of -"

"You are paranoid," Cadman shook her head. "Honestly."

The rest of the table chuckled. Teyla stood up. "It is getting late," she said, gently rocking the napping Torren. "I must put him to bed."

Rodney and Jennifer stood as well. "Yeah, we should get going too," the couple waved to Elizabeth and followed Teyla.

Lorne and Ronon went next followed by Cadman until it was only Elizabeth and John left at the table. The mess hall was pretty empty as late as it was which was a surprise because usually this time of night was when all the scientists realized they hadn't eaten anything all day and began to trickle in to grab some of whatever was left over from everyone else's dinner. John had honestly been dreading this part of Elizabeth's return because he knew that now, with everyone else gone off to do their own things, he'd have some explaining to do. He didn't mind so much explaining Kate or Teyla and Torren or the McKays but, knowing Elizabeth as he did, the colonel seriously doubted that she'd be asking that many questions about them; it was Todd she'd grill him on and John wasn't really sure he wanted to delve that deep into his and Atlantis' relationship with the wraith.

While John was busy contemplating the table, Elizabeth took a deep breath. "So," she began watching as the military man reluctantly lifted his eyes from the wood grain and up to hers. "It's great about Teyla and Jennifer and Rodney."

John nodded. "Yeah, the latter took us by surprise though. Ronon fancied her there for a bit; still can't believe she chose McKay."

"I can," Elizabeth said, casting her eyes over her friend and noting his uncomfortableness. She wondered what he was so afraid of then again, she had an idea. "John," she looked harshly at him. "What's the wraith doing here, really?"

John sighed; they'd gotten to that topic faster then he'd anticipated. "Todd's…" he trailed off not really sure how to explain this to her without telling her how, exactly he'd met him in the first place. John did not see Elizabeth handling that well.

Elizabeth shook her head and leaned across the table, closer to John. "How'd you meet him anyway?" she asked, curious as to how this strange partnership had started.

"Funny story," John exhaled slowly, dreading what he was about to tell her but knowing that it had to be said; she wouldn't let it go otherwise. "Koyla introduced us."

She frowned. "Koyla introduced…John," she stopped, narrowing her eyes and giving the man sitting across from her a piercing look that he squirmed under. Comprehension came rushing towards her and Elizabeth felt her sense of right and wrong leave her. "He's…he's the wraith that fed off you isn't he?"

John bowed his head, not daring to look at her in the wake of this revelation.

"How can you possibly trust him after what he did!?!" Elizabeth cried loudly causing the few people that were in the mess hall to turn and eye both she and John strangely. "He…he nearly killed you, how can you -"

"Things change, Elizabeth," John interrupted her, looking up. "He gave me my life back, remember? He's not all bad."

"But he's a wraith," Elizabeth protested. "How do you know that he won't turn on you as soon as -"

John blinked and silenced her with a look. "Look, our relationship with Todd hasn't always been pleasant - the both of us have been quick to judge and quick to blame things that go wrong on the other plenty of times but we're past that. Like it or not Todd's the best ally we've got against the wraith and -"

"But he_ is_ wraith, John," Elizabeth reiterated. "If we've learned anything it's that the wraith have their own agenda and their own plans. If he helps you at all it's only because he'd getting something out of it; not because he's your friend."

John took a deep breath. "I know it may seem hard for you to believe but Todd hates the queens as much as we do, he comes from a time that predates everything we know about the wraith and he is way different than any other wraith we've ever met. He's saved us more than once, saved Earth at least twice and so what if he always expects some kind of favor in return; it's his way of keeping the status quo equal. "

His arguments made some sense, Elizabeth had to acknowledge that but it didn't mean there weren't flaws in them. "So what happened when he decides that you aren't useful to him anymore?" she asked, beginning the argument again anew. "He will always be wraith, John, he will always have a hidden agenda that he doesn't want to or won't share with you there's nothing you can do about that. He will betray you."

Elizabeth's conviction would have had him convinced a year ago, even as little as six months ago but now the circumstances had changed and John knew otherwise. Ever since Kate had come to Atlantis, he and everyone else had learned things about Todd as an individual and the wraith as a people that they'd never known or had even wanted to know before. His sister had changed things and John was honestly glad that she had because now Todd was bound to them in a sort of way that'd be really hard to break away from. The knowledge helped him to sleep at night.

"He won't betray us," John avowed, locking his eyes to Elizabeth's and holding them. "He can't betray us. We're the reason he's so powerful, our help has gotten him where he is today in the grand scheme of things. He can't back out of that, he's in too deep."

Elizabeth let out an exasperated sigh. "But John -"

"Did you know that we figured out how to get rid of the wraith's need to feed?" John interrupted her, fighting back a self satisfied smirk when Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Todd volunteered to be the first one we tested the therapy on and, so far, it's going well. He doesn't need to feed nearly as often as he used to and can actually survive partially on normal food," John smirked, a memory flickering across his mind. "You should see him try and eat spaghetti."

Elizabeth felt her mouth fall open. "How?"

John shrugged. "We actually stole the idea from Michael. The first try didn't work out so well - gave all the wraith who took it cancer - but this new version, the one Todd's on, it's been successful so far. He and the doc are working on how to make it available to be mass distributed to all the wraith under his command which is about thirty percent of the population near as we can tell. The bastard's practically the king of the wraith."

Not sure how to handle this new information, Elizabeth remained silent for a while giving John the time to come up with a good closing argument. "Besides," he offered in a one off shrug of his left shoulder. "There's at least one person in this city that Todd's actually friends with and, strange as it may sound, he's pretty protective of her. Always a good sign that he's not thinking about murdering us all in our beds."

The finality of the statement made Elizabeth think, going back to the interactions and conversations that she'd witnessed earlier in the day between the wraith and the woman she was pretty sure John was referring to. "Kate," she concluded eventually, seeing John nod in confirmation. "You're basing your trust of the wraith on her ability to be his friend," she send him a cold glare that let him know how stupid she thought this was. "Are you certain you can trust her judgment?"

Immediately, John's entire attitude changed. "Without question," he said evenly, understanding Elizabeth's concern but not liking her insinuation that Kate was someone not to be trusted.

Across from him, Elizabeth shook her head. "But how -"

John stood up, tired and done with defending both his sister and Todd. "But nothing," he said loudly, startling the still seated woman. "Things change, you've been gone a long time. Todd's the one who figured out how to bring you back and Kate's done more good then you'll ever know."

Elizabeth sighed deeply and tried to make amends. "I'm not saying that she's not trustworthy or that she's not a good person it's just -"

"Kate understands Todd, has a unique perspective on what it's like to be hated simply for being what you are. I don't get it, nobody really does but for some reason that similarity has made them real, actual friends and we're all the better for it," John explained, casting Elizabeth one more long look before continuing. "She's been through a lot, got turned into a human weapon by our own government and got thrown into a world that she's somehow managed to make the best of. They get each other, that's just the way it is."

Elizabeth reached towards him. "I'm not putting her down John," she tried to make him understand. "It's just, if she understands him so much then how can you be sure that her loyalties are really to Atlan -"

"Don't," John spoke over her harshly, startling her. "Don't you dare accuse Kate of not having our best interests at heart. I trust her with my life, that should be enough for you."

Elizabeth felt like she was losing him but before she could try and make John understand how the whole situation with the wraith and that strange woman looked from her point of view, he was gone and she was left alone. Sitting back in her chair, she pondered over what had happened to have made John so defensive. as her mind worked though their conversation, a sudden sickening feeling began to know at her that the Atlantis she had left and the Atlantis she now found herself in were not the same. Too much time had gone by and she'd missed too much for her to be able to comprehend and be okay with everything that had changed.

Since waking up in the infirmary, Elizabeth felt like maybe being brought back hadn't been the blessing she'd thought it was. She didn't belong here anymore and that thought, more than any other, scared her.

~xXx~

Richard Woolsey may not have been the most observant man in the world but he was not - contrary to the belief of the majority of the people in Atlantis - totally stupid. That was why, the day after Elizabeth was released from the infirmary, the director of Atlantis knew that something was wrong. It took him a while, several hours, to figure out what had happened and after he'd done so it took him several more hours to find the time to go and speak to the newly resurrected doctor. As it stood, he found her in the arboretum, sitting on a bench, cup of coffee in hand, staring out at the foliage that had been planted by the botany department in an effort to provide a refuge from the daily rigors of city life.

"Dr. Weir."

Elizabeth jumped, turning only to find Mr. Woolsey standing near her. "Mr. Woolsey," she greeted, offering to let the man sit next to her. "What brings you out here?"

The director sat. "It has occurred to me that all is not well with your return," he looked her over. "Something's wrong."

Elizabeth nodded and looked down at the cup she held; it's contents having long since grown cold. "You could say that," she whispered softly feeling slightly out of place speaking to this particular man about the disagreement she'd had with John.

Woolsey felt sorry for her. "I know that a lot of things are different then they were when you left," he began, trying to be as empathetic as possible; something that was a minor difficulty for him. "But I assure you -"

"John and I had a fight," She interrupted him, needing to talk about this to someone and, since he was here, she figured that Richard Woolsey would just have to do.

The balding man's eyes softened. "May I ask what about?" he probed gently, not wanting her to feel as though he were invading her privacy but finding himself curious nonetheless.

Elizabeth laughed hollowly. "I asked him about Todd and about that woman Kate," she paused and took a deep breath. "He defended her against everything I said; I've never seen him so…"

"Protective?" Woolsey finished for her, watching the forlorn woman nod. "Yes, well, it is to be expected."

Elizabeth looked up at him, frowning. "In what way?"

A thought occurred to Woolsey who, knowing how reluctant either Sheppard was in sharing details about their personal lives, wondered what, exactly the colonel had told her about his sister if anything. "What did Colonel Sheppard tell you about his relationship to Kate?"

The woman shook her head. "Nothing," she replied. "Just that she was some sort of government weapon and that she understood the wraith better than anyone else. I asked him if, that being the case, he could really trust her judgment."

Woolsey made a face, understanding that the colonel would have most likely bit her head off for insinuating something like that about his sister; not that he'd told her Kate was his sister but that was something that Woolsey could get to later. "Kate's unique," he explained gently, drawing Dr. Weir's eyes to his with a look. "When she came to us, we knew almost nothing about her other then the fact that she was a literal human weapon; stronger, faster and more deadly than a normal soldier. Her DNA has been genetically altered to give her more abilities than your average human and, I can honestly say, those abilities have come in handy more than once."

Elizabeth nodded, accepting what she was being told because, quite honestly, when she'd seen the woman for the first time the day before she'd possessed about her the same underlying aura of violence and terror that the wraith did if only slightly less prominent. There was no questioning the fact that the woman was dangerous. "She's valuable then?" she asked Woolsey who had gone silent after his initial explanation of the mysterious Kate.

He nodded. "Very. Kate, in addition to being a viable human weapon, also has the unique ability to, as colonel Sheppard explained, understand the wraith. She perceives them on a different level then the rest of us do, hating them for what they do rather than simply being what they are. As I understand it, she was the one that persuaded Todd to try the gene therapy once more."

"I heard the first try didn't end so well," Elizabeth commented, trying to remember what John had told her about it the night before.

Woolsey sighed. "No, it didn't."

She turned to him. "And this Kate convinced Todd to give up the ability to feed?" she questioned, surprised by the amount of power the woman seemed to have over the wraith.

"She did," Woolsey affirmed before he sighed and turned fully towards his predecessor. "You know the history between Todd and the Colonel?" he asked and when she nodded he continued. "Did you know that Kate is John Sheppard's sister?"

Elizabeth reeled backwards as though she had been slapped. "What?" she managed, after some of the shock had worn off and she rediscovered her ability to speak.

Woolsey nodded. "Major Kate Sheppard is Colonel John Sheppard's little sister, he trusts her explicitly," he eyed her. "His reaction to your doubting her seems to make more sense now doesn't it?"

Elizabeth could only nod dumbly.

Woolsey began again. "I know that all of this seems surreal to you but let me assure you that precautions are taken when we deal with Todd. Colonel Sheppard and his sister may trust him completely but I don't, at least not all the time. He's been surprisingly honest with us of late and I believe that that has something more to do with his current relationship with Kate then it does any other factor."

Elizabeth found her voice. "And what exactly is his relationship with Kate?"

Woolsey looked down at the ground. "Complicated. We learned several months ago that, reproductively speaking, wraith and humans are compatible. Since learning that I have taken the liberty to observe the ways in which Todd and Kate interact. They are…attracted to one another of that I'm fairly certain; him more so to her then she is to him."

Elizabeth stared at him. "They like each other?" she asked, dumbfounded.

Woolsey could only nod. "They do, at least on a basic level. Their relationship is more based on a mutual understanding of the other then it is sexual attraction. They are, in simplest terms, friends; a phenomenon that I assure you is sometimes hard to comprehend."

"I…see," Elizabeth said slowly, trying desperately to come to terms with all of this. Woolsey was right; it did seem surreal and, on some level, highly improbable. "And John and Todd?" she asked, still not quite certain that he could be trusted based purely on his friendship with Kate.

Woolsey took a deep breath. "Colonel Sheppard asked Todd to help us bring you back based purely on amity and he agreed. I don't know if they themselves are aware of the impact that this will have on their relationship or not but I know that, at times, it seems as though Todd and Colonel Sheppard are as close to friends as they are ever likely to get; not that I believe either of them would ever admit it."

Having all the facts helped and Elizabeth felt some of her equilibrium return to her although not all of it. There were still some things she had questions about however; before she had a chance to ask any of them, a wave of dizziness washed over her and her head fell into her hands.

Besides her, Woolsey frowned in concern. "Dr. Weir?" he called, scooting closer to her curiously.

Elizabeth fought back a sudden sense of overwhelming pain and didn't respond, pitching forwards as her vision began to fade.

Woolsey caught her by the arm, concern written clear across his face. "Elizabeth?" he tried, using her given name rather then more formal dictation. When she didn't respond and he looked down to see that she was in fact unconscious, the director of Atlantis reached for his radio.

"This is Woolsey, I need a medical team to the arboretum immediately; it's Dr. Weir."

~xXx~

For the second time in three days, Elizabeth Weir lay immobile in an infirmary bed with her friends - excluding Todd the wraith - standing around her. When Woolsey had brought her in, John, Ronon, Rodney and Lorne had been there moments after they'd arrived and had stayed through Jennifer's initial overview of her condition. Now, well into the stage where advanced tests were being run the four individuals were still hovering about in or near the infirmary while Jennifer, her nurses and one less then enthuses wraith tried to sort out the problem.

"What happened again?" John asked the nearby Woolsey who, like them, had more or less become a fixed presence down here.

Woolsey shook his head. "We were talking -"

"'Bout what?" Ronon asked, receiving a glared form the man he'd interrupted.

"If you must know I was attempting to explain why it was that you became so defensive of Kate when Elizabeth questioned her motivations the night before," the director explained, fixing Sheppard with a look. "When you spoke to Elizabeth last night, colonel, you failed to mention that Kate is your sister. Having informed her of that your actions the previous evening seemed much more understandable."

John looked at the floor. "I'm not…I'm not used to explaining Kate."

Woolsey inclined his head sagely. "Yes, of this I'm aware. I took the liberty of also explaining your very complicated relationship with Todd as well as Kate's relationship with him for that matter," he trailed off. "She seemed to take it well."

John frowned. "My sister doesn't have a relationship with Todd."

Lorne snorted. "Oh please, Todd's nicer to Kate then he is the rest of us; he likes her, he tolerates us. I'd call that a relationship."

John crossed his arms. "Yeah, well, when you say they have a relationship it makes it sound as if -"

"They're sleeping together?" Ronon provided.

John glared at him. "Yes, thank you for that lovely mental image. If he ever touches her I'll kill him."

"What if he had a good reason?" Lorne asked smirking. Hypothetical questions involving Todd and Kate were almost always fun mostly because the colonel usually went berserk. Of course, Lorne realized that now really wasn't the best time to bait his commanding officer with theoretical circumstances involving his sister and the wraith but the major also knew that if he didn't find himself a distraction, waiting out here in the hallway for Jennifer and Todd to come up with a diagnosis would drive him nuts.

John rounded on him. "Like what?" he demanded, drawing an absolute blank as to what would be a good enough reason for Todd to have to touch Kate and for him not to kill him on the spot for it.

Despite himself, even Woolsey was curious. "Yes, major," the usually aloof man questioned. "Like what?"

Lorne shrugged. "Well he's helped Kate up a couple of times and that involves briefly holding his hand -"

"And it was creepy," John shuttered.

"What about when she had to teach him to use a fork?" Ronon interjected, knowing exactly what Lorne was doing and finding that he couldn't help but play in on this one. Sheppard's reactions were just way to predictable.

A grin flashed over John's face. "That was funny," he shook the humor off. "But not likely to happen ever, ever again."

Woolsey frowned. "Kate taught him how to use a fork?"

Lorne nodded. "Yeah, when we were on Earth the last time. Kate talked Carter into letting us take Todd with us when we went out to dinner in the city."

Woolsey's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "He went to dinner with you? Where? How?"

Ronon smirked; the director's confusion made for a humorous interlude while they were waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Carter gave him some sort of image projector; made him look human."

John nodded. "He had eyebrows."

Woolsey blinked twice before shaking his head and turning back to major Lorne. "Never mind that, where did you go?"

"Hard Rock Casino, Vegas," Lorne informed the balding man. "Apparently he has manners, he held Kate's chair out for her."

Woolsey looked like somebody had slapped him. "What -"

"Colonel Sheppard."

The conversation drew to a close as john stood up and whipped around, pinning the intruding doctor with a look of deepest concern. "What'd you find doc?"

Jennifer shook her head. "It's not good," she told him. "Todd's waiting for us in my office; I thought you might like to talk, you know, privately."

Wordlessly, John nodded. "Yeah, sounds…good," he turned and looked at Lorne, Ronon and Woolsey. "I'll let you guys know as soon as I -"

"It'll be okay colonel," Lorne tried to reassure his commanding officer. "Just call us when you know what we're going to do."

John nodded and followed Jennifer though the isolation room and into her office. As promised, Todd was waiting for them and, after one look at the wraith's face, John felt his blood turn to ice. "So," he said slowly, sitting down on Jennifer's desk and looking at both the CMO and the alien.

Jennifer took a deep breath. "There's a problem with the clone," she began, her voice hallow with the effort of having to tell this man this. "Her body's cells are breaking down."

John frowned. "Like Carson?" he asked, Jennifer nodded. "Well that's great, we can just give her the -"

"It is not that simple, Sheppard," Todd interrupted him, fixing his golden eyes to that of the human's.

John looked at him. "Why not?" he demanded harshly.

Todd sighed. "Jennifer was kind enough to familiarize me with the condition that plagued your doctor Beckett. There are similarities between the cell degradation that occurred in doctor Beckett and that which is currently compromising the integrity of the cells within Dr. Weir's body but they are not the same."

John's entire body slumped forwards, wariness and heartache threatening to drown him. "You mean we're going to lose her?" he asked, his eyes wetting before he could stop himself. "We just got her back. Can't we put her in stasis until we can figure out how to help her?"

Jennifer shook her head. "The decomposition is happening too quickly. Putting her into a stasis pod would slow down the process and stabilize it but not stop it. At the rate of decomposition, just taking her out of the pod to administer a cure would most likely kill her."

A terrible sense of helplessness descended upon the colonel who lent forwards and dropped his head into his hands. "So there's nothing -"

"That you can do, no."

Both John and Jennifer looked up at the wraith.

"What?" John asked.

Todd explained." As I said, there are similarities between Dr. Weir's affliction and doctor Beckett's but they are not the same. The illness that Dr. Weir is currently suffering under, I believe, has more to do with the methods and materials by which she was cloned than any other variable."

Jennifer frowned. "What does that mean?" she asked, wondering why he was telling them this now rather than having told her whatever it was he was explaining to them while they'd been examining Elizabeth.

Todd sighed. "There are certain markers, protein signatures if you will, that exist in the drones. These markers indicate that the individual was produced by cloning rather then by live birth. Dr. Weir possesses these same markers."

John wrinkled his nose. "You mean Michael used a drone cloning facility to make Elizabeth?"

Todd nodded. "I believe so yes."

Jennifer shook her head. "I don't understand, how does this help us?"

"It is of importance because Dr. Weir's cells are mutating, breaking down, because of her exposure to these indicators," Todd continued.

John stared at him. "Well, can you fix it?"

The wraith inclined his head. "I believe I can, yes, but not here. Your equipment is not designed to deal with this sort of problem, the medical equipment on my hive, however, is."

"You want us to let you take her to your hive and operate on her?" John asked incredulously. "What makes you think…why are you even helping us at all? You did your part, you got Michael's hodge-podge computer to work, why are you doing -"

"I assure you, Sheppard, that my assistance in this endeavor will not come for free."

John glared. "What do you want?"

Todd took a step towards him. In truth he wanted nothing from the human but knew that Sheppard was not likely to believe that he was sincere in wanting to provide assistance unless he asked for something. When all of this had begun, the human had asked him to participate in this process out of - Todd didn't want to call it amity because it wasn't - but it was not the usual manner in which Sheppard asked him for things. The difference, while minute, was enough to make Todd agree to render aid and, having done so, he had committed himself to the cause for its duration. Sheppard seemed to be under the impression that it had ended when they had transferred her consciousness but Todd's honor, as well as more the a little bit of his pride, would not allow him to simply walk away from this now that a new and more troubling concern had arisen. He would see this through, as he did all things, and if that meant asking for a concession from Sheppard in order to win the human's confidence in him then that is what he would do.

"The gene therapy that I am currently undergoing," he began, affixing both the male and female human with a steely gaze. "The various stages have already been prepared, yes? They are ready to be administered?"

Jenifer nodded. "Yes, but -"

"I would have you give them to me," Todd interrupted her. "I grow tired of constantly having to drop what I am doing in order to come to your fair city to be treated. In return for this, I will do all that I can to help save your Dr. Weir."

John stared at him, his mouth open in shock. "Let me get this straight," he said slowly, not quite sure he'd heard the wraith right. "You want us to give you the gene therapy so that you can give it to yourself so that we don't have to see you so often and in return you'll save Elizabeth?"

Todd nodded. "Yes."

For a few moments in which silence reigned, John and Jennifer looked at each other in both shock - this was way too easy - and mild surprise. Todd, however, was as stoic and serene as ever giving them no doubt that he was serious. John came to a conclusion quickly.

"Deal," he said, turning towards the wraith and eyeing him closely. "You get your stuff, promise to keep taking it, and we get your help with Elizabeth."

Sheppard's acceptance of his terms pleased the wraith as, while the asking of it may have been out of necessity, he was being rewarded for his effort. Fewer trips to the Lantean city would mean more time for him to work on his own projects and schemes which had been falling to the wayside of late due to the amount of time he seemed to spend in this place with these humans. He could do well with some more precious time to himself.

Plans set, John left to go inform Lorne, Ronon and the others of what was going on while Todd and Jennifer prepared Elizabeth's body for transport. Woolsey was surprisingly easy to convince and Lorne and Ronon seemed eager to get it done and over with so that by the time they'd all piled into a jumper and taken off, the whole lot of them were practically oozing anticipation.

The flight to Todd's hive was spent in silence and no one spoke until they'd docked inside the dart bay and disembarked. Jennifer, Todd and several scared looking nurses that had never been in a hive before heading off to the medical bay while John, Lorne, and Ronon hung back.

"Kate didn't want to come?" Lorne asked, looking around the expanse of the dart bay idly; he, Sheppard and Ronon were sitting in the back of the jumper with the hatch down for lack of anything better to do.

John shook his head. "Didn't ask her; why?"

Lorne shrugged. "It's Todd's hive, usually Kate's jumping at the bit to come here."

John nodded slowly. "Yeah well, this isn't really a normal visit and besides; she don't know Elizabeth like we do. I figured she wouldn't want to be here."

Lorne thought that was a pretty big assumption considering how gung-ho Kate was about everything wraith; especially if it involved Todd. Knowing Todd and his indulgence of Kate, he'd probably let her just wander around while he and Jennifer worked in fact, he might have even assigned a junior officer to show her around. Her curiosity was a source of pleasure for the wraith which never got old; he liked teaching her things.

With nothing more to talk about and the ambiance of the living ship lulling them into a contemplative state, the three of them lapsed into silence and waited; each of them praying to a different deity to help Elizabeth make it through.

~xXx~

Once more, Elizabeth's mind slid into consciousness in a strange place. Her mind buzzing, her eyes opened to the strange yellow and purple lights of a darkened room. Looking to her left she realized with a jolt where she was the grey walls, so much like the pictures she'd seem of internal organs - alive and breathing, pulsing - that she'd seen many times giving it away. She was on a hive and she panicked.

"It's alright, Elizabeth," a familiar called out to her and Elizabeth twisted and sat up, coming face to face with a relieved looking Jennifer McKay.

"Dr. Kell…Jennifer," she managed to choke after her heart had calmed it's erratic beating. "What…where and I?"

Jennifer sighed and placed a soothing hand on Elizabeth's shoulder as she reached for her stethoscope. "We're on Todd's hive," she explained gently, taking measurements of Elizabeth's breathing and heart rate. Both were slightly elevated but, given where she'd woken up, that was to be expected.

Elizabeth turned to her. "Todd's hive?" she questioned. "Why?"

Jennifer looked at her. "What do you remember?"

Elizabeth searched her memory. "I remember talking to Woolsey in the arboretum, he told me that Kate is John's sister, and then I got dizzy and…" she looked around, she seemed to be in a medical bay of some kind, "…then I woke up here."

Jennifer nodded, having expected as much. "The method in which Michael used to clone you made you sick, we couldn't fix you on Atlantis so Todd offered to let us use his medical bay and equipment."

Taking a deep breath in order to take in all that she was being told, Elizabeth leaned back on her elbows and looked at Jennifer. "That was nice of him," she observed, calmed now and sure that a wraith wasn't going to pop out of nowhere and eat her.

Jennifer frowned. "Yeah, well, he didn't do it for free although he could have asked for something a bit…more."

Elizabeth looked to her. "What did he ask for?"

"The gene therapy," Jennifer replied. "Said he was tired of coming to Atlantis so often to get a shot every two months. I honestly think that the colonel was happy to give it to him; means we don't have to see him so often."

Elizabeth nodded.

"And therein lies the appeal."

Both women turned to see the subject of their conversation standing in the doorway, his arms by his sides as he gazed at them. "I trust you are well?" he asked, direction his inquiry towards the older of the two females.

Elizabeth, slightly shocked that a wraith would be asking after her wellbeing, nodded.

Todd smiled, something that unnerved the previously ill woman and that he chose to ignore. "Sheppard and the others are waiting for you in one of my command rooms; When you are able I shall take you to them so that you may depart."

Jennifer sent him a small smile. "Eagar to get rid of us?" she asked. teasing slightly as she'd seen Kat do numerous times.

The wraith nodded. "I am."

Jennifer shrugged and stood up. "Well, you'll have to come with us anyways. You left your dart sitting on our west pier and I'm sure I know of at least one person who'll be mad at you if you leave without saying goodbye."

Todd quirked his head to one side, his eyes narrowed. "Oh? And whom might that be?"

Elizabeth was sure she knew the answer.

"Kate," Jennifer supplied for him, giggling inwardly at the surprised if somewhat pleased expression that flickered briefly though his eyes. If she hadn't known him so well, she wouldn't have seen it.

Confirmation that Katherine would indeed be displeased at having him depart from her without a farewell made a familiar warmth began to grow within his lower abdomen. He did not, however, wish to discuss such things with others, nether wraith nor human. Katherine's importance to him was a matter he considered his own, something to covet, something to lock way within himself and hide. He did not want any other to witness the extent to which her value to him had grown.

"I have matters to which I must attend, Katherine will understand," he informed the doctor, his voice the same mixture of detachment and blandness that he normally used when speaking to the humans of Atlantis; only when he spoke with Katherine did he let his emotions tint his tone.

Jennifer frowned. "What about your dart?"

Todd scoffed. "I am in possession of several hundred thousand. I have instructed Katherine in the basic maneuvering techniques and operations of the craft, let her keep it."

Both Jennifer and Elizabeth stared at him. "You're giving her your dart?" Jennifer asked incredulously, thinking that Todd probably didn't see the significance of that. It was like he'd just bought her a car, a really nice car that had weapons on it and went really, really fast. They'd once clocked the speed of one of those things against a jumper just for the hell of it. A jumper handled like a seven forty-seven, a dart went faster and handled more like an F-16.

Todd nodded, not so certain he knew why the humans were making such a production out of so little a gift. "I am," he affirmed, coming towards them and stopping some distance from them still. "I would also have you give her something for me to…make up for my decisive departure."

Jennifer lifted an eyebrow. "What?" she asked, glancing to her left to see that Elizabeth was now studying the wraith very closely.

Advancing farther, Todd held out a tome to her. "Katherine expressed the desire to read farther. This is the most recent of my command logs."

Jennifer took the book and nearly dropped it it was so heavy. "Good Lord," she groaned, hefting the book up and cradling it in her arms.

Todd grunted. "I am tedious in my recordings," he offered by way of an explanation into the size of the volume. He turned to go, "There is a drone outside the door. Simply instruct it to take you to Colonel Sheppard and it will do so. I take my leave."

And he was gone.

Elizabeth stared after him, turning to look at Jennifer and the huge book she now carried with a perplexed expression on her face. "Care to explain that?" she asked, wondering at the same time if it _could_ be explained.

Jennifer shook her head. "Not really, it's one of those things that's really hard to follow unless you've been there from the beginning."

Elizabeth crossed her arms. "I'm not quite ready to leave yet so why don't you tell me what's going on with them?" she asked. "Mr. Woolsey told me that they're attracted to each other on a basic level."

Jennifer laughed. "Basic level?" she snickered. "Basic doesn't cover it. Kate's in over her head and so is he, they just don't know it yet."

Elizabeth frowned. "What do you mean?"

Jennifer shrugged. "Todd and Kate have been dancing around each other since the day they met; sooner or later it's gonna lead to something. The colonel's paranoid about it, he was somewhat less than thrilled to find out that wraith and humans can do the horizontal limbo and he's convinced that Todd likes Kate more then he should. Problem is, he's not only right but it goes both ways."

Elizabeth blinked at her. "You're joking," she managed after a while. "He's a wraith, Jennifer he can't…he can't care for her."

"He does," Jennifer assured her and then frowned. "You wanted to know the scoop and that's it. Todd cares about Kate and Kate cares about him. It hasn't gone anywhere yet and maybe it never will but it's there. That's why I'm surprised he asked for the gene therapy. I get that he doesn't want to be around any of us anymore then he has to but he enjoys the time he spends with Kate, I know he does because he's always with her and when he is he's almost always in a better mood," she sighed. "I wonder how long it'll take him before he realizes that he won't be seeing her as often as he used to."

Deciding that the lives of John's sister and Todd the wraith were not something she wanted to dwell on, Elizabeth signaled Jennifer that she was ready to go. The drone took them to the others just as Todd said it would and, once they'd been reunited, they were escorted to their waiting jumper by a wraith that John called Kenny. The ride back to Atlantis was uneventful and Elizabeth was just glad to be back and glad to be cured.

Woolsey met them in the jumper bay and took her and john to his office for a discussion. It was decided that, like Carson who no longer had a place here, Elizabeth would return to Earth where she would be given a position at the SGC. She'd be sad to go but she knew it was the right thing and, as she said her goodbyes, Elizabeth knew she'd be seeing them all again someday it was only a matter of time.

~xXx~

For someone who had been oh so thrilled to get rid of Todd, John was racking his brain as to why he'd felt the need to get out of bed in the middle of the night and go tramping down to the west pier in order to call said wraith on their 'Todd Phone'. The message he'd typed in had been simple: _Call me_, and John honestly didn't expect the alien to answer given the fact that he'd provided little to no explanation for why he wanted to contact him.

Therefore, the colonel was surprised when the console beeped and the visage of their alien ally popped up on screen; his arms crossed and a peculiar scowl on his face.

"What now?" the wraith demanded.

John wrung his hands. "I…I just wanted to…"

The wraith frowned. "Wanted to what Sheppard?" he questioned, his eyes taking in the human's attire; the colonel was wearing loose pants with multiple depictions of a creature on them that Todd had been told was called a bunny. The wraith quirked an eyebrow. "Should you not be sleeping?"

John sighed. "Yeah, probably only I couldn't. I had to…" he trailed off, not at all certain he could actually go through with this.

Todd tilted his head to one side and glared at the human that had once more, interrupted him whilst he had been in the middle of doing something important. Todd honestly didn't know why he had even bothered to respond; curiosity he supposed, remembering something about it killing a animal called a cat. It was a Earth idiom that Katherine had once told him about.

"I am waiting Sheppard," he huffed, his patience with the human growing dangerously thin. "You asked me to contact you, I have done so; what is it you wish to tell me?"

John closed his eyes and opened his mouth. "Thank you," he said hurriedly, feeling his pride - or what was left of it - burn down his throat.

Todd blinked. "You called me for this?" he asked, more surprised than anything else but not about to allow Sheppard to see that.

John opened his eyes and glared at the wraith. "Yeah, well, I didn't have to say anything at all," he snapped, miffed that he'd just taken a huge step and Todd didn't even seem to care.

The wraith eyed him. "Then why have you?" he questioned, honestly curious as to Sheppard's motivation for such an expression of genuine gratitude.

John floundered, not at all sure of what to say. "Because…" he trailed off and took a moment to organize his thoughts. "Because you didn't have to and, even though you got something out if it, it was something small and you could've just about asked for anything and I would've let you have it if it meant getting Elizabeth back. You could have taken advantage of that and you didn't so, I guess, I'm saying thank you for that."

Again, Todd blinked at him, responding with the only thing he could think of as being appropriate given the circumstance. "You are welcome."

John nodded, glancing down at the floor and the sleep pants he'd borrowed from Lorne after his had mysteriously vanished; he blamed his sister. He looked back up at Todd, the wraith was watching him.

"Is that all, Sheppard?" he asked, clearly wanting to be elsewhere.

John nodded. "Yeah," he said slowly. "Yeah, that's all I've got."

Todd eyed him, sending him one last look of perplexity before the screen went blank and John was left alone in the dark of the west pier communications room. He didn't know why, but having thanked Todd John felt immensely better about things; a phenomenon on which he didn't want to dwell.

Taking a deep breath and bowing his head towards the blank screen upon which moments before Todd had been gazing at him, John let out his breath slowly and then turned around and went to bed.


	15. Walk the Line

**A/N: After much consideration, I've decided to go ahead and post this even though I was originally going to wait a few more days before doing so. As a result, I'd better get reviews form like, everyone who reads this because ya'll have been bugging me, asking when the stuff in this chapter is going to happen and so forth for over six months now. Having given it to you, I expect responses. I mean it. As always, read, enjoy and then hit the little button at the bottom.**

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**Episode XV: Walk the Line**

John Sheppard and his team had been in some pretty bad situations before. The mess that they were currently in, however, made the others look like a marvelous vacation.

Three weeks ago, they had received a brief transmission from Todd. All they'd managed to get out of it was that his ship was going down and that he needed help. Wary of a trap, they'd called up Kenny and learned that Todd had gone to look for a planet that had been used as a prison for wraith during the war and later wiped from the Atlantis archives. He planned to free the wraith if they were still alive and incorporate them into his alliance. Kenny had confirmed that the origin of the transmission was in the same quadrant of space that the prison planet was supposed to have been in.

And so, in the spirit of once more saving Todd's ass, John, Ronon, Lorne and Kate had all piled into a jumper and flown to the nearest space gate only to then fly for eight hours to get to where Todd's transmission had originated from. Unfortunately, the planet the wraith commander had apparently gone down on sported a huge Ancient satellite, the sole purpose of which seemed to be making absolutely sure that no ships managed to escape: their jumper had fallen right out of the sky.

Crashing onto an alien planet without hope of escape John could have handled, but the world they had found themselves on was a vast, uncompromising desert that stretched on for miles and miles. He and his team had walked for days until finally even Kate had succumbed to the heat and passed out. When they'd woken up, they had found that they'd been rescued and brought into a palace type structure that had been carved straight into a cliff face. At first, they'd been grateful, until they realized that they were now slaves, forced to do manual labor while being lorded over by the original wraith crew that Todd had been looking for.

Now, three miserable weeks later, he, Lorne and Ronon worked side by side, day after day as they dug through the rock, expanding the wraiths' stone fortress deeper into the cliff. Wiping sweat from his brow, John hefted his pickax up once again for another swing into the unyielding rock, chipping away another small sliver of stone.

A whistle blew somewhere in the excavation area and John lowered his ax one last time before looking around and nodding at Ronon and Lorne as they walked towards him, each shouldering their digging tools as they walked towards the tool shed to relinquish their axes.

"Another day," Ronon grunted as they shuffled along, "how many does that make now?"

Lorne sighed as he handed over his ax to the awaiting handler wraith, the lowest class in this god forsaken hell hole that was in charge of handling the humans. "We've been here for twenty-five days," he informed his companions as they went with the tide towards the dining hall which was outside under an awning in the courtyard.

"Thought we'd have been rescued by now," John muttered as he and his team got into line, picking up their bowls and spoons and shuffling forwards. "At the very least I thought we would've seen Todd by now."

"He's wraith," Ronon reminded his commanding officer. "He's probably hiding somewhere in there."

Coming out of line with a steaming bowl of tasteless gruel and a piece of bread, John looked up at the looming face of the stone palace. Yes, Todd was probably squirreled away somewhere, working on God knows what, but if his position and rank outside this miserable place was any indication, it was likely he was so far up the ladder that they'd never see him. He and the other humans, slaves, only ever saw the lowest classes of wraith, the handlers and the foremen who were in charge of overseeing the expansion process. To date, neither he nor any other human that they'd talked to had ever seen a commander up close. Every now and then the high ranking wraith would come out into the courtyard and those who were mulling about in the outside rest area would catch a glimpse of one, but for the most part, they kept to themselves.

"Still would have liked to see him," John muttered, "just to tell him that this is all his fault."

"All whose fault?"

The three of them looked up to see one of the very few friends they'd made since coming here sit down across from them.

"Hey, Luta," Lorne mumbled, tired, as he spooned food into his mouth.

Luta, an aging man who - unlike the majority of persons here - had not been born into servitude but had crashed here, cocked his head to the side. "Who ya blamin' now?"

"Well, see," John started, "we have this friend named Todd. He's the reason why we're here and I was just thinking that it might be nice to see him. You know, say hi."

Luta snorted. "Ye be talkin' 'bout ye wraith friend again ain't ya?"

Lorne shrugged. "Maybe."

The old man chuckled. "I gotta admit, th' three o ya come up wit' some wild tales 'bout this Todd o yours," he shook his head. "He don sound like any wraith I eva seen."

"Oh, that's just 'cause you don't know him," John smirked, finishing his food and laying down his spoon, "he's a real swell guy once you get past the fact that he could eat you if you piss him off."

Luta chuckled. "If'n ya say so."

They were silent for a while before Lorne looked up at the sky and eyed the setting sun, judging the time in the only way they knew how on this desolate place. "Kate should be getting off work soon," he said.

John nodded. "Yep."

Since coming here they'd learned the difference between what a man was expected to do and what a woman was expected to do. The problem was that his sister couldn't sew, could barely cook and was in general a poor excuse for a domesticated woman. She was a soldier, and when she'd tried to explain this to the first handler wraith they'd met, he hadn't believed her. Now, more than three weeks later, the wraith still didn't believe her and so Kate was punished each and every evening when she failed to complete the tasks she had been assigned for the day, resulting in more than her fair share of bruises and a great deal of pain. John, Lorne, and Ronon had had a long talk with her after the first whipping she'd received about what to do about it. They had all unanimously agreed to do nothing as they didn't need any extra attention that a genetically altered super-soldier like Kate would bring them.

Not if they wanted to stay alive.

John sighed, feeling sorry for her even before Lorne hit him on the arm and pointed towards the fortress. Looking in the direction his major had pointed in, John winced in sympathy as his sister limped over to them, a look of sharp pain on her face.

"You alright?" Ronon asked as she gingerly sat across from the large Setedan next to Lorne.

Kate started to nod but then stopped and shook her head. "No, I'm not alright," she confessed, her teeth gritted to keep from crying out in pain.

John looked over her. "They used the whip again didn't they?"

She nodded. "Yeah, and boy did it sting. Like a bitch."

Lorne shook his head in sympathy and raised his hand to pat her on the back before stopping, realizing that even the lightest most comforting touch would probably cause her vast amounts of pain. "What'd you do this time?" he asked instead.

Kate let out a long, low shutter of a breath. "I fucked up some commander's clothing that I was supposed to be mending."

All four men winced. Yes, that would most certainly do it.

John looked over her. "Do you think you'll be healed by tomorrow?" he asked. Kate had been beaten before for failing to recover from the punishment that she'd earned the day before. It didn't make any sense to John and he rather thought that it was just the excuse they used to demonstrate their dominance over their slaves.

While Kate remained quiet, Lorne leaned back and looked over her back. Shaking his head he turned to his commanding officer. "I doubt it."

Kate let out a hollow laugh. "There's a girl stationed near me, Mya I think her name is. Anyway, she's been making me this salve stuff that smells awful but works like magic," she looked up at her brother. "I should be fine by tomorrow."

John nodded. "Alright," he glanced down, noticing something and frowned. "Where's your food?"

Kate snorted. "Can't have any, not after my screw up today," she scowled under her breath. "Knew I should have paid more attention to Aunt Elsa when she was trying to teach me how to cross stitch."

Her muttered comment made the four of them at the table laugh as Luta halved his bread and handed over the larger of the two pieces to Kate. "Here, girl," he said kindly, "Ya be needin' dis more din I do."

Kate took the offered food gratefully. "Thank you," she said and leaned over to kiss the old man's weathered cheek.

Luta beamed and grinned foolishly as she gulped it down just as the rest of them were finishing their meal. Standing as a group, they each cleared the table as best they could before meandering towards the universal sink set up at the end of the food line to toss in their bowl and spoon before parting ways. The one thing Kate could do was clean and so she'd been more or less permanently assigned to clean up duty after everyone else was done with the evening meal.

"Night, Kate," John said to her, kissing her on the forehead before stepping back and allowing Lorne to do the same. Ronon saluted her and Luta bowed to her slightly before the four of them headed back into the fortress and towards bed. The dormitories were a lot like the dorms back at basic training only the room was longer, wider and had about five rows of twenty bunk beds instead of the usual two or three rows of ten. Each bed had one very course blanket and a lumpy excuse for a pillow that John suspected was just a bag full of old rags – along with maybe a rock or two. The mattresses were hard and uncomfortable and in general the conditions were terrible, much like those in a concentration camp back in World War Two.

Tearing his thoughts away from the living conditions that he and his team had been forced to endure for the past twenty-five days, John moved wearily over to the bunk he shared with Lorne and took his work boots off, stashing them under his bed and to the right while Lorne did the same with his only to the left. After that, he dragged himself over to the communal sink at the end of the room that was little more than a stone trough carved right into the wall. The water inside was dirty, but John washed himself as thoroughly as possible. Walking back, John Sheppard offered a quick good-night to his team and Luta before closing his eyes and immediately falling into sleep.

~xXx~

"FEMALE!"

Kate groaned and stopped what she was doing, or attempting to do at the very least, and looked up into the angry and hard gaze of the handler that seemed to have made it his personal mission to make her life a living hell. "Yes?" she inquired defiantly, absolutely refusing to tack on the usual 'master' that everyone else employed.

The wraith glared down at her. There was no debating the fact that this female was the most defiant human he had ever come across and that was truly saying something. With her every breath, she defied the rules that had been laid down for the humans to follow and in every action she refused to yield. His patience with her, and the patience of his peers, was growing dangerously thin.

"Why have you not completed your tasks for the day?" he demanded, wondering if she would offer him the same excuse that she had thus far every day since her arrival.

Kate sighed. "I told you, where I come from I'm a soldier not a housewife," she gestured over the piles of garments in need of mending that she was supposed to have finished by now. "I can't do this."

The wraith snarled and reached for her, grabbing her by the arm and hauling her to her feet. "Lies, again," he hissed at her. "Perhaps one day you will learn to tell the truth and take responsibly for your laziness rather than create false tales."

Kate knew better then to protest as the wraith dragged her off towards the punishment room that she had, over her tenure here, grown quite familiar with. Wordlessly she kept up with him until he released her, flinging her into the room whilst he went to get one of the Foremen who would be responsible for actually dolling out the punishment. She didn't have to wait long before not one, but three burly looking wraith that resembled drones but weren't walked in followed by the Handler.

"We shall try twenty lashes today," the Handler began and allowed his face to transform into a triumphant smirk when he saw the horror pass through her eyes at such a high number. "Perhaps that will break you of your defiance."

Kate swallowed the retort she would have bit out to him and kneeled as she was instructed to do. _Just grin and bear it, Kate, just think happy thoughts until it's all over'_ she repeated over and over again to herself as she felt the first sting if the whip bite into her flesh. Again and again the pain came and finally, after her eyes opened to find the handler laughing at her in her misery, she snapped.

Waiting for the Foreman to draw back for another swing, she turned and caught his whip as it came back towards her. Startled, the wraith didn't know what to do. Kate used this to her advantage as she tugged hard once, pulling the whip's handle from his hands. Standing, she twirled the weapon around her head and reached up to catch the handle just as the second foreman rushed her. With little or no effort, and because he wasn't expecting her strength or agility, she dropped into a crouch and used the whip to swipe his feet out from under him.

Turning on the third foreman, she stepped up, ducked a blow aimed at her head and pressed the handle of the whip to his throat. The wraith's hands flailed and scrapped at her hands as she chocked the air form his lungs until his body went limp. Dropping it, she turned towards the two advancing wraith and, still using the whip as her weapon, twirled the very object that had tormented her around and around until she let fly the handle to slam into the face of the nearest wraith with a sickening crunch that knocked him clear off his feet. The remaining wraith snarled violently and took a step forwards only to have her drop the whip altogether and reach out her hands to snap his neck.

Panting, pissed, and bleeding, Kate looked around the room at the two dead wraith, the one remaining foreman whose face she'd just broken and then up to the handler that was staring at her in a combination of fear, awe, shock, and absolute and total hate.

She smirked at him. "Do you believe me now?" she asked knowing that whatever was to come was going to be bad, but, given what she had faced so far, she really didn't care.

~xXx~

Due to the nature of their imprisonment on this miserable Lantean cursed planet, the laboratory where the wraith scientists toiled in their endless pursuit to get off this planet was primitive and mediocre at best. Looking around the large but sparsely furnished room, the Fortress Commander passed his eyes over his scientists until they landed on the wraith who was not a part of his crew and had only recently become trapped here.

"Any progress?" he asked the newcomer, crossing the room to stand by his side as his second in command followed him and did the same.

The wraith in question looked up from the tests he was conducting. "Not as such, no," he replied dryly. "Your equipment is –"

"I am well aware of the inadequacies of the technology here, I do not need you to remind me," the Fortress Commander snapped darkly. "Now, other than to tell me what I already know, have you anything –"

"Useful? Hardly," the scientist lamented, interrupting the wraith who, although supreme commander here, had once been _his_ subordinate.

The Commander eyed the scientist. "No?" he questioned, his voice taking on an easy tone that bespoke of their familiarity with one another. "Not even you, the great and powerful Valloran can manage to figure out a way off this rock?"

The scientist – Valloran - snorted, amused by the boldness of the other. "I have not been called by name in some time," he mused, locking his eyes to that of the Fortress Commanders' and offering his former subordinate a smile, "Romulus."

"No doubt the great majority of wraith have forgotten it," Romulus commented, likewise offering Valloran a smile.

Valloran nodded absentmindedly. "Indeed," he hissed, returning to his instruments and taking up his tests once more. "And in answer to your question, no; as of yet I have not."

Romulus smirked. "I have every faith in you, friend, that you will figure something out sooner than my scientists."

Valloran snorted. "Yes, your confidence in my abilities seems nothing short of miraculous."

The other, only slightly older wraith chuckled. "I have known you all your life, Valloran. There is no avenue that, having set your mind to it, you have not conquered whether it be in battle or in a less formidable arena," his eyes skimmed his comrade. "I have every confidence in you."

Valloran grunted as he bent low over his instruments, his mind focused on the task at hand.

Besides him, Romulus was about to turn away, return to the duties and rigors of governing the fortress, when a very flustered handler entered the laboratory and made directly for him. Romulus sighed, able to gather from the expression on his subordinate's face that he was not going to enjoy whatever problem was being brought to his attention.

"Commander," the Handler said respectfully, bowing to Romulus before stating his purpose for being here. "We are having some trouble with one of the new humans."

Romulus raised a brow ridge, annoyed that such a trivial occurrence had been brought to him. "And of what importance is it to me?" he questioned his handler, bearing down on the wraith who dared bring him a matter of such little importance that it could be dwelt with by the lowest ranking of his officers. "Surely it is not beyond your skill set to have him dealt with?"

The Handler shook his head. "She has killed two of our foreman and wounded another."

The atmosphere with the laboratory shifted and Romulus knew instinctively that all wraith present were now listening intently to what was being said between himself and the handler. "She?" he echoed, true curiosity building within him in the wake of this development.

The handler fidgeted slightly before nodding. "She is of those that we found wandering the desert," he informed his commander.

Romulus inclined his head. "Go on," he instructed the underling.

"She does not complete the tasks assigned to her," the handler continued. "We believed that she was simply being defiant and so had her punished at the end of each day when her responsibilities remained unfulfilled."

Romulus knew that there was more to this situation then what he was being told. "But?" he questioned the junior wraith, compelling him with a slight mental push to disclose the full details of this predicament.

The handler faltered but had no choice other than to concede to the mental compulsion of his commander. "This female," he began, "she has been insisting since she and her companions were brought here that in her world she is warrior."

Disdain for the ignorance of those beneath him made Romulus growl. "And you have not believed her?" he demanded of the lesser already knowing the truth, he sighed. "Perhaps in her world she was," he admonished, turning to newly arrived Valloran. "Tell me," he bade his fellow, "in the galaxy now are there females among the humans that fight as well as the males?"

Valloran nodded. "Several."

Romulus returned his attention to the handler. "Be that as it may," he crossed his arms, "what is to be done with her?"

The handler looked up, taken aback. "I assumed, Commander, that you would wish to execute her," he lowered his eyes back to the floor. "She is responsible for the death of two wraith and the injuries of more. Such flagrant defiance cannot go unpunished, if word of it reached the rest of the humans -"

"They could very well get it into their heads to revolt," the Fortress Commander's Second, Thayne, interrupted the indignant tirade of the lesser wraith. He turned towards his commander. "They would not succeed."

Romulus sighed. "No, but such would be a waste of resources not to mention a bother to correct and return to order," he shook his head and regarded the handler. "Bring the female to me; I should like to see her before I decide what her fate is to be."

The handler nodded and retreated, exiting the laboratory and scampering quickly back to the holding cell in which he had had the female thrown. Romulus turned about, silently telling his scientists to return to their studies before gesturing for both Thayne and Valloran to come to him.

"I would have your council on this," he explained to Valloran whom had looked to him in confusion at having been called away from his tests. "You are more…aware of the galaxy as it is now then I. There is a chance that perhaps you know the culture of this human that kills wraith."

Valloran snorted, not liking the fact that he had been summoned from his attempts to procure a way off this miserable planet in order to deal with affairs that were none of his concern. "I doubt that," he informed his comrade. "As you know, my tolerance for humans is not great. I spend as little time amongst them as possible."

Romulus threw him a look. "Still, I would have your opinion," he countered, knowing the reason for his friend's displeasure and choosing to ignore it. Valloran had always taken to whichever tasks he was assigned with a vigilance that bordered on obsession. A respite, however brief, would do him good.

Removed from the conversation, Thayne smirked; finding amusement in both his commander and the highborn. His enjoyment soon intensified as the handler returned. Reappearing in the laboratory, the lesser wraith came towards them while gesturing for two more wraith behind him to bring forth the female whom Thayne guessed was the one responsible for all of this commotion.

Still disliking Romulus' insistence on his participation, Valloran stilled when he first caught a glimpse of the female. She was struggling, fighting against her attackers with a strength that he recognized. His blood ran cold, worry taking root in the back of his mind as she was brought forth, held firmly between two foremen who seemed to take delight in causing her pain. As the progression reached them, the warrior wraith schooled his thoughts into submission and locked them away within the tight confides of his impenetrable mind while simultaneously masking his face into one of blank disinterest.

The foremen threw her to the ground before a tall and heavily built wraith whose very presence oozed power. Kate hit the floor on her hands and knees, grimacing in pain as her injuries smarted, her mind telling her that the wraith at whose feet she now lay exposed must be the Fortress Commander. She was able to take only several deep breaths to calm the pain that lanced out through her every muscle before she felt the handler twist a hand into her hair and jerk her head upwards so that she locked eyes with the wraith in front of her. Growling at the rough treatment, Kate held the gaze of the Fortress Commander, refusing to back down now that she'd been forced into this.

Romulus gazed back at her, his golden eyes flecked with specks of green boring into the strange swirling grey of the human female. She was defiant, he'd give her that, but she was also clearly unafraid of him which made him curious. So few humans could stand to hold the gaze of a wraith and not look away that he knew without question that whichever breed she belonged to was strong indeed. "You are not afraid of me?" he asked her, tilting his head to one side and waiting for her response.

Kate glared up at him, her storm grey eyes hard as glass and as cold as ice. "No."

Romulus smirked. "You should be," he said, taking a step closer to her. "I hold your fate in my hands."

Kate said nothing and instead let her eyes do the talking for her. She would not look away, would not give him that pleasure; her own defiance gave her strength.

Romulus completed his circle of her, turning to his two companions. "What do you think of her?" he asked, looking pointedly at both of them, judging their reactions. Valloran gave none but continued to eye the human dispassionately; Thayne, on the other hand, had developed a particular gleam to his eye. "What are you thinking, my Second?"

Thayne looked around his commander at the woman that was now gazing intensely at the floor. Returning his gaze to Romulus, he spoke, "Her defiance is great," he intoned, glancing backwards to see that each and every wraith within the spacious room was eyeing the female with hunger and lust. He turned back to his commander. "Let someone break her of it."

To the right of both Romulus and Thayne, Valloran stiffened but made no other outward movement that betrayed his fear at the direction that the proceedings had taken. Thayne was suggesting that the woman become a companion, something that he could not allow to happen, that he must prevent at all coasts. Panic took him and made him act with a haste that he had not employed since he was young. Turning towards both Thayne and Romulus who were now discussing to whom she would be given, he announced, "I will take her."

Kate's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing as they landed on the face of the wraith who had spoken: recognition lighting her eyes before she lowered them knowing instinctively that he would not want anyone to know of their acquaintance.

Romulus, however, turned towards his oldest comrade and stared at him. "What?" he questioned, at a loss for as far as his memory could stretch, Valloran had never found anything to be desired in a human female.

Valloran, however, did not repeat himself. "I trust you have no objection?" he questioned, folding his hands behind his back and holding his gaze to that of the startled and confused wraith's.

Romulus shook his head. "I do not," he replied, still grappling with what had just transpired. "I do, however, find it odd-"

"I need not explain my decisions to you," Valloran interrupted the other wraith, fixing him with a glare. "You need only know that I find…exception in her."

Held trapped in the gaze of the former High Commander of all wraith, Romulus backed down. "As you say," the Fortress Commander addressed his fellow, backing away slightly and then turning to eye the female who wore a look on her face as though to suggest that she understood what was going on. He returned his gaze to Valloran. "You have leave for the next hour or so, see to her and then return to your duties."

Valloran nodded once, tersely, before brushing past the still somewhat confused Romulus and stooping so that he could grab the female up off of the floor and haul her after him. He took his leave quickly and did not stop once along the way to his quarters to ask after the comfort of the woman now being dragged along side him, he could inquire after that once they reached their destination. Instead, he concentrated on achieving privacy quickly and, upon reaching the door that was the entrance to his rooms, he pushed it open rather forcefully and stepped inside, only releasing the woman after he'd barred and locked the door.

Kate spun out of his grip as soon as she felt his fingers loosen. He let her go and once she was standing a few feet away from him she took in a deep breath and then looked up at the wraith.

"Hello, Todd."

The wraith hissed and came towards her, growling softly. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, stopping before her and bearing down on her in anger.

Kate raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "You sent out a distress signal, we picked it up; decided to investigate."

Todd let out an amused, if somewhat indignant, snort. "So you are here to rescue me?"

Kate glared at him. "You know," she growled defensively, "you could've mentioned that there's a fucking Ancient satellite in orbit that takes down any ship that gets near it. Maybe if you'd bothered to warn us we could've figured out how to disarm it and then none of us would be here!"

Todd sighed. "My apologies Katherine," he offered her, walking some distance away from her before turning back. "I am simply surprised to see you."

Kate deflated. "Yeah, well I'm kinda surprised to see you to."

The wraith snorted, his mind going back over the events of the last half hour. "If you only understood the circumstances that have brought -"

"I know what happened, Todd," Kate interrupted him.

He turned towards her. "Oh?"

She nodded. "I've been made into your companion haven't I?"

Todd stared at her, and odd combination of feelings pounding at him, fighting for dominance; worry won out. "I know that you of Atlantis are aware of the companion trade," he looked to her, his eyes wandering her face. "This is not the first time you have been put into a position such as this is it?"

Kate shook her head. "No."

A deep, unshakable anger settled within him and Todd struggled to suppress it before it overrode all reason within him and took control. "Were you…" the elder wraith floundered under the weight of the question he wished to ask her. "Did your previous captor…harm you?"

Kate looked questioningly into the golden eyes that lay fixed on her face, wondering why he would care and feeling herself flush slightly just knowing that he did. "No," she answered after having held Todd's gaze for some time. "He didn't hurt me," sensing that there was more to the inquiry she added, "He didn't touch me either; he let me go."

"Did he?" Todd questioned, some of his unexplainable anger fading away.

Kate nodded. "He was an elder, like you," she looked at him. "He only let me go after he found out that I was from Atlantis; makes me think he was a part of your alliance."

Universally speaking, it was reasonable to say that the majority of elders still alive were in his alliance and therefore her assumption that the wraith who had taken her was indeed under his command was fairly accurate. However; considering his abhorrence of the practice Todd had made it law among his hives that the taking of companions was strictly forbidden. If one of his commanders required release he had made it known that they were to utilize the willing worshipers rather than to forcefully rape an unwilling female. The news that one of them had chosen to disobey him did nothing whatsoever to quell his already less than temperate mood. In fact, the knowledge that had just so recently been provided for him made him resolve that – if ever they managed to succeed in getting off this miserable rock – he would kill whichever one of his commanders had been stupid enough to take her. The fact that the wraith in question had not touched Katherine failed to register and was not a factor in his decision making process as his anger overrode any and all reasonable thought.

When Todd failed to answer her or make any sort of response to her assessment of her former wraith, Kate sighed and turned about the room, sitting down on an L-shaped couch that had been shoved into a corner near a doorway that opened out onto a balcony. Leaning back amongst the cushions, she eyed the wraith who had yet to move and asked, "So, what happens now?"

Todd snapped out of his thoughts on how best to discover who it had been that had taken Katherine and turned towards the female around whom his thoughts revolved. "I am not certain," he answered honestly. "I have never had a companion before."

Kate snorted. "Obviously," she sighed. "Someone should tell John that I'm safe."

Todd glanced towards her. "I doubt that would be possible," he explained. "It would undermine the truth of the story I have told the others."

"You mean you lied to the Fortress Commander and told him that you don't like humans and know nothing of Atlantis."

Todd nodded. "These wraith are from my time, my world," he sighed. "They would not understand the need for or the reason behind our alliance."

Kate could understand that. "So, while my brother makes himself sick with worry, what are we going to do?"

To this, Todd had not honestly given much thought. He'd been quick to take her before someone else could claim her because he knew what would befall her if he failed; he had not actually pondered over what would happen after she was in his custody. "You are now mine," he began, not liking to think of Katherine as being a procession; not even his. "And while, I believe, we will be able to stave off most scrutiny by remaining ambiguous, there will be times when both you and I are under surveillance and I will need to…act the part of master."

The subject seemed to make him uncomfortable and Kate felt a twinge of sympathy for him that he'd have to do things that he didn't want to do in order to keep her safe. "You mean that you might have to…" she swallowed nervously, unable to completely quell the heat that had begun to pool in her stomach, "…touch me."

Todd nodded, the prospect garnishing a far stronger reaction in him then he would have thought. His only aversion to the undertakings that would need to be accomplished in order to make his mastery of her seem believable was that Katherine would gain no pleasure from them whereas he – and he mentally scolded himself for it - was already longing for the need for such tactics. It would give him a legitimate excuse to initiate physical contact with her as he longed to in the most secret recesses of his mind.

Kate let out a deep breath, anticipation pooling in her lower abdomen for when such devices would become necessary even as she fought to control her own emotions. She knew that Todd was attracted to her at least in the strictest physical sense, so it was reasonable to believe that he wouldn't have a problem doing what needed to be done in order to keep up their cover; she just wasn't so sure she could keep up her end without getting involved. She already liked Todd more then she should, so the thought of physically interacting with him and not letting her emotions take precedence was difficult to accept, but she'd have to if this was going to even have a chance at working.

Glancing up from his own reverie, Todd drank in the expression on Katherine's face. She looked unsure, as if the thought of what they would have to do was painful for her. "I will only do what is necessary," he tried to reassure her, disquieted due to her upset.

Kate nodded.

Todd sighed. "Rest now," he instructed her, "You may use the seating arrangement you sit on as your bed," he turned and headed for the door.

Kate looked up. "Where are you going?" she asked, alarmed that he would leave her here in this strange place.

Todd turned back. "I have…matters that I must see to before I can retire for the day." He tilted his head to one side before adding, "You are safe here, Katherine. No one may enter these quarters without my permission."

Swallowing her irrational fear, Kate nodded slowly, dropping her eyes. Todd looked over her once more before grunting and taking his leave, turning his steps back down to the laboratory.

~xXx~

It had been several weeks now since he'd taken Katherine as his companion and they had both been successful in keeping mostly to themselves, she spending the majority of the days in his – their – quarters, reading what materials he was able to provide for her while he spent his days in the laboratory continuing his research on a viable plan that could get them off this rock. Their routine had been interrupted today when Romulus had come to him and informed him that he was working too hard and then proceeded to order him to attend a performance that the humans would be putting on later for the benefit of their masters. Todd had agreed, only learning afterwards that he was to bring his companion. The wraith had been less than pleased but had been bound to obey and so it was that he was now sitting in a chair watching what had to be the dullest performance he'd ever seen with Katherine sitting at his feet.

The presentation was made up of eight barely dressed female worshipers that shook and jiggled their very unappealing bodies to and fro across the floor that was currently serving as a stage. Their dance was meant to inspire lust and to raise the blood but Todd didn't know why they bothered; every ranking wraith present with the notable exception of Romulus had at least one female with them that was or was in the process of providing some modicum of pleasure to the wraith they tended. It was a degusting display and Todd was very much under the impression that his eyes would begin to bleed if he had to watch either them or the performers much longer.

Katherine shifted at his feet and his attention turned downwards.

She, unlike the other humans that were here at the behest of a wraith master, was not on top of him or leaning over him or really touching him in any way at all. No, she was seated perfectly still on the ground between his feet. Her right shoulder was resting just barely against his right leg but other than that they were completely separate entities. He could tell from her posture that she was as unexcited about the display as was he and was fairly certain she was in a state that Sheppard referred to as being 'zoned out'. Todd looked around, there were at least a dozen if not more eyes trained upon himself and his companion and Todd knew that now would be the opportune time to act. Lowering his hand from his knee, he reached out and gently ran his fingers through her hair. His action startled her but her response was not what he expected. Rather than start, Katherine instead leaned into the caress, tilting her head back and making a contented noise in the back of her throat. Heat rose within him at her reaction to such a simple touch and his mind flashed back to when she had briefly grazed his feeding slit while she tried to teach him how to use a fork.

It was the first time he'd touched her since they had spoken of the possibility so many days previously and Todd rather thought that Katherine was playing her part extraordinarily well; he could almost imagine that her response to him was a genuine reaction to some pleasure he had given her rather than the pretense that it was. Emboldened, his hand often strayed to her head for the remainder of the performance until at last it was over and Todd found himself unhappy because he knew that they would now retire to their quarters where there was no need to provide any illusions of intimacy between them.

As the wraith around him stood, Todd reluctantly followed suit, holding out a hand to help Katherine to her feet. He looked at her then, as she stood before him and took in the outfit that he'd chosen for her to wear some weeks previously. It was not as revealing as the majority of companions wear but it still offered a more pleasing view of her then her Atlantian uniform did. He'd chosen it because he'd learned early on that he was not the only wraith inside this fortress to wish for her to be in his bed, and with the revelation had come the startling acknowledgment that he was envied more for his lordship over Katherine then he was because of his former rank as High Commander.

It was not a pleasant thought.

"We're retiring now?" Kate asked, careful to keep her tone even and her voice low as she spoke to the wraith that turned towards her as she spoke.

Todd nodded. "Yes," he replied. "It would be best."

As they continued with the crowd to exit the performance chamber, a group of working humans entered form a side corridor and began the task of tidying the chamber. Both he and Katherine were nearly to the door when he heard her gasp and stop walking. Curious, he turned and saw immediately what had captured her attention; John Sheppard, the runner and Major Lorne were among those that had been selected to put the room back to sorts. He turned towards her.

"Go."

Kate looked at him. "Are you sure?" she asked, excitement building in her chest. "What about calling attention -"

"Let me worry about that," Todd interrupted her, already extracting them from the mass of exiting wraith so that she could more easily get to her brother and friends. "Go," he repeated.

Kate threw him a grateful smile and then left his side, crossing the room quickly to where the humans toiled.

When John had woken up this morning he had not bargained on getting picked for clean up duty. The wraith rarely had 'events' as they were called but when they did it was some big thing and he and his team had all been picked to help clean up after it was all over. Honestly he wasn't complaining, it meant a day off digging and that was always good in his book.

"John."

John froze, his ears picking up on a voice that he hadn't heard in well over three weeks. Besides him he noticed that both Lorne and Ronon had stopped gathering up the various brushes and mops that would be used to clean the floors and were looking at something just behind them. Turning, his heart in his throat, John came face to face with his sister who was standing not three feet away from him.

"Kate?"

She nodded and then went the rest of the way to him, throwing her arms about his neck and crying into his shoulder. "Hey, big brother," she sobbed, clinging to him all the more tighter as his arms finally went up around her and held her close.

John felt tears prickle at the backs of his eyes and he held onto her fiercely. "Katie Beth," he murmured, inhaling her scent and closing his eyes, "Thank God you're okay."

Kate pulled back, holding her brother at arm's length as she looked at him. "How've you been?" she questioned, trying so very hard not to burst into tears again. Lorne and Ronon had gathered round.

John opened his mouth. "I've been -"

"You human!" a wraith yelled, stalking over to them and shoving into John before rounding on Kate and reaching out, grabbing her tightly by the arm. "What are you doing?" he looked over her, taking in her attire. He sniffed, "You're a companion."

Kate held her head as highly as she could but she could hear the intakes and gasps from the humans around her, could see past the wraith that held her and into the eyes of her brother and friends and see their shock and horror over what they'd just been told. "I am," she answered back, knowing that to give the wraith no answer would mean punishment.

The wraith snarled, tightening his grip on her wrist to the point where she cried out. "And what gives you the right to interrupt -"

"RELEASE HER!"

The wraith started and looked up only to find that the female was jerked from his grasp and held away from him by a very angry commanding wraith. The handler's eyes traveled upwards, tracing over the tattoo that encircled the left eye of the commander. Suddenly, reorganization dawned and the wraith sketched a rather impromptu bow, "High Commander."

Todd snarled, pulling Katherine more securely against his side. The humans around them cowered and kept their eyes down cast all except the Atlantians; they stared at him, John Sheppard's eyes burning angrily as they locked onto the point where Todd held onto Katherine, his arms wound protectively around her waist.

"Wh -"

"What is going on here!?!"

Todd turned and soon found himself eye to eye with Romulus and Thayne both plus several other high ranking fortress members. They stopped in front of the gathering and looked about, their eyes turning to him soon enough. "Explain!" Romulus ordered.

Todd did not look away. "This handler attacked my companion," he explained, quite sure that he heard Sheppard make some sort of strangled sounding noise behind him.

Romulus nodded, turning to the wraith in question. "Did you?" he demanded.

The handler bowed his head, awed to be the presence of so many powerful wraith but also terrified. "I did," he admitted, keeping his eyes lowered. "But I only did so because she was speaking to this human," he gestured towards the one she'd been speaking to, the dark haired male.

Romulus turned towards Valloran's companion. "Is this true?" he asked, "Were you speaking to this worker?"

Kate lifted her head and glared defiantly at the Fortress Commander. "I was; my Lord gave me permission to do so."

Romulus turned to Valloran. "And why would you grant such a thing?" he queried.

Todd stiffened, his grip on Katherine growing tighter. "The male is her brother."

Romulus' eyes widened with the realization that Valloran had allowed her to speak to him as a courtesy. "Very well, then," he intoned, waving away the matter as one of simple misunderstanding. He turned to Valloran, "Let it rest, I'm sure that you wish to…" his eyes traveled over how tightly his friend was holding onto his companion. "…retire."

Todd nodded and, aware that he was under scrutiny, raised a hand that had previously been at Katherine's hip and brought it up so that he could trail the backs of his fingers down her exposed neck. "Yesss," he hissed languidly, letting suggestion filter through his voice for the sole benefit of those that stood before him.

Again, Sheppard made some odd sort of choking sound.

Romulus nodded and moved away, his entourage following him and leaving both he and Katherine alone with Sheppard, the other humans and the handler wraith. Releasing her, Todd stepped back and glared down at the handler that had dared to touch her. "Leave," he commanded and watched in satisfaction as the younger wraith scrambled backwards and then fled.

With all wraith now gone except for Todd, John lunged at him. "You!" he screamed reaching out to possibly strangle the wraith. Kate stopped him.

"John, no!" she exclaimed, inserting herself between her brother and Todd. "It was necessary."

"Necessary!?!" John ranted, gesturing wildly in Todd's direction. "How was that necessary? You're his…his…"

"His companion, yes, John I'm aware," Kate said calmly, taking a step closer to her brother. "Please understand, if he didn't take me then someone else would have and they would not have been kind. What you just saw, that was pretend; it means nothing."

John fumed. Behind her, Todd felt a stab of guilt wash through him at how very untrue Katherine's statement was. When he touched her, the few times he'd done so, it was because he'd wanted to. The fact that they were being watched only provided the opportunity, it did not create the desire.

Lorne frowned. "So it's all just some big show?" he asked, looking between both Todd and Kate before returning his eyes to his best friend. "Todd gets to be…affectionate and the other wraith think you're sleeping with him?"

Kate nodded. "That's the idea," she said.

Ronon grunted, glancing over the still much flustered Sheppard. "It worked."

Kate snorted. "I can see that."

Todd stepped up behind her. "I am creating an illusion, nothing more," he informed the humans, looking pointedly at Sheppard.

John finally calmed down. "Yeah, well," he looked up at the wraith, "Just…do the bare minimum and don't get any ideas about exploiting it."

Todd snorted; exploiting the situation was exactly what he planned on doing. "I will not," he lied to the human before reaching out and gently tugging Katherine back to him. "Come, we must go. If we linger longer it will be noted."

Kate nodded and gave her brother one last look. "Don't worry John," she told him, "I'll be fine."

John sighed. "Yeah, I know." He looked at Todd. "Take care of her."

The wraith nodded once before taking Katherine by the arm and leading her away. When they were gone, Luta looked up from the floor and eyed Sheppard.

"So," the old man said shakily. "I take it that tha be your Todd?"

John nodded, his head turned in the direction that the wraith had taken his sister. "Yeah," he said slowly, "That was Todd."

~xXx~

"You are tired."

Looking up from his research, Todd was unsurprised to see Romulus standing not three feet from him, watching him. "I am," he admitted knowing that it would be pointless to deny such a fact when the wraith who was asking the questions knew him as utterly as he did. Todd sighed, "How long have you been standing there?"

Romulus rolled his shoulders. "Long enough," he replied, tilting his head to one side and studying his friend. "I realize that you wish to be free of this place as desperately as I do but I believe, Valloran, you are taking things rather far."

Todd snorted. "I am simply doing what you have asked me to."

The other wraith growled softly in exasperation. "I did not ask you to devote so many countless hours of your days bent over these inept instruments in such devout study that you forget to rest or to feed."

The concern that the Fortress Commander was showing for him was mildly comforting even if his assessment of the situation was far from correct. Todd's tiredness had very little to do with the hours he spent at work within the laboratory and very much to do with Katherine. Ever since the confrontation with Sheppard and the other Atlantians Todd had found that they were required to spend a great deal more of their time in the company of other wraith. As a result, the need for the illusion of intimacy was increased tenfold and Todd, who could now map out every contour of Katherine's body in his sleep, was unsure of how much more he could take before the urge to take her and make her truly his overrode his common sense.

The urge would be less great if Katherine did not respond to his ministrations with such vigor and while he knew that she was simply playing a part, it had become difficult for him to judge what reactions of hers were pretended and which were results of actual pleasure. He had thought, when all of this had newly begun, that she would not be as receptive of him as she was because she felt nothing for him. That opinion, however, was changing the longer that their charade continued, and the thought that she might return his desire for her in any measure elicited such a reaction from him that it had grown difficult to sleep at night with Katherine so near.

But Todd was not particularly inclined to inform Romulus of this because it would require confessing that they had not, as of yet, recreated with one another. Thus, the former high commander was inclined to allow his friend to continue under the delusion that he was simply over taxing himself.

When Valloran failed to respond to him, Romulus spared another glance over his friend before the older wraith sighed. "You are aware that I could order you to rest?"

Todd's head snapped up and he narrowed his eyes at the standing wraith. "I had thought you wished to be free of this rock sooner rather than later?" he asked.

Romulus raised a brow ridge. "Oh, I do. I long for it, however…" He paused and fixed his comrade with a piercing glare, "I have been on this planet for over ten thousand years, another few days will make no difference."

A low, grumbling growl escaped Todd who had nothing to say.

Romulus smirked. "Go outside."

Todd quirked an eye ridge. "What?"

Romulus repeated himself, this time with a few embellishments. "Go, take leave of this laboratory and seek respite. Fetch your companion and go outside, the fresh air will do you good, as will her company."

Having been given an order that was not strictly an order – although Todd was under no illusion that Romulus would not make it one if he refused – Todd stood from his workstation and glared darkly at his former subordinate before walking stiffly past him towards the exit. It was a moderately long walk back to his quarters, mostly because he both dreaded and longed to reach them, an odd combination of factors that led to a distortion in his measurement of time. Having reached them, he opened the door and stepped inwards looking around the room for Katherine only to find no trace of her. He frowned. He knew that she would not leave the safety of their rooms without him as escort and so found himself automatically concerned despite knowing that there was probably a logical reason.

Fortunately for his sanity, the explanation came in the form of the sound of splashing water. The worry bled from him as he turned his steps towards the bathing chamber that they both shared. He stopped at the entrance to the smaller chamber, peering inwards though the stream that radiated up from the pool that had been dug into the stone of the floor. Katherine was seated on the edge of the pool, her back mostly to him but still turned to the side just enough so that he could see the curve and swell of both stomach and breast. Todd gulped and retreated, quickening his steps so that he was away from the bathing chamber and was once more in the main living area more quickly than he'd ever traversed the distance before.

Standing in the center of the room that Katherine used as her sleeping chamber, Todd inhaled deeply, regretting it instantly as his senses were assaulted with her scent. Raising a hand to his head and sinking down into a chair, Todd slouched backwards, attempting to regain control of the longing that had risen in him at his brief glimpse of Katherine in her natural state. He wanted her with a passion that was slowly driving him insane. She was so close, so very close and it would not be beyond his ability to invent a situation where actual copulation was required in order to maintain their subterfuge.

Katherine, while remarkably apt at responding to those few outward caresses and touches that provided the illusion that more was done behind closed doors, would not be so agreeable if he were to suggest something more. When his ministrations remained mostly ambiguous and modest, he could well believe that she was capable of imagining that the person touching her was not wraith. Were they to copulate, which Todd knew she would do if she felt her life depended on it, he would not allow her to continue in her imagination that he was not himself. He'd make certain she knew whose bed she lay in.

It was not a situation he wished to place her in, for while there would be little or no aftereffects for him, the consequences of her going willingly to the bed of a wraith – life threatening situation or not – would harm her irreparably. Her kind would turn from her, look down on her and view her as a traitor regardless of her reasons. It was not a fate he would give to her if he could prevent it.

"Todd?"

The wraith snapped from his thoughts and looked up, his eyes locking onto the female that stood regarding him curiously from the mouth of his bedchamber. "Katherine," he greeted his voice darker and more thick than usual. He hoped she wouldn't notice as his eyes traveled over her body the entirety of which was hidden from his view only by a very short towel that left her legs bare. Todd felt his temperature rise and his heartbeat increase so that it pounded a tattoo in his chest; slamming almost painfully against his ribcage.

Kate frowned. "What are you doing here?" she asked, stepping down the three wide steps that led into the main living area from his elevated bedroom.

Todd focused all his attention on regaining his equilibrium. "These are my quarters as well, Katherine," he reminded her, his voice as causal sounding as he could make it. "Am I not allowed in them?"

"That's not what I meant," she said, coming closer and lowering herself down onto the couch that doubled as her bed, towel clutched tightly to her chest. "It's just…you're usually not here in the middle of the day."

Todd nodded slowly wondering why he had not understood what she had meant in the first place. His eyes roved her body: ah yes, that was why. "The Fortress Commander has barred me from the laboratory for the remainder of the day," he told her, sitting up stiffly and attempting to focus his mind away from Katherine's state of dress.

Kate snickered. "You mean he ordered you out because you've been working entirely too hard."

Todd growled softly, wondering when Katherine had become so proficient at reading him. "I am merely trying to use what opportunity I can to find a solution to this…" he gestured around the room, "…unwanted predicament."

Kate sighed and readjusted her towel. "You haven't been sleeping, I haven't seen you eat in nearly three days and I know that you're not feeding," she fixed him with an 'I-dare-you-to-contradict-me' stare. "The fresh air will do you good."

Todd snorted, finding it ironic that Romulus had used those same choice of words before his mind focused in on something else. "How is it that you are aware of my sleeping habits?" he asked her, lifting his eyes to hers and watching as she flushed and looked downwards.

"I can hear you, your breathing," she replied softly, embarrassed that she'd admitted to listening to him while she was supposed to be asleep. "You rest but you don't sleep."

"I was not aware that my lack of sleep was a concern of yours," he responded, a bit more harshly then he'd meant to, but he was curious as to whether her nocturnal annotations were born out of simple observation or concern. He hoped it was the latter.

Kate looked up. "I'm sorry," she whispered, taken aback by the starkness of his rebuke. "It's just…I worry sometimes."

Todd inhaled sharply. "You worry?" he questioned, "About me?"

Kate gave him a look as if to imply what a stupid question that was. "Yes, about you. I know that I've never actually said it out loud, but you are my friend and I do care about you, so when you stop eating and stop sleeping well of course I worry."

Taking her comments in stride, Todd stood and looked down on her while he tried not to let her words go to his head. "I suggest you dress," he told her, already starting to walk towards his bedchamber. "It was suggested I go outside, I wish you to accompany me."

Kate nodded, watching him go and, as soon as she was sure he was tucked away somewhere inside his room, she lowered her towel and began to dress herself in the garments Todd had brought for her on her second day as his companion. They were a hell of a lot more modest than the set that her other wraith had given her and for that she was thankful. Fixing her shoes and tying her hair into a ponytail, she straitened her bodice and smoothed her skirt and turned around to find Todd watching her.

"You haven't been standing there the whole time have you?" she asked, feigning worry over the possibility that he might have been watching her, when in reality she really wouldn't have minded all that much.

Todd forced his expression to stay natural. "No," he walked towards her, opening the door and gesturing for her to walk before him. "Come, the daylight fades."

Kate nodded and swept past him, gently brushing against him as she walked out the door.

The stone fortress was carved into a natural crevice in the cliff's face and so there was a modest sized courtyard in front of it that was split into two halves; one for use by the wraith as a recreational area and the other fenced off and covered to be used by the working humans as a communal cooking and eating area. He didn't much care what the humans saw or not but the thought of talking a walk along the ramparts with Katherine by his side whilst under the constant scrutiny of his fellow wraith made Romulus' suggestion to go outside seem more tedious then relaxing.

By the time they reached the outside world, after winding their ways through the labyrinthine tunnels of the fortress, the sun was near to setting but still high enough in the sky that there would be light for another hour yet. Stepping out into the warm, dry air of the desert Todd immediately looked around, taking note of who was or was not outside with them, he turned to Katherine, opening his mouth to speak, only to get lost in her face.

Kate's eyes were closed, her head tilted back to catch the full rays of the descending sun. It was nice to be outside and not on a balcony so far up the cliff face that the wind whipped at her mercilessly. Sighing in contentment, she opened her eyes and turned towards Todd, finding him looking at her strangely. "What?" she asked, frowning as she looked up at him.

Todd simply continued to look down on her. "This excursion pleases you?" he asked after a while, some of the tedium of this excursion fading away.

Kate smiled and turned back towards the sun, still visible over the battlements. "There's no wind down here," she informed him. "It's nice, warm; reminds me of Atlantis."

"I will get us off this planet," Todd avowed feeling the need to give her, of all others, his word.

Kate turned to him, her eyes shining faithfully. "I know you will."

Declaration made, rather than continue to stand motionless on the front steps of the fortress, Todd began walking towards the west most staircase that led up to the parapets. "Come," he called to her, trusting her to follow and hissing softly when he felt her fall into step besides him. Together they walked the breath of the confinement and ascended the stairs that brought them to the tops of the battlements. Turning in the only direction available to them, Todd started walking, keeping his pace leisurely as Katherine followed silently after him.

They stopped as they neared the human occupied portion of the courtyard below them. Pausing, Todd made to turn around and retrace their steps only to find that Katherine had walked to the courtyard edge of the ramparts and was now leaning against the stone railing, her eyes trained towards the impressive sight of the fortress carved directly into the face of the imposing cliff.

"It is impressive," he acknowledged, coming to stand besides her; resting his hands, palms flat on the ledge in front of him.

Kate nodded. "It is," she glanced over her shoulder towards Todd. "But no matter how impressive it is, how wonderful, it's still a prison."

Todd inclined his head, feeling his body being drawn towards her as he took an involuntary step in her direction. "Katherine," he began realizing only after she'd turned to face him that he really didn't have anything to say so instead he settled on the first thought that sprang to mind. "We are being watched."

Kate closed her eyes and bowed her head to the inevitable. "Seems to be happening a lot lately," she forced her voice to sound reproving when in reality she was more than pleased with how often they found themselves in a position where some kind of physical contact was needed in order to maintain their charade. She knew that she shouldn't look forwards to these moments like she did but she'd learned that trying to deny that she didn't react instinctively and with passion whenever Todd touched her was pointless. Try as she might she could not shake away the longing she felt for him nor the wish that he'd do more whenever the situation occurred.

Todd inwardly frowned, disquieted over the reminder that while she responded to him with vigor she did not truly desire his touch. "It is necessary," he whispered to her, coming still closer to her until he felt the leather of his battle-coat brush against her left shoulder. He stopped and she turned to him, eyes lifted to his uncertainly; he had never approached her so directly before. Always in the past he had come to her from behind or from slightly off to the side, never had they been facing. Impulsively, he raised his feeding hand and brought it to the side of her face; brushing back a wayward wisp of ebony hair that had escaped it'd binding. "Katherine -"

Kate instinctively moved her head so that it tilted just slightly to one side, anticipating what she hoped was about to come. Placing one hand atop Todd's forearm, just atop his bracer, she rested the other gently on his right hip. "As you said," she breathed, lifting her eyes to his and holding his gaze, which she was surprised to see was smoldering feverishly, "…we are being watched."

Todd felt his breath hitch, coming now in uneven breathes as his feeding hand lowered from her cheek and came to rest at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, his thumb under her ear. Her hand where it rested on his hip burned him through his leather, and before he could stop himself or think otherwise of it, he closed the distance between the two of them and brought his mouth down possessively over hers.

Kate gasped in surprise and breathed deeply inwards, inhaling him. He tasted different than anything she'd ever expected, sort of a cross between honey and something else that she recognized but couldn't name. Closing her eyes against the sensation, the burning that had begun to build in her stomach spreading its wings outwards towards her limbs and down towards her thighs, she yielded herself to him, parting her lips and allowing him entry. Kissing Todd was something that she'd dreamt about, albeit embarrassedly, since they'd both been trapped under that trick mistletoe and now that it was happening she didn't care why or how the situation had come about; all she cared about in that moment was that the actual act was better by far than anything her mind had been able to come up with.

Katherine moaned and leaned more into him, causing her body to become flush with his. Todd couldn't help it, he growled in pleasure, his feeding hand pulling her head more securely against his. He had expected her to respond, he had not expected her to yield. When first he'd covered her mouth with his he had been gentle, not wishing to scare her with how insistently he wanted her. He had been careful; knowing that her skin was more delicate then his, his teeth far more dangerous than she was used to, contenting himself to move his lips lightly over hers. As he entered her mouth, half hissing, half growling in pleasure as her tongue rose to meet his, his vigor increased, all manner of pretense gone. He was no longer doing this because those that watched them expected him to but because he could no longer contain his desire for her. His free hand moved toward her hip so that he could pull her more securely to him, the hand at her neck tightening its hold almost but not quite to the point where he'd cause her pain.

Another sound escaped her, reverberating off his lips and making him snarl softly; pleased. Katherine had tightened her hold on him, both her hands now resting at his waist, keeping him pressed to her. He shifted, turning the both of them so that Katherine's back hit the ledge as he pushed his lower body into hers, hearing her gasp of pleasure at the action. He couldn't stop, didn't want to stop: she was his and in this moment he could very well pretend that that was true.

He heard her gasp and then tasted blood. Assuming that one of his teeth was to blame, he reluctantly made to draw back, only to have Katherine move with him. It would seem that the injury did not bother her, so he did not let it bother him as he continued to plunder her, taking everything from her that she would give him because he honestly doubted whether he'd get such an opportunity again.

In the courtyard below them, those who had been watching them turned and looked away.

~xXx~

John had been eating, laughing with Luta and his team when someone had pointed out that there was a wraith up on the battlements. John hadn't thought anything of it, there were usually wraith up there this time of day – for some reason they liked the sunset – and so he'd ignored the whispers and comments on the subject until someone had shouted from across the dinning courtyard the description of said wraith as it'd become a game of sorts to see if they could keep track of all the commanders. That had made John – and Lorne and Ronon and Luta – all turn around and look up, and what they'd seen was the absolute last wraith that any of them would have thought would be out for an early evening stroll.

"Shouldn't he be holed up in a lab somewhere working on a way to get us off this rock?" Lorne asked, glaring momentarily upwards towards the familiar figure of Todd the wraith before he returned to his food, scowling down at the bowel of gruel.

John shrugged. "Maybe he needs a break."

Ronon was in the middle of objecting when he stopped, a frown crossing his face. "He's got Kate with him," the runner informed them all and around the courtyard John could hear the leers and jeers that accompanied the sighting of a companion.

Once more turning towards their wraith ally, John frowned upon seeing that they had stopped walking and were now looking at each other with strange expressions on their faces. Or at least Todd had a strange expression on his face, he couldn't really see his sister's but he assumed that her expression probably mirrored Todd's. "What are they doing?" he asked, looking around the table as if he'd find the answer somewhere amongst their bowls and poorly crafted wooden spoons.

Lorne shrugged, as clueless as the colonel. "I have no idea."

Luta grunted. "He looks like he's a thinkin' 'bout kissin' 'er."

John nearly choked on his tongue. "He'd better not!" he cried out angrily. "If he does I swear I'll shoot him when we get back to Atlantis…"

"They're being watched, sir," Lorne reminded his commanding officer, nodding towards various wraith who where indeed looking upwards same as them. "Remember they've got to make it look like they're sleeping together."

John grumbled. "Yeah, well, that doesn't me he has to -"

"Too late," Ronon grunted as, above them, Todd kissed Kate.

John very much wanted to cry. "I'm leaving," he announced forlornly, damn near jumping up from the table and speeding towards the barracks faster than any of them had ever seen him move before. When he was gone, Lorne turned to Ronon.

"You know," the major said slowly, taking a good long look upwards at both Todd and Kate who were now locked together so tightly he doubted very much that any force on earth could pull them apart. "Somehow, I don't think they're doing that because they know they're being watched."

Ronon grunted and shook his head. "He's not pretending anymore."

Lorne sighed. "Honestly," he said, "I don't think he ever was."

Ronon agreed. "Neither is she," he nodded towards Kate.

Lorne turned away from the sight."Nope, don't think she ever was either."

Luta looked between the two of them. "What ye two talkin' 'bout?" he asked, confused.

Lorne turned to him. "Kate likes Todd, more then she should," he jerked his head towards the still kissing duo. "She's doing this 'cause she wants to, not because they're being watched."

Luta stared.

Ronon glanced towards Lorne. "Think we should tell Sheppard?"

Lorne shook his head. "It's a bit late for that now, Chewie," he said sadly. "If it was just Todd, then yeah, I'd tell the Colonel in a heartbeat, but it's not. Kate wants him, he wants her and I have a sinking feeling that before all of this is over and done with and we're off this rock, they might just get each other."

Ronon shuddered at the thought.

~xXx~

Days had passed now since Romulus had ordered him to take a walk and Todd could feel the edges of his sanity slipping away. Kissing Katherine had been euphoric, the only downside to the exchange being that he now wished to repeat the encounter with a desire that bordered on obsession. It was a fixation that kept him from slumber and forced his mind to wander when he should be concentrating on his experiments. He was close to understanding the frequencies that held them captive here and he cursed himself that he was not able to concentrate for more than a few hours at a time before his mind returned to the female awaiting his return in their quarters.

Katherine, to her credit, did not seem to be as affected by their doings as he had been and continued to conduct herself in the casual manner that she always did when around him. He was not angry at her for it but he longed to possess her ability to overlook what had been begun between them but never completed. Drawing away from her that night had been the hardest thing he'd had to do in many years, and calming himself enough to walk quietly back with her had been extremely difficult. How he had wanted to take her to their quarters and finish what they had started, to take her to his bed, to have her and then sleep with her besides him. He longed for it, craved it, coveting the dreams he had of her as if they were real because he knew that they were the closest he would ever come to claiming her.

So disorganized were his thoughts that Todd made a minor miscalculation to one of his instruments. The resulting explosion caught him off guard and threw him from his feet, slamming his body hard against the opposite wall of the laboratory. Sliding down, Todd could feel his skin burning and felt pain such as he had rarely experienced before coursing through him before his whole world, blissfully, faded into black.

~xXx~

The quake woke her and Kate sat bolt upright in bed knowing instinctively that it was no earthquake that she was experiencing. Throwing her covers as side she looked out the doorway that led onto the balcony and saw stars smiling and winking at her from within a black night sky. Getting up and hugging herself against the slight chill of the desert's night, she made her way towards Todd's bedroom, an unshakable need rising in her to make sure that he was alright.

He wasn't, she knew that as soon as she found that he wasn't in their quarters at all. Panic gripped her and she didn't even bother to put her sandals on before she raced to the door and wretched it open, taking off down the corridor to the laboratory where she knew without being told that the source of the quake had come from.

She nearly ran into the Fortress Commander on her way down and instead of stopping to ask questions she kept going.

Romulus was more than slightly stunned when he left the scene of the accident to go and fetch Valloran's companion only to have her nearly run him over not two corridors over from the laboratory. As she didn't stop when she saw him, and he knew she'd seen him, the bewildered wraith simply turned on his heel and followed after her until he caught up with her at the entrance to the destroyed laboratory.

Kate stopped at the door, waving her hand in front of her face to clear away the smoke as she peered inwards. What she saw made her heart literally leap to her throat. "No," she whispered, so softly she wasn't even sure she'd spoken as she watched two medical officers crouched low over a body that was lying prone on the floor. Her breathing becoming erratic, her heart pounding in her chest, she took a step forwards only to be stayed by the fortress commander.

"Wait," Romulus whispered to her, confused over the amount of concern she was displaying for Valloran. None of it was founded, no human should care this much for the well being of a wraith. Desire, which Romulus knew the woman he held felt for the former High Commander, was an emotion based purely on sexual want. The concern that she was showing for him spoke of a deeper connection then simply shared physical need, and the fortress commander could think of nothing that Valloran might have or would have done that would so endear him to her.

Kate didn't want to wait, but found that the wraith's grip on her arm was so crushing that she could not move. Forced to stand still, she stood silently as the medical officers moved and stood giving her her first look at the injured Todd. A gasp escaped her lips as she took in the extensive burns that covered the majority of his left side, she could even see bone in some places. Gulping back bile, she realized that the wraith holding her had let go and she traversed the distance between her and Todd with deliberate steps, sinking to her knees and sitting back on her heels as she came to him, her hand reaching out to touch the unmarked portion of his face. He did not stir and, looking down, Kate saw the extent of the burns as they traveled down his side. His leather clothing was partially melted to his skin and would have to be cut away, the burns cleaned and wrapped.

Shuddering, she looked up to see that the Fortress Commander was looking down at her with an odd look in his eyes that she could honestly care less about at the moment. "He needs to be moved," she told him, standing and squaring her shoulders. "Is there a room nearby that you can take him?"

Romulus nodded, still in a slight shock over the tenderness and concern that Valloran's companion was displaying. "There is a chamber at the end of the corridor that will suffice."

Kate nodded and looked back down at Todd before returning her gaze to the commanding wraith. "Has he fed recently?" she asked, knowing that Todd would still do so, if only in order to keep up appearances and having no idea when the last time he'd done so was.

Again, Romulus nodded. "Within two days," he peered at her. "I am curious though, as to why you would ask that."

Kate looked at him. "A wraith's ability to regenerate and heal is directly proportionate to how recently they have fed," she intoned, having heard McKay offer up the same explanation numerous times. "If he has any hope of recovering quickly, then it is best that he has fed recently."

Her logic and clinical view astounded Romulus. Normally humans became agitated and nervous when discussing a wraith's feeding habits, but she had explained it as though it were a simple fact and not the result of a grisly end to a member of her own species. Romulus found this both odd and strangely endearing. Sending a mental command for the medical officers to move him to the previously discussed chamber, Romulus followed after the female as she followed the officers still contemplating over what she had said and how she had said it.

When they reached the chamber at the end of the corridor, Kate stepped in behind the two wraith carrying Todd and looked around. The room was Spartan to say the least, possessing only a bed, a small table on which a stone basin sat and an uncomfortable looking wooden chair. There were no windows and the only light was from two wall mounted oil lamps. As the wraith set Todd carefully down on the narrow bed, Kate walked to him and turned towards the fortress commander.

"I need scissors, something to cut away his clothing," she amended when the word 'scissors' didn't seem to register, "and warm water, several cloths and something to wrap his wounds in."

Romulus nodded and sent the medical officers to fetch those things she had requested. "You are familiar with the healing arts?" he asked, finding it curious that she would immediately know what to do.

Kate nodded soberly. "I'm a soldier, I have to know how to provide field medicine," she turned to Todd and sat down on the side of the bed, resting a hand over his heart and feeling relieved to feel it steadily beating beneath her palm.

The explanation made sense as, before the Lanteans had given them technology, warrior wraith were taught the same basic healing skills as she had described for him. In fact, the more he learned of her, the more he was beginning to see the similarities between her and the wraith.

When the wraith medics returned, they brought with them a pair of shear-like scissors, two basins of steaming water, several washcloths and three rolls of what Kate guessed was their version of bandages along with some minty smelling green goo that she supposed was a salve of some kind. Dragging the small table over to the side of the bed, the wraith deposited the items onto it and stepped back, nodding to the Fortress Commander before departing.

Romulus watched as the female wasted no time in taking up the shears and began to methodically cut away the ruined leather that had once been Valloran's battle-coat. Once she had stripped him of that, she began on the long frock coat that went under the battle-coat and then carefully peeled both of his bracers off. One was undamaged, but the other was barely recognizable. Valloran would need a new set of clothes when all of this was over.

"I trust that you will wish to remain here to watch over him?" Romulus asked after the remainder of Valloran's clothing had been removed, a fair amount of his skin going with it. The unconscious wraith now lay on the bed in nothing but his pants and his boots, which Romulus suspected would be coming off soon as well.

Kate nodded, not removing her eyes from her task as she dipped the first cloth into the warm water and wrung it out, beginning the task of cleaning Todd's extensive burns.

Having known that this would be her answer, Romulus took a step towards her, amazed that her human stomach could handle such a sight. "I will have a more comfortable chair brought to you so that you can remain here," he informed her. "I will also have blankets brought, for both of you. There will be a servant sent to check on you periodically, you have but to ask for something and it will be made available to you."

Kate nodded her thanks to the other wraith as he left, returning her attention to Todd. After she finished cleaning the burns to the best of her ability she set aside the bloodied clothes and reached for the green salve that one of the medical officers had brought. Unscrewing the lid, she applied a liberal amount to Todd's chest, arm, hand and side glad that she was strong enough to be able to lift him up so that she could reach all areas in need of treatment. As her hands applied the salve, she remembered the last time that she'd touched him as freely, their make-out session on top of the ramparts springing clearly to her mind.

She pushed it away, focusing on her dressing of his wounds. She was halfway though when the door opened and a human servant entered carrying a cushioned wing chair. Without looking at her, he put it down and retreated as quickly as he had come. Kate finished her wrappings and used the shears to cut off the remainder of the roll and put it off to the side. His bandages would need to be changed in a few hours and, having nothing else to do but watch him, Kate got up and went to the chair, pulled it into a corner of the room and sat down to watch Todd sleep.

~xXx~

It was night when Todd regained consciousness and, as soon as his mind swam back into the realm of the living, he felt a sharp and intense pain shoot through him. Remembering the explosion he was overtaken with a complete and terrible anger at himself for allowing his attention to wander so far and to such a detrimental end. Snarling, he attempted to sit up only to find that someone was holding him down, their hand a gentle but firm pressure against his uninjured shoulder. Focusing his eyes, he looked up and stilled as Katherine's face came into sharp relief despite the softness of the light that flickered about the room.

"Katherine," he called, looking around, unfamiliar with his surrounding and, in the wake of not knowing where he was, attempted again to sit up.

Kate clicked her tongue in annoyance and pushed more firmly against Todd's undamaged shoulder forcing the wraith to stop his attempts to sit upright. "Shhhh," she cooed softly, using her voice to calm him as she was sure he was somewhat agitated and disoriented. "You need to lie back down or you'll hurt yourself more."

Hearing her speak brought a sense of ease to him that bade him do as he was told but not before he became aware that her hand was placed, not against his clothed shoulder, but against his bare skin. Dropping his eyes curiously, he took stock of his own injuries and noted how carefully both his chest and his left arm had been wrapped. Returning his gaze to Katherine's face he felt his heart rate increase at the concern that lay bare in her eyes as she gazed at him; the warmth that was her worry for him made the pain that permeated his left side fade into a dull ache.

"You are concerned for me," he whispered, needing to hear her confirm it before he let the knowledge take complete run of him.

Kate offered him a small smile meant to set his mind at ease. "A little," she agreed, removing her hand from his shoulder and letting it trail across his chest with the pretense of checking his injuries before falling into her lap. "You don't exactly look your best."

Todd chuckled, an action which jarred his injured side and made him wince in pain. "I would imagine not."

Hearing his laugh, even if it was a pained one, made Kate feel immensely better and with a sigh she made to draw away, back to her chair, only Todd caught her hand and stayed her. Turning back to him, her gaze boring into his, she held his golden orbs as several seconds ticked away, time itself seeming to slow.

"My thanks, Katherine, for your attention," Todd hissed gently after he felt that he had allowed his gaze to linger on hers long enough. The relief in her eyes trapped him as they shifted from deepest grey to lightest silver.

Kate smiled, bowing her head as his fingers let go her wrist and she stood. "You're welcome," she replied, bending down on impulse to place a kiss on his forehead. Drawing away, she noticed that a blank look had settled over Todd's face and she figured that she have overstepped her boundaries. "Sorry," she offered, turning from him and retreating to her chair where she sat down and took to staring at the wall.

Todd, meanwhile, was unable to move as the place where Katherine had kissed him burned as though he'd been branded. He had seen humans do as she had before; mothers to children, brother to sister, mate to mate. He knew it was meant to be a reassuring and affectionate gesture and that Katherine would choose to give him such made him contemplate very hard what he had thought to be fact. That she had offered him affection, touched him, when there was no one there to watch them made him believe that she had done it because she'd wanted to, making him question her response to his kiss on the battlement. Could she have wanted it, regardless of their observers?

Laying back down, Todd allowed weariness to take him.

~xXx~

When Todd woke the second time, it was to find Romulus staring at him. Groaning, as the pain had only lessened with his healing sleep but not disappeared, Todd lifted himself to a sitting position and realized, after doing so, that Katherine did not come to push him back down. A survey of the room found her to be absent of it and the fact that she was not there made Todd lament. He would have so liked to have seen her upon waking: she had been in his dreams.

Romulus watched him, noting how Valloran's eyes darted about the room before coming to rest upon the chair that his companion had occupied for the majority of his recovery. "She is not here," the elder wraith said at last when he saw confusion settle onto Valloran's face.

Todd looked up at him. "Where is she?" he asked, needing to know that she was safe.

Romulus eyed him, fixing him with a pointed look. "Your companion has shown remarkable consideration for your wellbeing in complete disregard for her own. You have been unconscious for the better part of five days, and in that time not once has she left this chamber save to relieve herself. I had to order her to eat and even then she fought me." He glared at Valloran. "You always did find attraction in the most stubborn of females."

Todd snorted. "Katherine is more stubborn then most," he responded in acknowledgement; his friend's statement was indeed true. "Even among wraith I believe she would win out over the great majority." He glanced over at the empty chair, looking up sharply. "You did not answer my question."

Romulus shook his head, amazed that even when injured, Valloran's main concern was for the female.

"She is in your quarters where I had her escorted some hours ago," Romulus replied, crossing his arms and letting go of a deep breath through his nose. This answer seemed to placate Valloran, who nodded and sat all of the way up, swinging his feet over the side of the bed.

"Are you certain that you should be moving?" Romulus asked, eyeing his friend as he grabbed one of his shoes, beginning the struggle to put it on with only one good hand without jarring the muscles in his chest any more then was necessary.

Todd grunted. "I have always recovered quickly, Romulus," he reminded his friend. "You know that."

Romulus smirked. "Yes, a better quality of yours," the second wraith agreed, his smirk widening as he watched Valloran toil. "Unfortunately the same cannot be said of your stubbornness."

Todd let out a hiss of frustration but finally managed to get his right foot into his boot. Growling softly in triumph, he reached for the second one and found that the going was much easier. Now shoed, he stood up and looked at Romulus. "In stubbornness, Katherine and I are evenly matched," he announced, alluding to their previous conversation.

Romulus snorted at the comparison mostly because it was not wrong and because that was not the only similarity that the two of them shared. "Her strength is comparable to yours as well," Romulus said. "When I ordered her to retire back to your chambers, she did not wish to go and made such known."

"What happened?" he inquired, curious.

"Your Katherine broke Thayne's nose," Romulus informed Valloran, "As well as flipped him onto his back; he was quite dazed afterwards." Romulus frowned. "I do not believe he will be forgiving her for that anytime soon."

Todd shook his head. "Most likely not," he agreed, finding Katherine's fervent wish to stay by his side endearing and warming to think about.

Romulus looked over the half-dressed, still injured wraith and nodded towards a pile of clothing that had been set on the chair that had until very recently been occupied by the woman Katherine. Walking over to them, Valloran held up and inspected the garments before nodding his head in approval.

"They were mine," Romulus informed him as the other began to dress, taking special care as he slid the long undercoat up over his shoulders both injured and non. "Forgive me if they are slightly large at the shoulder and chest. You are smaller then I."

Todd made a noise that was half-snort, half-grunt, and turned towards Romulus in amusement. "Not in height," he smirked as they fell into the same casual banter that they had been employed between them since their youths. "And I am larger then you in the area of consequence."

Romulus glared at him. "Go," he ordered the highborn, his voice only half jesting at the jab Valloran had made. "Return to your quarters and see to the needs of your companion. I might have been able to make her leave your side but no amount of ordering or persuasion on my part would make her agree to eat. I leave that to you."

Todd nodded, pleased with his victory. "That is because you do not know her," he informed the other, finishing the fastenings on the only slightly too large battle-coat and grabbing the bracers to put on as he made his way towards his chambers.

Romulus turned as the younger wraith walked past him towards the door of the room and opened it. Following him out into the corridor, Romulus looked after him as Valloran walked stiffly away, shaking his head at his friend's stubbornness and the mess he had gotten himself into with his little female.

~xXx~

It took far longer than usual to make the journey up to his quarters and having reached the door, Todd cursed them for being on the highest floor. Growling ever so slightly in repressed pain, Todd opened the door and stepped inside, immediately seeking Katherine. He found her asleep on not her bed, but rather his, and the urge to take her temporarily consumed him, despite his lingering injuries. He shook off the notion and instead crept forwards until he stood over her and looked down upon her, turned half on her back and half on her side, her hair spread out like a raven fan over his many pillows. Deciding to let her sleep, the shadows under her eyes betraying the fact that Romulus had not exaggerated when he had said that she had not left his side for five days, Todd instead contemplated what to do now as he needed more rest but could not very well climb into bed besides her.

Much as the idea appealed to him, the scenario could only end badly.

The option for more sleep thus removed from the equation, Todd moved towards the bathing chamber and decided that a bath would probably do him good. Entering the room that was a less organic version of the personal bathing chamber aboard a hive, Todd crossed to the pool that had been carved into the ground at one corner of the room and turned the water on. Steaming hot water, tinted green with minerals, began to spill into the tub.

Lamenting that he had just put his clothes on only to now take them off again, Todd sat down on the bench that sat next to the in ground pool and began to unfasten the buckles, straps and laces that held his heavy boots together. Prying them off, he let them fall heavily to the floor with a thud before standing and working on the rest of his barrowed wardrobe, the only part of his original clothing being his pants. The pool was full, the water lapping but four inches from the edge of the pond when he was at last completely undressed. Next came the bandages and Todd was pleased to see that Katherine's care had paid off as new skin, pale green and less grey then the rest of him, was stretched tightly over what had once been blackened flesh. Casting those aside, Todd stepped into the water and sank down until he was sitting on the seat that had been carved into one end of the pool, the healing green water lapping at his pectorals as he leaned his head back and contented himself to simply sit.

Minutes ticked by into an hour and still the water remained warm until finally Todd decided that he ought to actually bathe while he was here as he was sure he needed it. Turning to the cabinet that had been carved into the wall besides the pool, he gathered the appropriate bottles and began the task of washing his hair and, when that was done, the rest of him. It was the latter that proved to be problematic as no amount of stretching or twisting could allow him to reach his left side without causing him a great deal of pain. Finally snarling in frustration, Todd crossed his arms and gave up.

"Having trouble?"

The voice surprised the wraith and Todd turned more quickly then he should have which made him hiss in pain as his new skin stretched farther than it was able. Looking up he saw Katherine leaning against the doorframe, a look of amusement for his situation on her face along with concern for his exclamation of pain. "How long have you been standing there?" he asked, embarrassed for the first time in thousands of years and lamenting that it was Katherine that should see him now at his weakest.

Kate shrugged and walked the rest of the way into the room, crossing the distance between the door and the bathing pool and sitting down on the bench by the water's edge. "Long enough," she answered, looking down on the wraith that she realized was absolutely naked and the only thing that kept her eyes from his assets was the dense, green mineral water that he sat in. Kate felt herself blush and she cursed herself for not having realized this fact sooner.

Todd scowled. "It is nothing that I cannot handle," he informed her, glancing towards her only to frown as he caught a telltale stain of pink to her cheeks that confused him.

Kate gave him a look. "Oh, really?"

Deciding that he was going to play her game if only to discover why it was that she was blushing, Todd tilted his head to one side and replied, "Yes, really."

Kate snorted. "Now you sound like John," she accused him.

This comparison made the naked wraith growl in protest and derision of such a statement. Glaring up at Katherine, Todd felt some of his anger fade as she broke into giggles. "You find this amusing?" he asked her, a light tone to his voice.

Kate nodded, her eyes dancing. "Oh, very," she informed him, leaning forwards. "You know, if you're having trouble, you could just ask for help."

The suggestion made Todd contemplate the position be was in and the one in which she had just put them. It was different, like the kiss she'd given him when he's first awoken, because they were alone. Before he could answer, however, Katherine had moved from the bench she'd been sitting on to sit by the very edge of the pool. Blinking in the fact that she was now extremely close to him, he could feel the situation spiraling out of control. "Katherine," his voice warned as she reached over and took the cleansing sponge away from him.

"Shhhh," Kate shushed him, relieving him of his bathing implement and settling down into a more comfortable position that would allow her to reach more of him. "Just relax, I figure you've earned this. You did get blown up."

Fighting back the sudden rush of heat that had slowly begun to build inside of him, Todd leaned back in the pretense that he was relaxing when in reality his body could not have been any more tense then it was now. A hiss escaped him when he felt her hand settle on his uninjured shoulder, her cool skin starting a fire in his flesh that he could barely contain. Within seconds that fire had spread through to the rest of his body and it flared dangerously when he felt her apply the sponge to his back and begin to work it over his former injuries. Her touch was gentle, soothing and so very intoxicating that Todd was suddenly very glad that Katherine could not see through the water.

Kate worked methodically, slowly guiding the sponge over the expanse of Todd's back and shoulders. Her ministrations served two purposes, one of which was entirely selfish. While she was indeed helping him by doing this small task for him, her real motivation was that an activity such as this allowed her the leisure to simply look at him. Todd was beautiful to her in a way that she never would have thought a wraith to be. His body was perfect, hard, and so wonderfully sculpted that Kate couldn't have pried her eyes away from him if she'd wanted to. The sight of him sitting naked in the tub had drawn her in, taken control over the rational part of her brain that screamed at her that this was a bad idea, and totally consumed her so that there was no escape, not that she wanted one.

A sigh escaped Todd's lips as Katherine's hand dipped just below the water line, seeking more of his flesh to cleanse. When it came back up, it slid once more across the breath of his shoulders before it left him entirely. Todd felt the sudden and abrupt end of her touch keenly. The cessation caused his previously veiled eyes to open wide and his head to turn, his vision seeking the woman who had scorched him. He found her, her eyes downcast, with a contemplative look on her face.

"Katherine?"

Kate looked up and smiled, stowing away her inappropriate thoughts about Todd the wraith and forcing her mask back into place. "There," she said, handing the sponge back to him, "all done."

Todd took it back numbly, the loss of her touch having left him uncomfortably cold despite the still steaming water. Wordlessly, she stood and left the room leaving him to complete his bath in solitude.

~xXx~

The next several days passed slowly, and Todd didn't honestly know how he survived them. During the daylight hours, he kept mostly to himself, sitting reclined on his bed with various viewing screens spread out around him. Just because Romulus had ordered him to remain in his room did not mean that Todd was going to let his research come to a halt.

As soon as the sun set, however, the atmosphere within his chambers became strained as the settling of the sun marked the time when his still healing skin needed to be tended to. This meant that Katherine would come to him, sit beside him on his bed without saying a word and motion for him to remove over half of his clothing. Once his body was bare from his waist up, Katherine would shift towards him and begin gently applying healing salve to those areas of his body that had been the most badly burnt. The process was slow and Katherine took her time, her small hands sliding over his muscles with a tenderness that was almost worshipful, or at least Todd liked to think so. In reality, he knew that she was simply being thorough, although all the reasoning in the world could not stop the wishes his mind made whenever she touched him.

When she was done, she'd leave to wash her hands and bathe while Todd would remain in his half dressed state long enough for the salve to seep into his skin and dry before dressing again. Katherine would return from the bathing chamber completely dressed with a towel wrapped around her head. Todd's eyes would linger on her, his gaze seeking any stray water droplet that perhaps still lingered on her skin and, if he found one, he'd glare at it in envy before wrenching his thoughts away from her and attempting to go to sleep.

Thus, he was very glad when Romulus came to fetch him on the fourth day and instructed him to return to his laboratory. Todd took to his research with an even more intense fervor than before his accident. He was in desperate need of anything, no matter how mundane or tedious, that was capable of taking his mind away from Katherine. His thoughts strayed to her with a frequency that was intolerable, and Todd cursed himself for his lack of control even as he threw himself back into his work.

In the end, his zeal paid off, and two weeks after the explosion, Todd finally found the frequency that kept them trapped on the planet, which in turn allowed him to circumvent it. Romulus was pleased and temporarily abandoned his duties as fortress commander to assist him in building a device that would allow him to transmit a message past the signal barrier. Upon its completion, the device was assembled in the courtyard of the complex while Todd made all the last minute tweaks to the machine's sensors.

"And you are sure that this will work?" Romulus asked, edging closer to Valloran as the latter continued to plug in various variables that the fortress commander could not even pretend to understand.

Todd looked at him. "It will work, of that I am most sure."

Romulus eyed the contraption that he had helped assemble, although, in hindsight, he had probably hindered Valloran's progress rather than helped it. He had just wanted to do _something_, the boring and tedious administrative rigors of being fortress commander having gotten to him over the last ten thousand years. "I hope so," was all he said as he stood back and went to wait out the duration of the test with the rest of his officers.

With Romulus no longer hovering over his shoulder, Todd redirected the desired recipient of the message from his hive to Atlantis, adding extra information into the missive, as he was sure that they wouldn't act without first knowing that Colonel Sheppard and his team were well and unharmed. Glancing towards the opposite side of the courtyard where the human slaves had gathered for their midday meal, Todd briefly searched the faces of the humans for those that hailed from the Lantean city. Not finding them, Todd returned to his data input, finishing the last line of his message before saving and storing it.

Stepping back, he took up the remote control device that would allow him to turn the device on to full operational mode from a safe distance away. The materials he'd used to make this complex transmitter were dangerous and could combust at a moment's notice. Backing away so that he joined the rather large crowd of wraith whom had taken a break from their daily duties to watch him, the hope evident on their faces that he should succeed, Todd nodded once to Romulus before keying in the sequence of numerals that would start the machine's transmitting process.

On cue the turbines began to spin, faster and faster until they reached maximum velocity, the energy that would carry the signal growing and building until it reached the point where it was released in one long, continuous burst upwards. The wraith behind him twittered and whispered to each other, while the humans stopped eating to stare at the gathered wraith in awe, having never seen anything like what had just transpired.

Feeling as though he had accomplished a great deal more then he actually had, Todd smiled to himself and turned once more towards the human's pin. His eyes searched but for a moment before they landed on the forms of Colonel Sheppard, Major Lorne and the Setedan along with their non-Atlantian friends standing at the very front of the crowd, staring at him. He nodded once and saw Sheppard nod back before he turned back towards his fellow wraith and welcomed their praise.

~xXx~

As all indications showed that the experiment had indeed worked, Todd now found that his days were filled with lectures, discussions and updates on what the galaxy was like now as compared to how it had been when Romulus and his wraith had become trapped here. When he'd told them how the war had ended, the whole lot of them had been rather thrilled, but when he had explained the queen's treachery and how the five cities had been leveled there had been a sobering silence in the wake of his words. All in all, as Todd retreated to his quarters on the fifth day after he had completed his experiment, the wraith was exhausted and reverently wishing that Kenny would hurry up.

"Done giving lectures for the day?"

Todd looked up at Katherine as he closed the door behind him and nodded, crossing the room and sitting stiffly in one of the chairs. "Thankfully, yes."

Kate smiled, putting the book down that Todd had dug up for her from God only knows where and turning towards the drawn out looking wraith. It was no secret that he'd been working particularly hard these last few days and not in a lab. No, because Todd was the only one that knew anything about what life was like outside of this planet he'd been relegated to giving lectures about all the changes in the way of life of the wraith from dawn until sundown. She glanced out the doorway to the balcony; the sun was still above the horizon, Todd had gotten off early today.

The wraith watched as his companion turned her gaze out of the room and he allowed his eyes to linger on her whilst her attention was elsewhere. Their looming rescue from this damned planet brought into clear relief the fact that in an unknown amount of days Katherine would no longer be his and they would be back to being no more than friendly allies. It left an unpleasant taste in his mouth whenever he thought about it.

Katherine moved and Todd was snapped from his reverie as he watched her cross the room and retrieve the container of salve that lay on a bedside table in his bedroom. Panic flashed through him and he sat up straight as she came back towards him.

"I believe that my injures have healed sufficiently enough, Katherine, that the application of that is no longer necessary." His reasoning was a bit off and he knew it, because in truth, his still somewhat tender left side was in need of attention, but the thought of her touching him in such a way when it was unknown to him how much longer she would be his companion was painful to him. He knew that he should begin to wean himself off of her touch.

Kate ignored him and crossed the room purposefully, sitting down on a ottoman and staring the wraith down. "Todd," she began slowly, sighing, "please don't be stubborn. I know your side still hurts."

The wraith wavered, surprised as always that Katherine appeared to care so much. He'd given up trying to figure out whether her concern for him was genuine. Sighing, the great and powerful former high commander of the wraith yielded to the compelling expression in Katherine's eyes and shifted so that she could reach his side. This was not good enough for her apparently and she shook her head and took his hand in hers, pulling him to his feet and leading him towards his bedroom.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, completely at a loss as far as her motives were concerned.

Kate rolled her eyes and stopped walking once they were near his bed. Without offering him an explanation, she dropped his hand and reached for the belt that was slung low around his waist. She felt Todd stiffen as she unclasped the buckle and then dropped the belt to the floor, moving to take off his bracers. "How, exactly, do you expect me to get to your side?" she finally asked him, chuckling softly at Todd's lack of comprehension that his clothes would have to come off if she was to administer the salve.

Todd hissed softly as Katherine let his bracers fall to the floor and then began on the fastenings of his borrowed battle-coat. "This is unnecessary," he told her, now moderately concerned as the realization that Katherine was undressing him wedged itself into the forefront of his mind and refused to move. It was a scenario that he had often played over in his mind but not one that he had counted on ever coming to fruition.

"What did I tell you about being stubborn?" Kate teased him playfully as she pushed his hands away and slipped her hands under his outer coat and then pushed it off his shoulders, taking it from him and laying it over the end of his bed before starting on the buckles that held his under robe in place.

Giving in to the inevitable, Todd closed his eyes and tried to keep his thoughts from wandering too freely as he was divested of the last article of clothing that stood in the way of her completing her task. Katherine was determined and so he let her because, quite honestly, he wanted to feel her touch him one last time. This, her administration of the medicine he decided, would be the last time in their charade that he would allow such intimacy. If he let it continue past this point, Todd knew that when the time came he would be less inclined to let her go and feared that some of their interactions might spill over into their real lives once they were off this planet.

Having won Todd's cooperation Kate, after laying the underrobe on top of his battle-coat, picked up the jar of salve and unscrewed the lid. Scooping out a good amount, she spread it to both of her hands while placing the jar on the floor before she applied her hands to Todd's still tender left side. As soon as she touched him she felt the muscles of his abdominal reign tighten and she frowned wondering why he always did that. She knew that it wasn't because the salve was cold because the minty greenish-brown goo warmed in her hands before she ever touched him.

Her mind wandered as she concentrated on the task at hand. Honestly, her reasons for insisting on this were entirely selfish. Yes, Todd's relatively new skin was still a bit on the tender side but that wasn't the real reason she'd wanted to do this. Truthfully, she'd just wanted an excuse to touch him because she honestly didn't know how many more chances like this she was going to get. The fact that he'd been reluctant to allow her to do so told her that he, too, sensed the end of their charade drawing near and was trying to distance himself from her in preparation of their rescue and return to their normal lives.

Todd resisted the urge to groan in pleasure as Katherine's hands traveled over his side and then up over his chest. She was being more thorough then normal and he pondered over the reason as to why when suddenly he felt her hands leave him. Opening his eyes he looked down on her and watched her stoop to replace the lid on the jar and then return it to his bedside table. Her movements were reluctant, almost regretful and when she'd returned to him he realized from the look in her eyes that she had not wanted to stop.

Kate sighed and looked up at the half dressed wraith. "Do you want me to help you get dressed?" she asked, meaning her tone to be playful but failing miserably. Todd said nothing and she frowned. "Todd?"

His eyes snapped to hers with a ferocity that surprised even him. Under them, he saw Katherine shift slightly and she gasped when he let loose his common sense and grabbed both of her arms tightly.

"Todd?" Kate asked again, uncertain and unsure as to what was going on. Todd was looking at her strangely, his golden eyes having darkened to an almost amber color and his grip on her arms was strong, harsher than ever before. When his gaze didn't change, she tried again, "Todd, what -"

She was cut off as suddenly, without warning, Todd kissed her. Kate's eyes widened as his mouth came over hers, and she felt herself being pulled forwards until her body was flush against his, the intense pressure of a certain part of his anatomy pressing at her belly. Kate momentarily forgot how to breath, _He wants you!_ her mind screamed at her, _He wants you and you're not even being watched_! In the wake of this realization she felt the lids of her eyes lower as she opened her mouth to him.

Todd knew that what he was doing was not going to help him in the long run, but the look in Katherine's eyes as she had reluctantly drawn away from him had cemented in his mind the thought that she, on some level, returned his desire for her, however insignificant that level might be. Todd knew that if she did not wish for him to continue, she could stop him, but she didn't. Katherine once more yielded to him, opening her lips and allowing him entry into her mouth which he plundered without care or caution.

Emboldened by her reaction to him, Todd pressed forwards further than he had ever dared to before. Drawing her close to him, he held her body to his and let his hands wander, his feeding slit grazing over her flesh, tasting her and feeding on the shared desire that clung to her skin. Suddenly touching her wasn't enough, his want for her was too great and he could not control it.

Turning, taking Katherine with him, he stepped forwards, forcing her to sit down on his bed as he came over her, her back lowering until she was laying amongst his many pillows with him above her. She did not protest and so the wraith in his fevered state concluded that she did not have any objection to the direction he was taking them. Katherine's hands had found their way to his chest and now clung to him, drawing him closer. He pressed down, settling himself on top of her and inserting the length of his larger body between her legs. Still, Katherine did not protest.

The feel of him on top of her had Kate's mind flashing back to that time, on his hive, that he'd landed atop her. The weight was the same, pleasant and altogether wonderful, but the situation couldn't be more different. Somewhere in the back of her mind Kate could hear her common sense screaming at her that she had to stop this, that if they went down this road, they wouldn't be able to stop and that once they got back to Atlantis, things would change forever. As Todd's body slid to rest in between her tights, Kate violently told her common sense to shut up. She moaned into his mouth which made Todd growl and suddenly his mouth left hers, traveling down her neck, nipping and biting, a perfect mixture of pleasure and pain as his teeth bit into her skin. Kate's head tilted backwards, digging into the pillows that surrounded her as she felt the pressure in her lower abdomen already beginning to build.

His mouth somewhere near her throat, Todd felt her pulse flutter against him as he bit down into her flesh, tasting the coppery essence of her blood and reveling in the fact that, like a female wraith, Katherine did not seem to mind this more animalistic side of him. In fact, he could taste through his feeding slit that his biting of her excited her. Todd let out a deep, reverberating growl in response to this knowledge as he dug his fingers into her, holding her to him as tightly as he dared.

Head still titled back in pleasure, Kate could feel the inevitable coming as she slid one hand up and around to his back while the other traveled down to rest lightly but insistently on the lip of his pants. Todd seemed to take the hint because he removed one hand from her side and used it to guide her curious hand to the front of him, between their body's, to the stays that held the leather pants together. Kate had just managed to get the first laces undone when suddenly a very insistent knocking began at the door. Growling in frustration, Kate ignored it as did Todd until someone called her name.

"Major Sheppard!"

Kate's eyes flew open and her head snapped up as she recognized that voice. "Rodney."

Todd growled, the state he was in causing his anger to morph quite quickly into rage. Lifting himself off of Katherine, he looked regretfully down at her as she gazed up at him, a similar look on her face. He was tempted to ignore the fact that they were about to be rescued and finish what they'd started but another round of insistent banging on his door erased that possibility from his mind and he snarled angrily as he took his leave of his bed and stomped to the door.

Throwing it open, he glared daggers at the group of three humans, Kenny and Romulus that he found on the other side. "WHAT!?!"

Rodney blinked at the clearly unhappy wraith that looked like he was about to kill them. "Umm," the scientist floundered before his mind latched onto the fact that Todd was only half dressed. He frowned, "Why are you -"

"Rodney?"

Todd turned and Rodney was able to see past the wraith to Kate who stood beyond the wraith, a hand to her throat and her eyes looking at him as though she wasn't quite sure he was real. "Hey, Kate," he said, trying to sound friendly but really just worried.

Kate continued to stare at him for about five seconds before she rushed towards him, pushing past Todd and throwing her arms around Rodney's neck. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you," she whispered to the scientist.

Rodney nodded. "I think I have an idea."

Kate let him go and stood back, frowning when she saw that Rodney was not looking at her oddly. 'What?"

The Canadian pointed. "You're bleeding."

As soon as he said it, Todd hissed sharply and Katherine's hand went to her throat where his teeth had drawn blood. "I-it's nothing," she tried to tell the overly observant human, and Todd looked up to see that both his second and Romulus were looking at him as if to tell him that they both knew exactly what he and Katherine had been doing before they'd been interrupted.

Rodney didn't believe her and turned angrily to the wraith. "You bit her?" he demanded, glaring upwards at the alien. "When I tell Sheppard -"

"No!" Kate said hurriedly, Rodney's eyes flickering to hers as she beseeched the physicist. "John can't know."

Rodney faltered. "But -"

"Please," she begged him.

After a long look, Rodney finally nodded."Fine, I won't tell Sheppard." He reached out and grabbed a hold of Kate's arm. "But you are coming with me, now, to a jumper so that Jennifer can check you out."

Kate nodded mutely and allowed her friend to lead her away. Not once did she look back at Todd.

The wraith watched her go and, as soon as she was gone, both Kenny and Romulus turned and fixed him with equal looks of curiosity. His second spoke first.

"Commander -"

Todd rounded on him, still angry and still aroused despite the fact that the object of his desire had just walked away from him. "Your timing, Second, is terrible," he ground out, irritated beyond anything he'd ever been before. He'd been so close, she'd been under him, she'd been willing and she'd almost been his.

Kenny frowned. "Do you not think it wise, Commander, that you were stopped?"

Todd snarled. "NO!"

Kenny gave him a pitying look. "You have long desired Katherine," he reminded the older wraith. "Was it not you that decided that it would be best if you sustained from -"

Todd's eyes flashed dangerously and Kenny had the good sense to shut up. "She was almost mine!" he railed, his rage subsiding only just.

Kenny remained levelheaded. "But she is not yours." Besides him the younger wraith noticed that the one who had introduced himself as the fortress commander was extremely interested in this conversation. "She is Colonel Sheppard's sister, and Atlantian. She will never be yours."

That much was true and it was this undeniable truth that made Todd calm down.

Romulus, meanwhile, was curious as well as confused. "You mean you have not bedded her?" he asked incredulously.

"Nor will I ever," Todd replied remorsefully.

Romulus blinked. "But -"

Todd rounded on him. "I took her for much the same reason you took Andromeda," he ground out, tersely, "To save her. What you saw between us was an pretense only meant to provide the illusion of intimacy where there was none."

Romulus held his friend's gaze. "There would have been, if we had not come."

To this, Todd could only nod minutely.

Romulus shook his head. "So I am to understand that you desire this female, have a sort of relationship with her, and that you have denied yourself the pleasures of her flesh all this time simply because you wished to save her, but that on this day you decided to give into your lust and take her." He looked pityingly at Valloran. "You are an idiot."

Kenny's mouth dropped open in shock. Nobody, regardless of age or rank spoke that way to the eldest and lived. That this wraith had the gumption to attempt it frightened the younger wraith.

Todd growled. "Watch what you say, Romulus," he warned, not in the mood to have this particular lecture.

Romulus ignored him. "I have known you all your life, therefore I am entitled to remind you that you have done this before; it did not end well."

"Katherine is different," Todd countered, feeling as though he should defend her despite everything against the female that Romulus was currently comparing her to.

Romulus had to agree. "Oh, of that I am certain," he fixed the younger wraith with a look. "You, Valloran, are in over your head."

Todd growled and turned away from his second and closest companion. He needed to get dressed and he needed to think, neither of which he could do while being watched.

Romulus watched him retreat back into his quarters and shook his head. The young wraith who was apparently Valloran's second in command turned to him.

"You name him," Kenny said. "Valloran is legend only, a myth."

Romulus snorted. "For a myth, he has certainly set himself up for a far number of sleepless nights," he looked down on the younger. "I assure you that Valloran is his name."

Kenny swallowed hard and nodded, his respect for his commander increasing tenfold. The great warrior Valloran was a story that was talked about in whispers, the wraith as close to a deity as their race was ever likely to have. That Kenny should find himself in such close quarters to the myth himself, made the younger wraith reconsider everything that he'd thought he'd known about his Commander. It also made him reconsider his attraction to Katherine. The situation had suddenly become very much more complicated. And Kenny knew without a doubt that the wraith he was standing next to was right.

His commander was, indeed, in over his head and there wasn't a thing Kenny or anyone else could do about it.

* * *

**Author's Plea: Hit the button, hit the button, I gave you what you all wanted now hit the button! Is it really too much to ask that you just hit the button?**


	16. The Nursery

**A/N:** First off I'd like to apologize for the delay in getting this chapter fished an posted. Fortunately, only half of the delay was my fault - I had writers block something awful, you just wouldn't believe - and I can blame the rest on the fact tornados are bad and they do bad things to people's houses. Thanks to tornados and the lovely hail storms that go along with them, I spent three weeks fixing the baseball size holes in my roof; I swear that if you'd have looked down on my house form a plane it would've looked like Swiss cheese. Anyway, I digress; secondly I'd like to thank my friend Katie who helped me get unstuck and gave me the encouragement I needed to buck up and keep going. Lastly, I'd like to say that, as always, I hope you all enjoy this one and I beg of you to send me a review at the end letting me know what you all thought. Cheers and enjoy!

* * *

**Episode XVI: The Nursery**

"In conclusion…"

The twenty-five people sitting on all sides of the elongated briefing room table groaned, moaned and made other various sounds of exasperation which only a long winded speech given by Richard Wallace Woolsey could produce. Roughly every six months or so Atlantis hosted a meeting for all its allies excluding, of course, Todd the everyone-would-flee-at-the-sight-of-him wraith whose presence would also more likely than not not win them any votes of confidence from the natives. While it was true that Larrin and a handful of her Travelers knew about him and Halling and the rest of the Athosians had been introduced to him at the McKay's wedding, the same could not be said of the Genii, the Latira, the Kerions, the Riva, the Santhal tribes or the Manarians. Since Colonel Sheppard didn't want to have to explain to them why the city of the ancestors occasionally worked with the same wraith that was responsible for sinking it, Todd was excluded from the meetings and was sent a copy of the transcript after John was done editing out the bits and pieces of it that the wraith wouldn't care about. Sometimes, through, when it looked like Woolsey was really getting into a second wind, John wished to whomever would listen that Todd would one day be forced to sit through these things too.

It would serve him right for kissing his sister. Woolsey was going off on a tangent about something or other so John felt that now might be a good time to reflect. For starters, the image of Todd the wraith kissing Kate up top a guard wall with the sun setting behind them and all that had burned its way into John Sheppard's mind and just wouldn't leave. The colonel had tried everything he could think of including watching chick flicks to burn the image away but nothing worked; it had become ingrained. Of course, John really couldn't blame him, he had been protecting Kate when he'd done it and it wasn't like Todd'd wanted too, but that didn't mean that John was any less inclined to be irked at him. It was his sovereign duty as a big brother to be irked at anyone who kissed his sister especially one hundred and seventy-eight thousand year old life sucking aliens from other galaxies. If he ever told David about this the eldest Sheppard brother might have a stoke; suddenly John was considering it.

Woolsey's pitch changed and in so doing signaled John that the meeting was about to reach a blissful end to which all could celebrate. Several of their allies were shooting Woolsey death glares that conveyed their wish to kill the man if he didn't hurry up; apparently, for once, Woolsey was taking the hint. When finally the bureaucrat's voice wound down into silence after which he stood, thanked everyone for coming and took his leave, there was a mad rush for the doors. The kitchen staff always went all out whenever they had one of these things and everyone at the table knew it. Thus it was, that when the talking was finally over, the mess hall was where everyone went.

"Sheppard."

John stopped walking and turned around. "Larrin," he nodded in greeting as the slender woman caught up with him and fell into step besides him. "How'd you like the meeting?"

Larrin scoffed. "I swear, if he'd have talked for another second, I'd have blown his head off."

John chuckled. "I'm pretty sure the Riva were thinking the same thing."

"Wouldn't surprised me," she shook her head. "Honestly, how do you put up with him on a day to day basis?"

John shrugged. "We don't in fact, we try and keep him as out of the loop as possible," the two of them joined the rest of his team at their usual table. "Keeps us all sane."

Ronon looked up. "Talking' 'bout Woolsey?"

John nodded. "Yeah," he frowned and looked down at the table. "He talked for four hours this time."

Ronon and McKay winced. When Atlantis had started going to or having general alliance meetings practically the entire senior staff of Atlantis had gone along. Of course, Sam had been at the helm then and she knew how to run a meeting giving out and collecting as much information as possible without talking everyone to death. Woolsey didn't possess that finer quality and so, now, if your weren't required to go to the meeting you didn't and in fact stayed as far away from the briefing room as possible. It was the general consensus of Atlantis and its allies that only Richard Woolsey could go on and on about nothing and make it sound so important. Ronon and Rodney may not have been in the room with John or Larrin but they sympathized with them just the same.

John suppressed a shudder and looked around. Normally on an off duty day, the mess hall was the central hub of everything social. Today, however, the colonel was noticing the discernable lack of certain people that would normally be doing something that entertained everybody else. "Where is everybody?"

McKay frowned also noting the lack of his wife, Major Lorne, Teyla, Cadman and the other Sheppard. "I don't know," he looked around. "They should be here I mean, Jennifer said she got off at two it's half past three."

John looked at Ronon.

The Setedan blinked. "What?"

It was a little known fact that Ronon was probably the most observant person in Atlantis with the notable exception of Kate whom saw and heard everything thanks to her training as an espionage artist and Todd, when he was around, because he was Todd and he was old and thusly too observant for his own damned good. Therefore, if one wanted to know something and it involved two or more people, their best bet was to go ask the former runner. Getting him to actually tell you, however, was another story as Ronon wasn't exactly known for being talkative. The large man kept about ninety-seven percent of what he saw and observed to himself and only told somebody if whatever he overheard or saw was life threatening or otherwise dangerous. Fortunately for John, he got to pull the big brother card that, to date, got his friend talking faster than threatening to shoot him if he didn't spill did.

"You wouldn't happen to know where everyone is would you?" John asked Ronon whom was looking interestedly down at his plate.

Ronon grunted. "No."

John let out an exasperated sigh. "Why don't I believe you?" he asked, squinting at the large man and shaking his head.

Ronon gave in. He knew that Sheppard had a right to know what was going on because it evolved Kate but that didn't mean that he wanted to be the one to tell him. Both Ronon and Lorne had known that there was something wrong with Kate on the day that they got rescued and, if the way Todd had avoided her while he bustled around trying to organize the wraith so that they could leave was any indication, whatever was bothering her was bad and had something to do with him. Unfortunately for the major and the runner, Sheppard didn't seem to catch on that there was something amiss about his sister's behavior and calked the whole lot of it up too having had to live with Todd in such close quarters for nearly three months. Ronon and Lorne both knew that there was more to what was troubling Kate then that but, since they'd been rescued two weeks ago, all attempts to get Kate to open up and talk about whatever had happened had failed and Ronon wasn't looking forwards to informing Sheppard that he was an idiot for not being able to see how much his sister was hurting.

"Lorne, the doc, Teyla and Cadman are with Kate," he told Sheppard resolutely, still holding onto the hope that he wouldn't have to go into too much detail over what they were doing and why.

John raised an eyebrow. "Why?" he asked slowly, getting the feeling that there was something going on that someone, multiple someone's, had either neglected to tell him or flat out kept from him on purpose.

Ronon looked the military leader of Atlantis dead in the eye. "You haven't noticed?" he asked, seriously angry that Sheppard would be so blind as not to see how much pain Kate was in. She needed her brother and no matter how much she loved Lorne like one he could never replace Sheppard. The man was a moron for not seeing it.

John frowned. "Noticed what?"

Ronon sighed. "There's something wrong with Kate," he said bluntly.

Larrin leaned forwards, speaking for the first time. "Is she alright?" she asked, worried for her friend. Normally Sheppard was his sister's confidant so if there was something amiss with her and someone else was telling him about it whatever it was had to be bad, very, very, very, bad.

Ronon looked at the Traveler and saw the concern in her eyes. Larrin and Kate had met each other only twice and yet the bond of friendship between the two women was stronger than any he'd seen in a long time. His motem had had a friendship with another Setedan woman like the one that Larrin had with Kate and because of it, Ronon had grown up knowing her as his motem's sister not knowing any better until he was old enough to understand how you could be family to someone without sharing the same blood.

It was because of this knowledge that he decided to tell Larrin the truth. "No."

John sputtered. "What are you talking about?" he asked, looking around the table. "Kate's fine."

Ronon recognized denial when he saw it and Sheppard had probably the worst case he'd ever seen. "She's not fine," he persisted. "She's hasn't been since we got rescued."

John scoffed. "That's nothing, she's probably still just hung up over all the stuff she and Todd had to do in order to make their little charade believable," he insisted really not wanting to believe that there was something else wrong with her. "If I'd had to kiss Todd I'd be a little bent out of shape too."

Ronon and Rodney made faces.

Larrin rounded on Sheppard. "She did what?"

John sighed. "Kate got made into Todd's companion so he could keep her safe only they had to make it look like they were sleeping together. Every time they were out in public and there were other wraith around they did…stuff and this one time Todd kissed her," he waved it off. "It's no big deal. I mean, I'm a little irked about it, he could have found another way to insinuate that about them, but it got the job done and kept her safe. It's not like he wanted to kiss her or anything."

Based off of the ways in which Ronon and McKay were eyeing Sheppard, Larrin was delivered the suspicion that the kiss between Kate and the wraith had more substance to it then Sheppard believed. That and armed with her own observations of the pair led her to believe that whatever pretense between the pair had been set up in the beginning of their game hadn't lasted long and more than likely a kiss is not all that had been shared between them. The look on McKay's face confirmed her theory; the scientist knew something.

Since their retrieval from the prison planet, Kate had taken to wearing t-shirts rather than the tank-tops that she normally did when she was off duty and Rodney knew why. When he'd knocked on Todd's door that day and the half dressed wraith had answered it hadn't taken Rodney long to figure out what had been going on and what he'd interrupted. After dragging Kate down to the medical jumper to see his wife, Rodney had stayed because he had felt and knew somewhere deep down inside of him that he needed to. He'd learned because of it that Todd had bitten Kate and now, two weeks later, that bite mark had become a scar that the woman tried desperately to cover up. Sheppard's belief that Todd hadn't wanted to kiss Kate was crap and the physicist knew it but, like his wife, saw no reason to tell the colonel about it. There was nothing he could do for starters and it would only make the man mad at Todd whom they needed alive and whole. Sheppard would kill him if he found out that the wraith had very nearly slept with his sister.

While McKay held his tongue, Ronon continued to eye Sheppard. "You're not worried?" he asked. "It's been two weeks and she's still upset; the doc and Lorne planned an intervention."

John stared at him. "An inter… she's fine! Don't you think they're going a bit over board?"

Ronon shook his head. "No."

John sighed. "Well I do. Kate's a fighter. You all just need to give her some space and she'll sort it all out for herself, you'll see."

Rodney looked up. "What if she doesn't?" he asked. "I mean, if it were Jeannie I'd be -"

"She's fine!" John said angrily, standing up and kicking his chair in. "She just needs time to come to terms with everything."

Ronon and Rodney watched him for a few minutes as he took a deep breath and then made his excuses and left.

"Sounds like Kate's not the one who needs time," Larrin observed, her eyes trailing off after Sheppard's retreat.

Ronon shook her head. "Sheppard doesn't get it."

Larrin turned to him. "So what's really going on?" she asked.

Rodney sighed and opened his mouth only to close it as Lorne, his wife and Cadman came into the mess hall. They all looked terrible and Rodney waved them over. "It didn't go well?" he asked as they sat, all slumping forwards, around the table he, Ronon and Larrin where sharing.

Jennifer let out a tired sounding sigh. "No."

Ronon quirked one bushy eyebrow. "How did it go?"

"Badly," Cadman informed him. "The more we tried to get through the more she closed up. Now she's not talking to any of us."

Larrin frowned. "So what's next?"

The three new arrivals looked up and turned towards her. "Hey Larrin," Jennifer greeted the traveler woman. "So how'd you get caught up in all of this?"

Larrin shrugged and leaned back, drumming her fingers on the table top. "I still have no clue what's going on other then Sheppard said Kate kissed your wraith."

Lorne snorted. "Yeah, I thought the colonel was going to have a heart attack when he saw that," he sighed and glanced at the alien woman. "You sure you wanna get involved in this?"

She nodded. "Kate's my friend," she looked around at them all. "So what's going on?"

"Kate's depressed," Lorne started, rubbing his hands over his face. "She's emotionally closed off and it's starting to take its toll. Something happened on that planet that she doesn't want to talk about and whatever it is is killing her. She's cried like twice; it scares me."

Larrin eyed him. 'Why?"

Lorne threw up his hands and leaned back in his chair. "Because Kate doesn't cry, she rarely shows any emotions other than the ones she wants everyone to see. She keeps everything bottled up just like the colonel and while in most cases that's fine in this one it's hurting her more and more the longer she keeps everything to herself," the major trailed off and looked helplessly down at the table. "I don't know what to do."

Jennifer reached out and out a comforting hand on his arm. "None of us do. Kate's stubborn and it's almost like she's determined to punish herself for whatever happened."

Larrin looked around. "What did happen?"

Cadman shrugged. "That's just it, we don't know."

Rodney winced; he hadn't told them what he'd figured out. "I do."

Everyone at the table looked at him. "You do?" his wife asked, surprised.

Rodney nodded. "When I went with Kenny and that other wraith to go get Todd and Kate I knocked twice. The first time nobody answered and the second time Todd threw the door open and growled at me like he wanted to kill me."

Lorne rolled his shoulders. "So?"

Rodney looked at him. "So he was half dressed and pissed off. It didn't take a genius, even though I am one, to figure out what I'd interrupted."

Everyone looked down, suddenly interested in the wood patterns on the table. This changed everything and made Kate's attitude make a hell of a lot more sense. There were several things she could be thinking right now and, armed with this new knowledge of what had almost happened, the group of them could begin to put together another plan.

"So," Cadman was the first to speak. "Todd and Kate were in the middle of doing the deed or at least warming up to it when Rodney here stopped them," she looked around. "We need to find out if they actually did anything and if so, go from there."

Jennifer sighed. "Well she won't talk to us anymore so what do we do?"

Larrin had an idea. "She'll talk to me."

They all looked at her.

"What makes you think that?" Cadman asked, slightly annoyed that the woman was so confident that Kate would talk to her when she wouldn't talk to her own teammates and best friend.

Larrin leaned forwards. "Hey, I'm just here to help," she asserted before outlining her plan. "Kate knows that you all are trying to get the truth out of her so she's clammed up. If I offer to take her away somewhere because I've heard she's been getting grilled a lot she'll go. Maybe I can get her talking if I get her away from Atlantis."

Jennifer frowned. "Where would you take her?" she asked, curious and excited all at the same time; this might work.

"An old friend of my father's owns a tavern on a planet called Pleaten," she looked at Ronon. "You've probably heard of it; his specialty is forgetting wine."

Ronon nodded. "Yeah, I've heard of it; been there too. You wanna get Kate drunk?"

Larrin shrugged. "It'll make her feel better and it'll loosen her tongue."

Cadman's face screwed up. "Huh. Now why didn't we think of that?"

Jennifer snorted. "Probably because we're all tired and have been way over complicating things," she looked at Larrin. "You can ask her, she might go."

"And she might talk," Lorne conceded, "After she's had a few; or ten."

Larrin smiled. "I'll try," she promised, standing. "So where's Kate?"

"In the gym probably, beating the shit out of something," Cadman told her. "Be careful approaching her, she's volatile."

Larrin nodded in appreciation of the warning and took off, heading towards the gym that she knew her friend frequented. She found her doing exactly what Cadman had said she'd be doing and, for a few minutes, stopped to watch. When Kate delivered a kick to the dummy that sent it flying across the room, Larrin spoke. "I think you killed it."

Kate looked up, her breathing heavy, and eyed the woman standing there. "Larrin," she greeted, walking over to a bench and grabbing a towel to wipe her face with before walking towards the woman. "Looking for me?"

Larrin walked forwards, stopping a few steps above the younger woman. "And I found you, fancy that."

Kate snickered. "Any particular reason why?" she asked, curious. She'd have thought that the woman would be off somewhere with her brother bothering him while all the while they traded comments laced with sexual innuendo. Personally, she thought they should just get it over with and sleep together already, Lord only knew they both wanted to; they were just being stubborn about it.

Larrin shrugged and reminded herself to keep her opening statement casual and circuitous. If she was too straightforward Kate would bolt. "Oh, no reason really," she looked the raven haired woman over. "Heard you've been having issues."

Kate's face immediately closed off. "Says who?"

Larrin flippantly shrugged her left shoulder while switching her stance so that her weight was on her right hip. "Various people, didn't get much of a reason as to why though; they all just seem o think that there's something wrong with you."

Kate relaxed, feeling better once she knew that someone hadn't sent Larrin here to try and question her. "I'm fine," she insisted.

Larrin glanced towards the dead dummy and then back at Kate. "Yeah, right," she sat down on the bleachers and looked up. "Stressed much?"

Kate scowled. "Yes, well, you would be too if you have twenty people walking around you on eggshells asking you if you're sure you're alright every ten seconds."

Larrin made a face now not at all surprised that Lorne and the others hadn't been able to get anything out of her. "Bit much I take it?" at Kate's nod she sighed and jumped in. "So, I was thinking, since things around here are so bad, do you want to go somewhere with me?"

Kate glanced over her; she was serious. "Where to?" she asked, more than willing to go anywhere that got her away from her so called friends. She knew that they meant well but also knew that if she didn't get away for a while she'd shoot the next person that asked her if she was feeling okay. Knowing her friends as she did she knew that that'd be Evan and he didn't handle bullets nearly as well as she did; it was better to just go with Larrin and let everyone else calm down.

Larrin crossed her legs and leaned back, resting her back against the row of seats behind her. "Oh, I know this place. Kind of a market, Sheppard went there once and called it a mall whatever that is. It's got food and a pretty nice tavern, a friend of my father owns it; makes the best wine in all of Pegasus."

Kate's face lit up. "Shopping and booze, yeah I could go for that."

Larrin smiled. "I thought you might," she stood up. "You need to ask Sheppard to go?"

Kate scoffed. "He's my brother not my keeper," she looked at Larrin. "I'll go get changed and then ask Woolsey. Meet you in the gate room?"

Larrin nodded. "Sounds good."

Kate nodded once and walked past her towards presumably her room while Larrin walked back towards the main inhabited section of Atlantis. Lorne, Jennifer rand Cadman met her just outside the gate room.

"Well?" Lorne asked as Larrin came towards them.

"She'll go," the Traveler informed them and watched all the gathered individuals breathe a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank God," Cadman cried.

Larrin smirked. "Yes, well, Kate only agreed to go not spill her heart out. I'll do my best but I'm not going to promise anything."

Jennifer offered the woman a smile. "All we can ask of you is to try," she looked at the woman seriously. "Thank you for this."

Larrin waved it off even though she knew that it was a big deal. "Don't thank me yet, thank me when I've fixed her now scram, if she sees you here when she meets me she'll get suspicious."

Lorne, Cadman and Jennifer all nodded and retreated, going their separate ways while Larrin walked the rest of the way into the gate room and then waited around for Kate.

~xXx~

Under normal circumstances, Kate abhorred shopping and protested violently against actually doing it unless it was with Vala or Sam and the only reason she'd agreed to go with Larrin had to do with her curiosity. The Pegasus galaxy didn't have many shopping centers and most people made their own clothes and other wears except the wraith who had their worshipers make everything. Kate was eager to see what sort of place Larrin was taking her to and, after getting Woolsey's permission, she and Larrin departed quickly. Kate supposed that she was expecting a sort of bizarre type marketplace that she'd seen before on other worlds in the milky way and so was therefore surprised at what she and Larrin walked into.

"Well?" Larrin asked, stopping at the top of the platform that the gate sat on and glancing towards Kate to see what she thought of the place.

Kate's eyes had widened the minute they'd stepped through the gate and they continued to enlarge themselves the more she looked around. She and Larrin were currently standing on a ridge that overlooked a huge city laid out like a spider's web. She looked up, the lights from the city reflecting back at them from the crystals above them; the entire metropolis was underground and looked very much like the dwarven capitals from the _Lord of the Rings_ movies.

"It's…" Kate trailed off, her eyes sweeping back and forth trying to take it all in. 'Wow."

Larrin laughed, pleased with the younger woman's response. "Yeah, it's something. I remember the first time I saw it; had about the same reaction."

Kate followed her as she started forwards down a well worn path towards the bustling center. "Where are we?" she asked, looking pointedly up at the ceiling for emphasis.

Larrin explained. "This is the only place like this is the whole galaxy. It's in a cave to protect it from the wraith."

Kate nodded. "I get that," she said as they reached the outermost shops. It would seem as though everyone here was selling something and as a result the stores were downstairs while the owners lived upstairs. It all looked so medieval that Kate instantly liked it.

Larrin turned towards her. "So, where to first?"

Kate looked at her. "Do we have any currency?" she asked, not sure what the people of the Pegasus used for money. Teyla traded for whatever she and her people needed, Kate didn't know of any universal monetary system.

Larrin smirked at the question and reached into the pocket of her coat, retrieving a small bag and tossed it to Kate. The younger woman opened it and pulled out several coins. "We use those," Larrin explained. "Each planet or peoples have their own specific type made out of whatever they have available on their planet but they all have the same value. Even the wraith use these occasionally."

Kate frowned. "Don't their worshipers make everything for them?" she asked.

Larrin shook her head. "Not everything and besides, where do you think the worshipers get all the material from anyways. They've got to get it from somewhere."

Kate considered this and figured it made sense. She out the coins back and handed the bag back to Larrin. "so how much we got?"

Larrin chuckled. "Enough to buy anything you could possibly want," she replied, turning left down a row of shops and heading towards one she thought Kate might find interesting. "Here," she stopped in front of a door and gestured for Kate to enter before, "you'll like this one."

Kate walked in and found herself surrounded by the same type of guns that Ronon and Larrin always carried along with various other types of Traveler made weapons. The shopkeeper greeted Larrin.

Larrin nodded back to he and his wife before turning to Kate. "Pick one."

Kate looked at her. "Really?"

Larrin nodded, smiling at the look on her friend's face as her eyes scanned the rows of energy pistols. "Yeah."

Kate grinned and eagerly walked about looking over everything until she found one she liked. The barrel was sorter then Ronon's and it fit in her hand better than his did the few times he'd let her shoot it. She turned to Larrin, holding it up. "I like this one."

The shopkeeper came towards her. "A good choice that," he told her, taking it from her and laying it on the counter to check it over. Seeing that it was in good condition and perfect working order, he looked back at the woman to discuss payment only to stop and really look at her. "You be looking familiar, girl," he squinted at her.

Larrin rolled her eyes. "Tasken," the man turned to her and she shook her head.

It didn't deter him. "I know I'm bein' rude," he apologized and returned to eyeing the woman who had come into his shop with Larrin. "But you do look familiar."

Kate sighed. "Heard of John Sheppard?" she asked.

He nodded. "Oh assuredly."

Kate rolled her shoulders. "He's my brother."

The man stared at her. "You be Katherine of Atlantis?"

Kate winced, Todd had given her that name and she hated to be called by it given her current feelings towards the wraith. "Yeah."

Larrin raised an eyebrow. "That's you?" she asked, as surprised as Tasken was. She'd heard whispers about a woman known by that name from her various informants but she'd never thought that they meant her friend. She knew her full name was Katherine but still she didn't put two and two together. Katherine of Atlantis was well thought of by the wraith and hated by more than one queen, she'd have figured on Todd speaking well of her but not anybody else.

Kate nodded. "Yeah, Todd gave me that name."

Larrin's next question died on her lips. Kate wasn't ready yet to talk about Sheppard's wraith and Larrin wasn't going to push her.

Tasken looked curious. "Whose Todd?"

Kate answered automatically. "He's…" she stopped and reconsidered what she'd almost said. "Never mind, how much for the gun?"

Tasken shook his head. "Nothin' for you, lady."

Kate frowned. "Seriously?"

The man nodded. "You be doin' us all a favor by fightin' the wraith. Least I could do to repay you and the others of Atlantis."

Kate took the gun he held out to her and the holster that he fished out to go along with it. "Thanks," she said, shocked.

Larrin was surprised too, Tasken wasn't known for giving things away or for even going down on price. It was a testament to the respect he had for those who took up arms against the wraith that he did it at all. "Tasken," she said, acknowledging his kindness while Kate strapped on the gun belt and holstered her new weapon. When she was done the two women took their leave and continued onwards.

They spent several hours going in and out of interesting shops so that by the time they were ready for a meal and some of that wine Larrin had talked about, they'd managed to get Kate an entire new outfit that she'd happily changed into while tossing out her BDU's. Larrin thought that the patterns and swatches that reflected her culture matched Kate more then what she'd brought with her from Earth and apparently the young woman thought the same thing. By the time they reached the tavern, they were both in good spirits and chatting amicably about anything and everything.

"Larrin!"

Both women looked up as the older of the two of them was hailed by the barkeep as soon as they walked in. Kate hung back a bit as they were approached by a large, rotund man with a scar down the right side of his face that didn't detract at all from his merry demeanor.

Larrin smiled at the man that had been like a second father to her. "Tallus," she greeted warmly and was immediately engulfed into a hug by the man who lifted her clean off her feet. "Good to see you."

"You as well, little missy," Tallus grunted happily as he set Larrin's feet back on the ground and turned towards her companion. "An' who's you bringin' to see me? Pretty little missy you are."

Kate blushed. "I try."

Tallus let out a bark of laugher. "I can see that as can me patrons," he gestured around and, sure enough, more than one seedy eyed man was looking the two of them over. He looked back at the girl. "You be a friend of me Larrin's?"

Larrin nodded. "Her name's Kate."

Tallus pondered this and looked the girl over again. "You be related to Larrin's Sheppard? You look like him."

Larrin's face turned red. 'He's not mine," she ground out tersely.

Tallus waved her off. "Maybe not but you be wishin' he was th' way you talk 'bout him."

Larrin glared at him while besides her Kate giggled.

Tallus returned to the black haired girl. "So? Any relation?"

Kate nodded. "My brother."

Tallus' face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Well then, I be given you the best of service in th' hopes that you can mayhaps bring him and this one together. They be needin' some pushin'."

Kate snorted. Larrin's fists clenched.

"Tallus," she warned shaking her head at the man furiously.

Tallus harrumphed. "I's only want you to be happy little missy and Lord knows your face lights up whenever you talk 'bout that one."

Larrin's cheeks stained and she decided to change the subject. "We're in the need for some hot food and some of your wine," she told him directly, hoping he'd get the hint.

He did. "Course," he boomed and then took the both of them by the arm and led them over to a table at the back of his establishment, pushing them each into a seat once they got there. "Figured you'd want a quite like place to chat," he explained to them before backing away. 'I'll go an fetch you some vittles while me help gets you your drinks."

Larrin nodded and watched him leave before turning back to Kate. The younger woman was looking at her oddly. "What?"

Kate snickered. "Have a crush on my brother do you?" she teased good naturedly.

Larrin looked down at the table. "Shut up."

Kate giggled. "Oh, I don't care I just think it's funny. John looks like Christmas' come early whenever he talks about you."

Larrin looked up. "Really?"

Kate nodded. "He likes you, a lot. He gets all giggly whenever someone brings you up and when he talks about you, like I said, it's like Christmas came early. I've never seen him do that, not even when he was dating Nancy."

Larrin frowned and reached for the tankard that one of the barmaids had placed in front of her and Kate. "Who's Nancy?"

Kate shrugged, taking a sip of her drink. "John's ex-wife."

Larrin put her mug down. "He's been married?"

Kate eyed her. "He's never told you?"

Larrin shook her head. "No, he hasn't," she looked at him. "Sheppard doesn't strike me as the settling down type."

Kate snorted and took another swig. "He's not, he only tied the knot because dad was pressuring him to make an honest woman out of her; said Nancy deserved more than just a long-term boyfriend. John only did it to shut the man up."

"Did he love her?" Larrin asked, curious despite herself. They were supposed to be talking about Kate and Todd not her and Sheppard.

Kate nodded vigorously. "Oh yeah, he loved her plenty it's just that john's not a big fan of marriage because he knows what it did to our parents. Everything changed for them as soon as they signed that little piece of paper; they lost their spark and never got it back. To John, you don't need some piece of paper to prove that you love someone."

Larrin nodded in understanding. One of the reasons she'd held out for so long against starting something with Sheppard was because she knew he'd want some sort of commitment out of it. Knowing that he didn't need to be bound in marriage to feel connected to someone made her consider maybe actually following through with some of her flirtatious remarks.

Kate picked up on that. "So," she started, looking up and thanking the barmaid who brought them their food before returning her attention to Larrin. "Thinking about maybe putting john out of his misery?"

Larrin took a bite and swallowed. "Maybe."

Kate smirked. "Well, it's a start," she said, tossing Larrin a grin. "Maybe you can kiss him goodbye after we get back and you have to leave."

Larrin giggled at the thought.

"You are Katherine of Atlantis are you not?"

Both Kate and Larrin looked up from their meals and towards the figure that stood over them at the end of their table. The person was tall and slender and the voice was female. Whoever they were they were wearing a cloak and a hood that covered their face and they'd spoken particularly softly as though trying to hide something in their voice.

Kate frowned. "Who wants to know?"

The figure shook their head. "I cannot tell you that here," she explained, an imploring tone in her voice. "I can only say that I heard you were here and that need your help."

Kate eyed Larrin. "Word travels fast doesn't it?"

Larrin nodded. "Yeah, really," she looked at the figure. "Why should we trust you?"

The cloaked woman cocked her head to one side. "You are not Atlantian."

Larrin's eyebrow went up. "No," she said slowly, taking in the figure more closely and reaching a conclusion. "And you're not human."

The figure shook their head. "I am not," she replied, her voice still soft as she tried to conceal the tells within it. "But you have my word that I do not wish to harm you. I ask only for your assistance."

Kate's eyes narrowed. "What do you need my help with?"

"I cannot tell you here," the figure replied and suddenly changed her approach to a more desperate one. "Please, come with me and I will explain."

After sharing a look between each other Larrin and Kate decided to give the strange woman the benefit of the doubt. Standing and tossing down a few coins onto the table, the two of them followed the cloaked woman from the tavern and down a side street. When they were in a secluded area the woman stopped and turned towards them.

"Alright, we came with you," Kate started, crossing her arms and looking over the figure. "What is it that you want?"

The figure let out a sigh and reached upwards to remove her hood. At her movement, Kate and Larrin both caught sight of her hands and realized together at once what she was.

"You're wraith," Kate stated as the hood fell away to reveal a female wraith with unusual colored hair. Normally female wraith had either white, black or sometimes red hair, this one had locks that were almost blue.

The wraith nodded and spoke normally. "I am," she confirmed, eyeing the woman she had sought out despite the better judgment of her sisters. "As I said, I am in need of your assistance."

Kate stared at her. "Really? With what and why should I trust you?"

The female gazed steadily at the human female. "My sire speaks well of you," she informed the human smoothly, folding her hands in front of her gracefully.

Kate frowned. "Your sire?"

The female nodded. "A great wraith," she eyed the woman. "He is eldest among us."

Kate scowled. "Todd."

The female nodded. "I have heard him say that the humans of Atlantis call him that, yes."

Kate fumed, not at all happy that anyone connected with Todd much less one of his children had come looking for her. "What do you want?" she demanded, all manner of pleasantries gone.

The female frowned. "You seem irritated," she observed finding it strange that the woman would change moods so drastically so quickly. Her Sire had said often that Katherine of Atlantis was, in demander, very like the wraith. She was not acting in such a way now.

Kate glared at her. "A little. I want to know why you're here and what you want with me. Straight answers this time and if you mention Todd again I'll shoot you."

The female blinked at her.

"They've had a falling out," Larrin attempted to explain, trying not to giggle at the look of confusion on the wraith's face.

The female nodded. "I see," she turned back towards Katherine. "I will leave mention of my sire out of our conversations then, as it pleases you," she said before beginning again. "The task I require your assistance for is a great one that will go far in undermining the queen's authority and control in the galaxy. It's completion will be of benefit for both us that oppose them and you and yours of Atlantis."

Kate sighed. "I'm listening."

The female nodded her head grateful, pleased that the woman had consented to at least listen to her. Her sire had told her that getting the humans of Atlantis to agree to hear out his ideas was the hardest part of any joint operation although he had also said that Katherine was more sympathetic then the others. It was why, when she had heard the rumors that Katherine of Atlantis was here she had gone looking for her.

"If a queen gives birth to a female then that child is deposited into one of nine nurseries through the galaxy. There they are indoctrinated into the beliefs of their motem's so that the ways of the past are erased from all future generations," she looked at the two human females. "In this way the queens have remained in power over us and succeeded in leeching out our history so that only their twisted version of it remains and is practiced."

Kate eyed her. "You don't look like an elder," she said, giving her a once over. She carried herself well but didn't have that aura of power and deadliness that all the other elders Kate had ever met processed.

The female shook her head. "I am although I am perhaps the youngest of them. I was born just shortly before the Daemon War began."

Larrin frowned. "The what war?"

"The Daemon were the enemy that the Lanteans asked us to help them defeat. They required fodder and did not wish to waste their own resources so they advanced our understanding of technology so that we might aid them," the female explained, a sneer coloring her face.

Kate understood. "After which they asked you t give up the technology they gave you and when you refused the Great War started."

The female nodded. "Yes."

Kate sighed. "Alright, so you're an elder but you're a young elder. What do you want us to do?"

The female returned her gaze to Katherine's. "Forgive the reference, but I know that my sire has taught you our earliest language."

Kate inclined her head. "Yeah, so?"

"This is the language that the queens use to communicate with and the language that has prevented my sisters and I from overtaking the facility," she eyed the human. "I come to you because we cannot destroy the nursery without first emptying the archives of their knowledge so that we might use it against them. They keep many of their secrets locked away in the data stores of these facilities and we would be foolish if we did not take advantage of that."

Kate worked out the plan in her head. "So you want me to bleed the archives for you of all the important stuff so that you can blow it up?"

She nodded. "That is why I have sought you out, yes."

Kate considered her options. While she wasn't so sure about helping out this wraith she did know that if Todd could get rid of the queens then life would be better for everybody. She'd do this for the people of the Pegasus. "Alright," she agreed. "What do you need me to do?"

The female smiled. "Follow me," she said and began to walk through the darkness.

Larrin fell into step besides Kate. "Are you sure about this?" she asked as they walked through several darkened portions of the city, away from the stargate.

Kate nodded. "Getting rid of the queen's is Todd's eventual goal."

Larrin frowned. "So you're doing this for him?"

Kate scowled. "Fuck no," she hissed venomously. "I'm doing this because if we get rid of the queens then life gets better for everybody. It just so happens that Todd's the only one that has a snowball's chance in hell of making that happen."

Larrin followed her line of reasoning. "So you're doing this for everyone else and it just so happens that you'll be helping Todd while you do it?"

Kate jerked her head downwards once. "That's the gist of it."

Larrin sighed. So far their little trip hadn't at all gone the way she'd planned it and she was no closer to finding out what was wrong with Kate then she had been when they'd first gotten here. All she could do was follow the determined woman who was following some random wraith and hope that the opportunity presented itself before the simple plan that they were operating on all went terribly wrong.

Nothing ever went according to plan when the wraith were involved. Nothing, and with Kate's mood set, Larrin prepared herself for the worse.

~xXx~

"So how's this gonna work?" Kate asked as she, Larrin and the female wraith sat, crouched, behind a large rock on the planet the aforementioned wraith had led them to. Kate had had her doubts about the idea from the start but, like she'd explained to Larrin, getting rid of the queens or at least weakening them would do everybody a favor. Unfortunately that favor looked like it might just get her killed and, as she peered out from behind the rock at the huge fortress of a place inside of which were - if she'd understood correctly - hundreds of young future queens in training, she began to consider how the hell their plan was actually going to work.

The female wraith let out a low hiss. "My sisters have already infiltrated the facility," she explained to the two humans. "They will be waiting for us at one of the lesser used entrances. Once we are inside then they will lead us to the portal so that you might take from it the information that we require before the charges are set and the facility is destroyed."

Larrin whistled. "No," she shook her head, "that doesn't sound at all like something could go wrong."

Kate snorted.

The female wraith scowled. "Are you always so pessimistic?" she asked the older of the two women, frowning over her attitude. From her sire, she had been led to believe that humans, the Atlantians in particular, were always rather stupidly sanguine. This female was not and because of that deficiency was less inclined to simply go along with whatever she said. The situation was growing complicated.

Larrin glared at her. "Are you always so optimistic?" she countered with a grimace. "I mean honestly, this is a seriously screwed up plan."

Kate shrugged one shoulder. "She has a point," she took Larrin's side before turning to the now irked looking wraith whose face was set into a sneer, "But, I've learned that it's usually the screwed up plans that end up working better then the well thought out ones."

To that, Larrin couldn't argue and so remained silent. Kate peeks over the rock once more and then ducked quickly back down.

"So, how's this gonna work?" she asked again.

The female wraith sighed. "Follow me," she instructed them and then began to creep along the edges of the valley before descending into it and leading them both to an entrance that was concealed by a large overgrowth of flora.

"Never would've seen this place," Kate commented as the wraith knocked twice and then folded her hand in front of her to wait for a reply.

Larrin frowned and looked over the door. "You still sure about this?" she asked her companion. "We could always go back and get plastered."

Kate offered her friend a flippant toss of her left and right shoulders. "We could, but blowing stuff up is always more fun."

Larrin shook her head. "You are defiantly Sheppard's sister."

Kate snickered. "Was there ever any doubt?" she asked.

Larrin snorted. "Not anymore."

"Be quite," the female wraith hissed at the both of them, angry that they would be compromising their secrecy by bantering away so loudly.

Larrin and Kate exchanged looks with one another before the door in front of which they were waiting was opened and they were all ushered inside quickly. The person that had let them in was a wraith worshipper or at least Kate thought so by the way he walked and by the way he refused to look at any of them. They followed him through several dimly lit and rarely used corridors lined with dust and cobwebs that made everything seem twice as eerie as it might otherwise have been. Finally they were shown into a large room that, once they'd entered, Kate and Larrin found to be full of at least twelve wraith.

A loud hiss went up through the room. "What are they doing here?" one female hissed angrily, shooting her sister a dark look while another of her sister's besides her growled dangerously at the two humans.

The female that had sought them out looked pleadingly at her own. "Please understand that they are needed -"

"They," a white haired female began darkly, standing so that she might get a better look at the pathetic life forms her younger sister had brought to them, "Are human. Of what good can they possibly be?"

The blue-black haired female gestured towards the grey eyed human. "This one is Katherine of Atlantis," she stated firmly.

The whole room erupted into whispers of defiance and disbelief. Larrin leaned towards Kate.

"Hey look," she teased. "You're famous."

Kate scowled. "Yeah, really."

The white haired female spoke again. "Be that as it may," she turned her gaze onto the human in question. "What makes you believe that she can be of use to us?"

Blue-black hair stepped forwards. "She can read the language that was lost to us," she informed the room which began to whisper amongst itself again.

A red haired female, shorter and stouter then the others stood. "And from where did she learn that skill I wonder?" she asked, turning her almost orange gaze towards the black-haired human.

Kate glared at her. "I was taught it," she explained, her teeth grinding together as her abilities were put into question.

The red haired female sneered. "By whom?"

Kate's eyes narrowed. "By the wraith you know as the Eldest."

Again, many of the females turned towards each other and began to whisper. Blue-black hair put a stop to it.

"Enough!" she called out and immediately the room fell silent. "We waste time in our indecision," she eyed each occupant of the room before beginning again. "The Eldest is my sire and I have heard him, with his own tongue, speak well of this female. The claim she makes is true and it is the reason for which I have brought her here. Now, we shall carry out the plan as it was given to us without farther delay. Is that understood?"

The tone of her voice dared anyone to disobey and Kate found herself fully able to believe that the blue-black haired female was Todd's daughter just from the way she talked and the presence she held. If she weren't so sure she'd shoot him if she ever saw him again, Kate might have considered asking him about her on his next visit to the city but, as her disposition towards Todd the asshole wraith was not a good one at the moment, she decided she'd just have to deal.

She'd have to remember to make sure she was out of Atlantis whenever he next came calling.

The consent of the others gained, the blue-black haired female turned towards the two humans. "My sister's will empty the nest of those younglings that can be saved and raised properly whilst still others of them will set the charges. I will take you to the portal."

Kate nodded. "Lead the way."

Leaving the room and following their guide as she led them through one twisting, winding passageway after another gave Kate time to think and, much to her chagrin, her mind ended up on Todd. She was mad at him for sure after all, he'd ignored her after Rodney had taken her down to see Jennifer and his only words to her after the whole thing was over was a request to not tell her brother what had almost happened between them. He hadn't given her a reason but Kate had a pretty good idea of what it was anyway; tell John and his alliance went out the window, not tell John and he got to keep it. He didn't care about her at all, she'd just been convenient, and Kate had been beating herself up for not seeing it since they'd gotten back.

"A coin for your thoughts?"

Kate turned to Larrin. "Huh?"

Larrin eyed her, keeping her voice low so that their escort wouldn't snap at them again. "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

Kate sighed. "Todd."

Larrin held her breath; this was it, they were finally there. "Wanna talk about it?"

Kate heaved another heavy sigh. "Not really but it might be a good idea."

Larrin let out the breath she'd been holding. "I'm listening."

Kate took a deep breath and jumped in. "He took advantage of me."

While this was probably true to some degree, Larrin knew that any advantage Todd might have pressed wasn't what was really bothering her. "And?" she asked.

"And I acted like a -" Kate started but didn't get to finish as Larrin rounded on her.

"Oh no," the Traveler woman told Kate sternly. "Don't you dare do that to yourself. You're not like that."

"But I was," Kate protested. "I wanted it, wanted him, and I responded like some desperate, pathetic little -"

"You are not a whore!" Larrin countered, shocked that her friend would think that of herself just for responding naturally to someone whom Larrin knew she was attracted to; the fact that that person happened to be a wraith really wasn't reregistering right now.

Kate stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned to Larrin. "I acted like one, God," she shook her head, "I responded so hungrily to everything that he did to me from the moment he first touched me. I knew it was a game, I knew none of it was real but I let it get to me so that when he kissed me and no one was watching I wanted him so badly that I didn't think about the consequences. I just let him take us that far. If Rodney hadn't interrupted us -"

"Are you trying to get us caught!"

Kate stopped mid sentence and turned towards the angry contorted face of blue-black hair who was standing a few feet away from she and Larrin, glaring at the both of them. "Sorry," she whispered apologetically.

The female wraith snorted. "Yes, well, as troublesome as your entanglement with my sire surely was, now is not the time to discuss it."

Kate hung her head; the female sighed. "Now," she began, "if we could continue -"

The sounds of footsteps, loud, heavy footsteps reached their ears and all three of them looked up and around in alarm.

"Hide!" the wraith instructed them and by the time Kate and Larrin had turned around, she'd disappeared somewhere amongst the shadows of the corridor. Unfortunately for them, they weren't fast enough.

"You, humans!" a female at the head of a patrol of drones called out to them as she rounded the corner and the both of them froze. "What are you doing here?"

Because Larrin had taken the time to ask their wraith a little about the planet they were on at the moment, the Traveler woman was able to come up with a lie on the spot. "We are from the village milady," she played off, folding her hands in front of her diminutively and focusing her eyes on the floor. "We have achieved the age and have come to serve you."

Besides her, Kate copied Larrin's actions and played along. The alternative would've gotten them both killed.

The female hissed and looked over the two of them. They looked fit enough but to her knowledge, none of the humans in the village had yet come of age; perhaps she had overlooked these two on her last visit to the homes of those that served them. "Very well," she said sovereignly. "I assume that you arrived here and got lost in the tunnels?"

This time, Kate answered. "Yes, milady."

The female sniffed. "Stupid, ignorant humans. You were given directions by the village elders and still you cannot find your duty stations," she let out a long, low hiss. "Be that as it may, follow me."

She turned on her heel and swept down a side corridor while Kate and Larrin shared a look and followed obediently. After a few minutes they were led to a cavernous chamber that had what looked like several steaming tubs in it and a lot of activity. The female turned to them. "You will begin here in the laundry facilities and, if your work is impressive, move on to other tasks at our discursion," she pointed towards a no-nonsense looking woman standing on the other side of the room. "If you have any questions you will ask her, she is our voice among you humans," and with that she was gone.

Kate turned to Larrin. "That was close."

Larrin nodded, scowling as she did so. "Yeah, but now we've got to play maid."

Kate shrugged. "It's better than being dead or fed on."

Since the younger woman had a point, Larrin let out a heavy sigh and began to walk towards the woman that the wraith had pointed out to her. They'd just have to play along until their wraith could come and get them out of this.

~xXx~

"We must fix this."

It was a simple enough goal however none of the six sister wraith could think of a way to quickly resolve the situation quickly and without loss. Katherine of Atlantis and her fellow human friend had been captured and while every single one of them was impressed with the human females' ploy to keep themselves from being killed, it did make getting them out of it that much more difficult.

A red haired female turned towards the black haired one that had spoken. "And what would you have us do?" she asked, looking about the group. "Why not simply ask your sire -"

Blue-black hair hissed and silenced her foolish sister. "Because my sire would kill me were I to inform him that, through my actions, his Katherine was put into danger."

The second eldest of the group, another red haired female with black tips, spoke up. "Surely your sire would not harm you for such a trifle thing?"

Blue-black hair snorted. "My sire holds no affection for me beyond the responsibility he takes in bringing me into his life. It is the same with all his progeny save for his eldest; Katherine of Atlantis is of more value to him then I."

The sisters dropped their heads. The revelation that the Eldest had no lasting affection for any of his children beyond his eldest son was not so surprising to them as perhaps it might be to others. While it was true that they were all sisters it was also true that many of them had different sires and blue-black hair was the only one of them who had been sired on their motem by the Eldest, the fact that he had allowed her to keep his daughter when she rightfully belonged to him was testament enough to their sister's evaluation of his parental nature.

Before the reign of the queens began, it was law to the wraith that all children born belonged to the motem unless the sire was highborn. Since the Eldest was, in fact, highborn technically their sister should have belonged to him and his matriarch however, due to reasons none of them could claim to know, the Eldest allowed their motem to keep her daughter by him and only acknowledged her as being indeed his so that she might receive the benefits that one was given for being the child of a highborn; in particular, the daughter of the High Commander. Their sister was thusly more educated then they and more refined then they or their motem due to her time spent in the academy's and other colleges of thought that were provided for her due to the fact of her sire. It mattered little, in the end, the opportunities that were offered her because in the queens world they all were nothings; targets to be eliminated and destroyed. As if any of them had desires to become a queen.

"If not the Eldest then who?" inquired another black-haired female, this one died the tips of her hair white. "We cannot accomplish this on our own, the weight of it is too great. We still have younglings to smuggle out of this prison; we cannot continue with our tasks and resolve the situation with the humans."

She had a point. "Perhaps if we alerted our motem to the circumstance?" Red hair suggested. "She is capable of -"

"Capable yes but also well known," Blue-black hair interrupted her. "The only reason we were able to infiltrate this facility is because our motem has kept our continued existence from the queens as a collective. You know very well that it is decree to submit all newborn females to one of these institutions and mandate to execute all existing females whom are not queen," she looked around at her sisters, all of them feeling the oppression of the queens quite keenly. "Our motem if one of few who refused to kill her own daughters. Those of us who were born before or during the war have been hidden, our existences kept secret from the queens and she refused to send away those of you that were born after the war to one of these places. There is no doubt of our motem's devotion to us but we cannot involve her. She must appear, always, to be following the law of the queens. Revealing that we are her daughters would endanger our entire hive; there must be another way."

Black hair, who was older then her sister but only just, nodded. "Our sister is right, we cannot involve our motem. While there is no doubt that she would come to us because of her affection for us, it would be a dereliction of our duties as daughters to so callously endanger both her and the hive in such a way," she sighed and looked back and forth amongst her sisters. "Can no one think of someone else whom we could contact?"

There was silence for a few moments as they all thought and then black hair white tips looked up. "What of the queens in the Eldest's alliance? Surely they would understand the delicateness of our operation and our dilemma."

Blue-black hair nodded. "They would, yes."

Red hair sniffed. "I was not aware that the Eldest had queens who served him."

"There are but two but they each bring more than one hive to his service," Black hair informed the youngest sister. "Maliaka, despite being quite young, is capable and controls three hives. Her only drawback is that she is barren and has but one son."

"Varkan," Blue-black hair provided the name of the son for those of her sisters how did not know.

A female with white hair, who had not yet participated in the conversation until now, smirked. "Is he not the youngest hive commander?" she asked.

Black hair white tips sighed. "As you are well aware, he is," she shot her sister a look. "It would do you well to contain your liking of him. This is not the place nor the time to boast of his accomplishments or the fact that you have had him in your bed."

White hair, who was the youngest of them, sulked.

Black hair continued. "The only other queen paying service to the Eldest is Illyria."

At the mention of that particular queen, all sisters present bowed their heads in a show of respect and reverence. Illyria was an elder, one of the few queens whose age was comparable to the Eldest's himself, and was the motem of the Eldest's first born, the equally powerful elder Commander Caavin. She openly defied the other queens and, having five hives to her name all commanded by more of her sons and queened by the eldest four of her daughters, her faction had been a driving force of its since the end of the great war. That she was allied with the Eldest was surprising given that the disdain they had for one another was a legend in and of itself. No doubt their open hatred for on another made it impossible for the queens as a collective to contemplate the possibility that she might be working with him, it meant that she was still free to move about the hierarchy of corrupt queens and do as she pleased rather than have her movements restricted as Maliaka's were. If they were to beseech her for assistance then there was a real possibility that she could come to their aid.

Decision made, Blue-black hair nodded around the room at her sisters. "Then it would be best if we sent a request to her quickly. I do not know how much longer Katherine and the other one will last."

Red hair scoffed. "Surely if Katherine is as capable as the Eldest professed her to be then she can handle it. There are worst things then playing at being one that serves us."

Blue-black hair shot her sister a look of derision. "If it was you that was forced to act a servant could you?"

"Of course not," Red hair replied. "It is not in the nature of wraith to be subservient unless it is to a matriarch or commander."

Blue-black hair nodded. "Then you have your answer. Katherine of Atlantis's sprit is the same as mine or your or any wraith's. It is her nature to fight back at those that oppress her, that much I have seen in her eyes. Believe me when I saw that if we do not act quickly then her patience will end and she will retaliate. Perhaps you would like to be the one to tell me sire that she is dead?"

Red hair shook her head, a horror such as could not be described etched onto her face at the prospect of her being the one to inform the Eldest of his Katherine's passing.

Blue-black hair sighed. "Then let us contact Illyria and pray that she comes to our aid."

The sisters agreed and dispersed, each going their separate ways, each wishing desperately that the elder queen agreed to help them.

~xXx~

"This sucks."

Larrin nodded feeling a rush of sympathy wash through her as she looked over her shoulder at Kate who toiled besides her. Both of them were tired, had been tired, since they'd gotten stuck on laundry duty two days ago. Apparently the wraith didn't understand the concept of sleep very well nor did they understand that humans couldn't really function well without it. Fortunately for them, however, they were provided some sort of beverage every morning that acted as a way to jump start them for the day ahead. Unfortunately Kate's metabolism was so fast thanks to her genetic alterations that the stuff was through her system and out again after only four hours and every day at or around lunch time she crashed; hard.

"It'll get better," the Traveler woman tried to reassure her as she expertly folded a tiny dress obviously intended for one of the infantile queens to be. So far they hadn't actually seen any of the little wraith, just their dirty clothes and Larrin was reminded of why it was that she hadn't had any children yet; they were messy.

Kate snorted. "Yeah, right."

Larrin looked at her. "You've got to stay positive," she rallied her friend. "You can't let this get to you."

Kate scoffed. "Yeah, because the last time I was playing maid to the wraith ended so well," she picked up the pile of blankets she'd been folding and walked them over to the cart so that they could be taken back up to the nurseries. Coming back to work table that she, thankfully, only shared with Larrin, she continued her folding. At least they weren't asking her to sew.

Larrin shook her head. "That was different."

"Oh, yeah, how?" Kate snapped back at her friend.

Larrin sighed. "Then you didn't know if you'd be rescued."

"We don't know that now," Kate insisted, angrily jerking the corners of the blanket she was folding straight and adding it to the done pile.

"Yes we do," Larrin countered. "That wraith that found us, she'll get us out of this."

"You don't know that."

Larrin sighed, it looked like Kate was just determined to be stubborn and, in light of how similar this situation was to the one she'd just gotten herself out of, Larrin really couldn't blame her. Last night they'd been allowed to bathe and as Kate had been undressing, Larrin had caught a look at her back. The traveler woman had seen many things in her life, many of the people she knew had scars that had resulted from some act of cruelty, but the lines on Kate's back had made her physically ill. Hundred of ridged, raised scars crisscrossed themselves across the entire expanse of her back, over lapping and intertwining so that it was nearly impossible to tell that they were lines and not one big wound that had healed over badly.

Kate had caught her looking and had gotten quickly into the large steaming pool that was serving as their bath tub, submerging herself so that most of the scars were hidden. Larrin had asked her about them and had gotten told that they were her punishment for not being able to sew or cook or do any of the other things that the wraith on the prison planet had expected her to be able to do just because she was female. Larrin had felt instantly sorry for her and had known then and there and at least half of the resentment her friend was suffering for from her captivity had something to do with how she'd been treated.

It was not in Kate's nature to lay down and take torture when she could just as easily fight back. Larrin was the same way but the Traveler woman also knew that there was a time for rebellion and a time to just go with the flow. When your life was in danger was not a good time to fight back and Kate'd been lucky that she'd been made into a companion and not outright killed.

Of course, her friend didn't see it that way and Larrin endeavored to open that proverbial box just the same as she'd opened and begun to rival through Kate's other box of self hate. She had a feeling that they were intertwined.

"Maybe not," Larrin started again after giving herself some time to think of what to say, "but I do know that you're not alone this time. I'm here and I won't let them do that," she nodded towards Kate's back; the younger woman flinched, "again."

Kate sighed. "Thanks."

Larrin nodded and continued with her folding. It was some time later that the bell sounded signaling the end of work for the day and Larrin and Kate both finished folding whatever they were currently working on before falling in with the masses as they exited the laundry cavern and made towards the dining facility. Being as their station was farthest from the door, Kate and Larrin were at the very end of the line and, due to Kate's tiredness, the both of them shuffled along at a slower pace than the rest of the workers. This meant that they were easy to pick out and, before they could reach the dining hall, were cut off by the keeper, a group of drones and another female wraith who looked very much like a queen.

Obediently, both of them stopped and bowed their heads towards the wraith; Kate doing it much more reluctantly and stiffly then Larrin.

The keeper looked them over and turned to the visiting Queen. "You are certain that you wish for these two?" she asked, scowling at the pathetic excuse for workers. The village that had sent them had not done a satisfactory job in readying them for their duties, they were both slower than the others and less skilled. It baffled her as to why the visiting Queen had pointed them out of all their workers and requested them. "We have other -"

"I wish for these two, now," the queen turned to the keeper and hissed at her, "is there something wrong with your hearing or is it that you doubt my ability to chose worthy worshippers?"

The keeper cringed at the malice in the old one's voice and shrank back. "Of course not, sister," she replied diminutively.

The elder queen let out another hiss, this one reeking of arrogance. "I am not your sister. I am elder and therefore greater then you, do not speak to me in such terms of familiarity that seek to form a connection between you and I where there is none," she peered down her nose at the keeper and with a wave her hand dismissed her. "Leave my sight at once."

The keeper bowed and retreated, her security of drones following her leaving the queen alone in the corridor of the lower quarters with the two humans. She turned to them. "Katherine of Atlantis," she hissed softly, waiting to see which one of them answered to the title.

Kate's head snapped up and her eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"

Illyria smirked; oh yes, this one was as defiant as Valloran and her son had both said she was. "Come with me," she instructed and turned, knowing already that neither of them would follow. "I cannot answer your questions here," she called back to them. "Trust that I shall not harm you should you do as I ask."

Larrin and Kate looked at each other. 'Told you we'd get out of this," Larrin said triumphantly.

Kate ground her teeth together. "We'll see," she answered and begun to follow after the elegantly dressed queen whom possessed more regality and more power about her than any other queen Kate had ever seen or met. Larrin followed.

The queen led them through several corridors and up several levels before showing them into a suit of rooms that looked grand enough to belong in a place somewhere. She stopped in the center of the room and nodded for the door to be shut behind them before gesturing for the humans to sit. "Please," she said with a smile that did not reach her eyes, "sit, I know you are tired."

Kate and Larrin sat, stiffly, on the chairs provided and turned towards the queen who, like them, sat down only she in a lounge of sorts. Leaning back and stretching out, she regarded them both reservedly before focusing her eyes on the storm eyed female.

"You are uncertain," she observed, motioning for a nearby standing worshiper to bring forwards the food she'd had prepared for them. "Eat," she instructed. "You will need your energy."

Larrin reached for a piece of fruit but Kate didn't move, instead choosing to cross her arms and stare down the queen in front of them. "Why?"

Illyria laughed. Oh yes, she could see exactly why both her son and her former and one time mate found such exception in this one. The human Katherine was as willful as she herself had been in her youth so very long ago. Everything from the set of her jaw to the stone coldness radiating from her eyes told the elder queen that this human was very different than any she had ever before met or known; the spirit of a wraith lurked behind her hard grey eyes and, stars willing, Illyria would be there on the day that that spirit was let out. It would truly be a sight to see, the stars themselves would tremble.

As her laughter faded, Illyria lowered her gaze back onto the woman whom had defiantly, refused to eat. "My son said you defiant, you refused his offer of sustenance as well," she smirked as the female's eyes flickered but gave no other sign that she recognized or acknowledged what had been said to her.

Kate's raised an eyebrow. "Your son?"

Illyria nodded. "I believe you had the misfortune of being his companion for the tenure of two days."

Kate's eyes widened. "What do you want?" she asked, suddenly on edge upon finding that her former captor's mother was the queen sitting so casually in front of her.

Illyria sighed knowing that now, as much as she wanted to, was not the time to engage in mind games with this intriguing female. "You are aware of the reason why you were brought to this facility yes?" she questioned, nodding about the room they were in for emphasis. "The female who contacted you wished for your assistance with something, yes?"

Kate nodded. "She wanted me to steal any important information that the queens kept here."

Illyria nodded. She had been informed of this part of Seera's, the queen whose daughter had pulled Katherine into this situation, plan but had not been told the nature or the type of information that was supposed to be gathered. "And what sort of information were you beseeched to steal?" she inquired knowing that the best way to gather all the details was to be as direct as possible.

Kate appreciated it. "Anything that could be used against them," she willingly told the queen having deduced that she was there to help and not to harm. "The wraith that found me explained that the queens hide their information by using a dead form of the wraith's written language.'

Illyria's eyes widened but a fraction, she knew to what incarnation of their written tongue the female alluded. "And you can read this?" she inquired both impressed and surprised as she knew not of where the female could have learned.

Kate tipped her head. "I can. I can write it too and I was being taught how to speak it."

"And you gained this knowledge from what source?" Illyria questioned, now truly curious.

Kate steadied her gaze on her. "A wraith whom you know as the Eldest," she bit out aggressively, begrudging him his indulgence of her based on her current feelings about him. She didn't want him thinking that she owed him anything for his leniency on her queries into the history of the wraith.

Valloran had taught her? Illyria found this fact very interesting as it was not in the Eldest's nature to be so tolerant. Teaching was something that Valloran found tedious and unless it was a subject revolving around warfare, the art of battle or some sort of weapons training, he generally referred the curious to another source. He had not even been indulgent of anything other than the previously mentioned with their son. Caavin's education had mostly been seen to by his sire's younger brother whom reveled in history, legend and language as much if not more than his elder brother hated it. That Valloran would find such exception in this female spoke more to his care for her then perhaps any other one thing.

Her surprise having been abated, Illyria now knew that the woman sitting before her was of more value and importance to her former mate then he himself had alluded to. Valloran himself had informed her and all others under his command that should Katherine be captured by they or another that all within their power should be done to protect her. The reason he had given was that as the sister to Colonel Sheppard, she was of an importance that could not be lost, Illyria now knew different and found that her curious over the female was not increased almost tenfold.

"Impressive," Illyria allowed, nodding her head in respect to the female before she continued. "I shall make it so that you can complete this task as it was asked of you and then I shall return you to wherever it may be that you should like to go."

Kate wasn't convinced. "Why are you helping us?" she asked defensively.

Illyria sighed, deciding to tell her the truth because, as she had stat across from her, the queen was able to recognize that the human deserved at least that much. "Because I must," she informed the female who looked skeptically at her. "The Eldest values you above all other of his human allies. It is known throughout his alliance that should you ever be captured then we are to do all within our power to see that you are released whole and unharmed."

Kate's eyes hardened to glass and Larrin glanced at her nervously. "Isn't that nice," Kate said sardonically, scowling. "Well, thanks for the help."

Illyria frowned. "You are not grateful for this?" she asked, having thought that the care the eldest demonstrated for her would have been returned based on its strength. It surprised her that it appeared that it was not.

Kate growled. "Not really."

Before the queen could say something else, Larrin intervened. "Kate need rest before we do anything," she looked pointedly at the female wraith. "Do you have anywhere she could rest for a bit before we gallop off to save the day?"

Illyria nodded and gestured for a worshiper to come to her. '"I do," she looked to Katherine and then nodded towards her servant. "Follow Jestra and she will take you to a place where you might regain your energy."

Kate said nothing but stiffly got up and followed the worshiper out of the main room and down a narrow hallway. When she was gone, Larrin turned towards the queen and gulped, suddenly not too happy about being in a room alone with her. While she might not kill Kate because she was important to Todd, Larrin herself had no such value.

Illyria sighed. "I will not harm you," she informed the remaining human. "However, I trust that you know at least what is troubling your companion? I had been told that she is the most accommodating out of all the Atlantians."

Larrin swallowed, feeling herself involuntarily shake under the gaze of the queen. She forced herself not to show fear. "Kate and Todd had a…falling out."

"Todd?"

The Traveler woman nodded slowly. "It's ah, the wraith don't have names so Sheppard kind of gives them ones. Todd is what he calls the Eldest."

Illyria nodded, smirking in amusement and the idea that Valloran would answer to such a demeaning thing as 'Todd'. "It is not that we do not have name," she began, humoring the human with this bit of information. "It is simply that our names are of value to us, they define and shape us and so are sacred. To know the name of another wraith give the ones who know it some degree of power over the other."

"And it'd be a cold day in hell when a human ever had any sort of power, no matter how small, over a wraith," Larrin concluded.

Illyria inclined her head. "Yes," she eyed the human. "So, tell me, what issue does Katherine have with…Todd?"

Larrin didn't honestly know what to say. Talking about Kate among her friends was one thing but talking about her to a wraith queen was something else; not only was it a frightening prospect if she didn't answer but it was also just plain weird. "Ah…she's not too pleased with him at the moment…ummm…" she trailed off, not knowing if it was really her right to say anything more.

Illyria, however, understood her reluctance. "You need not fear that I will harm you should you hold back an answer. Undoubtedly you feel honor bound to your friend to say nothing."

"It's not my story to tell," Larrin offered softly, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She did not like being alone with this queen.

Illyria noticed. "You find my presence uncomfortable," she observed, finding no pleasure in the thought that simply by breathing she intimidated this human.

Larrin nodded but remained silent.

Illyria stood, motioning for the woman to do the same. "Come, I will leave you to rest and regain your strength before we complete the task for which you were brought here," she began to lead the human down a hallway towards the room her servant had undoubtedly led Katherine to. Opening the door, she allowed the human to enter before latching it behind her and walking back to her own bedchamber to think.

Katherine of Atlantis had proved to be something on which she could think and reflect for a long time to come and she very much planned to, if only to decipher exactly and what she meant for the future of the Eldest.

~xXx~

The queen let them sleep for several hours and, upon having them woken, allowed them to bathe and eat before coming to fetch them. Kate and Larrin were now fully recharged and ready to face the challenge of stealing information from the wraith, which had sounded fun before now sounded tedious. They should never have agreed to this; John was probably going spare wondering where the hell they were.

A simple round of instructions preceded their departure for the queen's rooms and then they were led back through the corridors and hallways by the queen until they reached a large room that looked very much like the archival rooms in a hive only twice as big. "I have told the keepers that I wish to check the development of several of my daughters that are learning here," Illyria explained to the humans as she shut and locked the door behind them, instructing two guards to stand at it and keep watch. "It should by us the time we need to complete our task."

Kate eyed her. "So you're going to help?" she asked.

Illyria nodded. "I am. The language you have learned was the first taught to me, I believe that the proceedings shall go faster if it is not only you that is shifting through the insurmountable amounts of data."

Kate snorted. 'How thoughtful."

Illyria matched her expression and went to the nearest portal, turning it on and beginning to navigate the considerable amounts of files stored within this single repository. "I thought so, yes."

Kate snickered and crossed to another terminal, also beginning to immediately shift though files and documents. She looked at Larrin, "You okay?"

Larrin nodded. "Oh yeah, I'm fine," she offered sarcastically because, really, she had nothing to do. "Was just thinking about the last time I saw this language."

Kate grinned. "Yeah, that was fun."

"What is this?" Illyria questioned, never pausing in her scanning of files, but still curious enough to slow down so that she could split her attention and listen.

Since Kate was busy, Larrin answered. "Kate discovered a message written in this stuff talking about how the wraith were going to come wipe me and my people out. She warned us and we hid but I got captured so Kate wrote the queen of the hive a message in this langue that made her angry enough to send wraith down to the planet to find her and bring her to her only Kate never actually made it to the hive."

Illyria nodded, finding a useful line of information and setting it aside to be downloaded into one of the two portable storage devices she had brought with her from her rooms. "Yes, I have heard this story," she informed them. "The Eldest was impressed with you. For all that you may not be fond of him right now or believe that he has any care for you, you should know that he speaks highly of you to those who are closest to him."

Kate said nothing, not really wanting to believe that Todd cared about her at all because if he did then it would mean that he'd deliberately avoided her after they'd gotten rescued rather than simply ignored her because she wasn't important to him. She could live with the latter, she didn't want to think about the former.

Glancing at the human working besides her, Illyria noted her reluctance to answer and so, in the stead of a verbal response, extended the lightest tendrils of thought towards the woman. Unnoticeably they brushed against the human's mind and sought out her response to having been told that the Valloran did indeed care something about her. Katherine's mind was harsher and harder to navigate then most humans and Illyria initially found nothing to suggest she had had any reaction at all but then, having pushed gently past an obstruction so as not to alert her to the fact that she had something foreign in her mind, Illyria found what she was looking for. As her questing consciousness touched upon Katherine's hidden reaction the queen found her tendrils of unobtrusive curiosity recoil the moment they touched upon the utter torment that was dwelling within the human's subconscious. Pulling out, Illyria erected her own walls so as to not share in the mental pain that Katherine was forcing upon herself.

What she had found in the mind of Katherine of Atlantis was startling and troublesome all at once. The human was punishing herself unmercifully for something that she knew deep down inside of her heart that she had no control over. The thought that anyone would inflict such injury onto themselves was bothersome not because Illyria could no conceive of it, because she could, there was one other person that the queen knew of that held himself up to such high standards that should he fall below them he would also partake in punishing his subconscious with his own mind. Valloran and Katherine it would seem, were both one and the same on that level and the similarity only served to farther secure the conclusion that Illyria had come to earlier whilst the humans had slept.

When Kate didn't answer, Larrin took a deep breath and then plunged in. "He was worried about you you know," she added, tacking on Todd's initial reaction to learning that Kate had been on the planet below and had been the one to send the message that had taunted the queen. "When he found out you were on the planet and had sent the queen that message."

Illyria paused in her search and listened.

Kate sniffed. "That's only because he knows that if something happens to me that he could otherwise prevent would kill his alliance with my brother."

Larrin shook her head. "He didn't say a thing about Sheppard," she looked at her friend. "Is it possible that you're overlooking something? Maybe he didn't ignore you after you got rescued for the reasons you think he did."

Kate stopped looking for useful information and rounded on Larrin. "He wouldn't talk to me, just glossed over it like it never happened and then asked me not to tell my brother about it and do you know why? Because he knew that if John ever found out how close we came to actually sleeping together then all bets were off and he'd lose Atlantis's support. That's the only reason he talked to me at all and that's the only thing he cared about."

Larrin physically recoiled at the anger and pain in her friend's voice. "But you don't know that, not for sure."

Kate laughed. "I doesn't matter if that's his reason or not, it matters that it never should have happened and it's my fault that it did."

By this time, Illyria had successfully downloaded all the files from her portal and had moved over to do the same at Katherine's. Task complete, she stood back and allowed the two humans to continue their discussion because she knew, based on what she had found in Katherine's mind, that the storm eyed woman needed to let go of her anger at her self. Such self loathing only ever led to self destruction and Katherine of Atlantis was too valuable to lose to such a fate. If such a fire as hers was to suddenly drown in itself and disappear then they all, everyone whom had ever met her, would be the worse for it.

"It's not your fault!" Larrin yelled at Kate, unable to figure out how or why her friend kept insisting that it was. "You didn't proposition yourself to him, you didn't ask for it and you didn't start it. He started it and he knew it was wrong but he did it anyway. You can't stay mad at yourself for responding to him, it was natural, you couldn't have stopped yourself if you'd wanted to."

The nature of the happening between Valloran and Katherine now made quite clear, Illyria found herself in awe of it. The Eldest's opinion of the interactions between female humans and male wraith was well known, that he should partake or at least try to in Katherine meant that he found a great deal more exception in her then Illyria had thought. It also meant that it could almost be certain that the care he felt for her ran deeper than simple amity and Illyria very much feared the exact depth to which Valloran had come to care for this female. A fear that stemmed from the thought of what Valloran would do to keep her safe; he had the power to and would move the stars themselves if it meant protecting that which he coveted and, at this very moment in time, that appeared very much to be this human female. The queen shuttered at the thought of what would happen if Katherine if Atlantis actually succeeded in winning Valloran's heart and knew that, having tried to mate with her, she had at least touched it. Many female wraith thought time had tried for and failed to reach the Eldest's heart, including herself. That he would open himself to her in that way only made more true her conclusion that the fates of both Valloran and Katherine were closely entwined. She was his match and he was hers, now all there was was for them both to realize this.

Based on the argument that the two human females were having however, Illyria didn't think that that revelation would be coming about anytime soon and she knew that they would both suffer for it.

"But I could have!" Kate continued to rail against Larrin's insistence that none of her reaction to Todd had been her fault. "I let myself forget that it was a game, I let myself believe for one idiotic second that he really wanted me because it was me and not because I was covenant."

Larrin grabbed Kate by the arms and shook her. "Don't do this to yourself Kate, don't blame yourself for not having control over your actions. It'll kill you."

Kate bit her lip. "Then I deserve -"

A loud banging sound and the discharge noise that came when somebody fired a stunner rang through the air and Kate, Larrin and the queen all looked fearfully towards the door. A second passed in which nothing happened and then the door was opened and the two guards that the queen had posted at it to keep watch were thrown inwards; Kate realized that there weren't drones but actual normal wraith. She didn't have time to really think about it however as three keepers and several dozen drones forced their ways into the archive room. Their eyes seeping over the three of them, their eyes all narrowed.

"You!" the lead keeper, the one that had greeted the visiting queen the day before, yelled when her eyes landed on Illyria. "You betray us!"

Illyria stepped towards her and sneered, her face turned upwards into an angry leer. "You and the queens you serve betrayed the wraith long before I ever set foot here!" she growled. "You and your sisters damn us all with their constant quest for power. It is you and they that are the traitors, not I!"

The keeper matched her tone and tossed her head. "And yet you lower yourself to work with those you are beneath us," she turned her eyes onto the younger of the two false worshipers. "One of our true servants recognized you. You are Katherine of Atlantis, sister to Colonel Sheppard. A fine prize you will make for our true queens."

Kate's fists clenched. "I don't think so," she said softly, her voice dangerously low.

The keeper smirked cruelly. 'We shall see," she stood back, her and her sisters moving themselves behind their drones for safety. "Bring the humans and the traitorous queen to me," she called out and the drones obediently marched forwards.

Kate and Larrin readied themselves for a fight. "I hope you can fight," Larrin whispered aside to the queen as she focused her eyes on the advancing drones.

Illyria hissed. "You needn't concern yourself with me," she assured them and then nodded towards the keeper with red hair and blackened tips. She nodded back and then turned to her fellow keepers, pulling a dagger from a hidden place in her gown, she readied it and sliced the throat of the keeper nearest her.

"What are you doing!" the remaining keeper cried as she backed away from the red haired female and the raised her hands to grapple with her at the same time as the first of her drones reached the humans only to have his neck snapped by the female Sheppard.

"I take it that she's on our side?" Kate asked their queen as she moved on to the next drone while Larrin took on her first and the queen likewise pulled out a dagger from some hidden fold in her garments.

Illyria nodded and watched with in fascination at the ease in which Katherine ended a wraith life before finding herself faces with an enemy of her own. Illyria hated drones despite the fact that without them the war with the Lanteans could not have been one. She had very much wanted to crease their contraction after the war ended but was overruled, as were all others who shared her opinion. Luckily for her she had not been put to death as had many of the other protesters and she made quick work of the attacking drone, slicing him across the stomach and watching in satisfaction as his internal organs spilled out onto the floor before he collapsed.

Not possessing superior strength like the others, Larrin was having difficulty with her drone but eventually managed to catch it's weapon as he brought it up to fire at her and, with both hands, pushed it backwards into its face. The drone staggered backwards and Larrin took the opportunity to grab the stunner from him, set it to kill, kick him away from her and then shoot him twice. The lifeless body fell and she turned, ready for the next one only to find that Kate and the queen had already taken care of the rest not to mention the good keeper had killed the bad one.

"Well I feel inadequate," Larrin muttered as she tossed the stunner to the side and looked up at the others. "So what now?"

Illyria surveyed the carnage. "You fight extremely well," she said to Katherine, bobbing her head in acknowledgement of the human's skill.

Kate shrugged off the compliment. "Thanks," she looked at the two female wraith. "I didn't know you guys even knew how to fight. Most of the female wraith I've met just hiss at you and do that willpower thing where they make you kneel."

Illyria snorted, amused. 'Yes, well, unfortunately the majority of female wraith have forgotten that long ago we fought besides our males as well as, occasionally, led them in battle."

Kate nodded, finding this new piece of information exceptionally interesting. She'd have to ask Todd about…never mind.

Red hair black tips started forwards. "Do you have the information?" she asked.

Illyria nodded and patted the place on her battle-coat where the storage devices were secreted.

Red hair turned towards the door. "The others have already removed those females whom we could save and are standing by, we must be gone from here quickly before the reaming keepers can summon the queens."

Since everybody agreed that that was probably a good idea, they all fell into line behind the read haired female was she led them out of the archive room and down a passageway. "I trust you arrived here in a transport?" she inquired of the queen over her shoulder as she hurried them along towards the dart bay.

Illyria hissed a yes in response and quickened her stride as the sound of marching drones, no doubt searching for them, reached her ears. "We must move more quickly."

They rounded a corner and had gotten maybe halfway down it before finding themselves embroiled in fighting once again as drones swooped in on them. "This way," red hair screamed as she sliced her dagger across the throat of an attacking drone and grabbed the human named Larrin, dragging her backwards so as to avoid being shot by another drone.

Larrin yelped as she felt a wraith's hand clamp down on her arm but, as a shot of wraith energy fire shot across her field of vision and she turned around, she found herself looking at the good keeper. "T-thanks," she managed after she got over the fact that a wraith had probably just saved her life.

"Hmmnnn," Red hair grunted before once more calling out for the others to feint towards her. When Illyria and Katherine had joined them, the drones still right behind them, the four of them took off at a run down the hallway towards the hanger bay.

Ducking weapons fire, Illyria shouted, "Your sisters have made it away yes?"

"They have taken the younglings through the gate," Red hair cried back in reply. "We must hurry, they mean to detonate soon."

"Well fuck," Larrin said loudly as she barely missed getting shot in the arm. As one they rounded the final corner and sprinted into the dart bay, their queen outstripping them so that she could lower the hatch at the back of her transport. The ship was about three times the size of a dart and their queen waited until they were all in it but not necessarily seated before she fired it up and began to take off.

"Hold on to something!" Illyria commanded her passengers and she took the flight controls and shifted them sharply to the left, putting the craft into a roll to avoid the continued volley of shots that were being fired at them from the drones on the ground.

The red haired wraith managed to comply, Kate and Larrin weren't so lucky and as a result, the both of them got banged up a bit before the ship leveled out and then went zooming off towards the sky, climbing altitude at a rate that was probably far from perfectly safe.

Illyria glanced over her shoulder at the humans comically sprawled out of the floor. "You are both well?" she asked.

Larrin groaned and pushed Kate off of her. "We'll live," she looked at her friend. "You're heavy you know that?"

Kate snickered and got up, offering a hand to Larrin. "It's all muscle," she replied jovially as the two of them finally managed to buckle themselves into one of three empty seats towards the front of the craft. Just as they sat down the ship shook and jerked to the right. Kate managed to stay in her seat but Larrin ended up on the floor again.

"I'm going to assume someone is shooting at us," Larrin ground out tersely as she hauled herself up once more and plopped down in her seat, strapping herself in just in time to avoid being thrown to the floor again as the ship lurched to the left and then dropped several meters.

In the pilot's seat, Illyria hissed angrily. "That they are," she confirmed, tightening her hands on the flight controls and twisting them forcefully to the right forcing her ship to spiral. Maintain such a maneuver was difficult but it decreased the chances of the drones in the darts behind them of being able to lock onto them with their weapons.

"Well, I'm impressed," Kate commented as she held onto her seat despite the fact that she was buckled in. her whole world was spinning and it gave her a headache.

Illyria grunted with the effort of keeping her ship on its targeted course and not losing control of it entirely. "A compliment from a human," she said tightly. "My thanks."

Kate snorted. 'Well you and you," she trusted Red hair to figure out that she was talking to her too without her having to elaborate, "are really the first female wraith I've seen that don't just stand or sit there and look intimidating. You actually do stuff."

Red hair smirked. "Yes, a novel concept," Illyria brought the ship out of its spiral as soon as she cleared the planet's atmosphere. " You will find that my sisters and I as well as several others are just as capable as the m -"

She was cut off mid sentence as the planet below them exploded.

Larrin whistled. "I knew you were going to blow up the nursery but I didn't think you were going to blow up the whole planet."

Red hair shook her head. "We weren't. I appears my sister still can't measure explosives; I fear she was a bit overzealous with her proportions."

Kate snickered. 'Yes, well, it got the job done."

Red hair nodded. "Yes, that it did."

Illyria slowed her craft and took up a more languid pace back to her hive. "Without the direction of the keepers minds from below, the drones will be directionless," she twisted in her seat so that she might see the humans. "Where is it that you need to be taken to so that I might instruct my hive to begin preparing for a hyperspace jump?"

Larrin hesitated. "I don't know -"

"The location to your planet will be kept safe and eradicated from my navigational systems as soon as you are dropped off.'

Larrin nodded having learned that this queen she could trust. "I'll give you the coordinates when we get there."

Illyria nodded and returned to her course, monitoring her systems to make certain that no damage had been done during their retreat. "That shall do."

Larrin nodded and sat back in her seat, turning to look at Kate. "So," she started. "Do you think Sheppard's gone crazy yet?"

Kate snickered. "Oh, probably. He probably started to lose it after the first hour or so and here we've been gone three days."

Larrin grinned. "I can't wait to see his face when we tell him this."

Kate smirked. "Neither can I."

~xXx~

As it turned out, John, whose face contorted into an expression neither of them had ever seen before upon him learning just what they'd been doing for the past three days, was so stunned that Lorne managed to actually go back to Atlantis and get a camera to take a picture of it before it'd worn off. Even after having a flash go off in his face, john couldn't shake himself out of it and so Kate and Larrin eventually gave up and walked away leaving the colonel to his teammates who were by this pointing inventing ways to snap him out of it.

Walking back to the Traveler's compound, Larrin turned to Kate and took a deep breath. "I know you don't want to talk about it, but I need to know that -"

"That I don't hate myself for what happened?" Kate overrode her and then took a deep breath of her own. "I don't, I mean, I'm angry at myself for forgetting that it was all pretend but I don't hate myself for it. You were right, it wasn't something I could've had any control over."

Larrin felt relieved. "Yes, unfortunately you can't help who you're attracted to I mean, look at me and Sheppard."

Kate snorted, appreciating Larrin's attempts to keep the tone of their conversation light. "Yes, what a horrible thought, you thinking my brother's hot."

"Me and every other woman in this galaxy," she shot Kate a look. "Expect you."

Kate nodded. "Yeah, yours is bad but mine is worse. I can't think of anyone else that thinks wraith are attractive."

"Worshipers," Larrin offered and then ducked the play swing Kate took at her. "Sorry, slipped out."

Kate gave her a look that said she clearly didn't believe her. "Uhuh, yeah right.'

Larrin shrugged. "Actually, as far as wraith go, I think nobody else looks at them that way because we all hate them. If we could get over the hatred I'm sure you wouldn't be the only one to like what you see when you look at Todd."

"Shudder the thought," Kate muttered before stopping and turning to look seriously at Larrin. "I may not hate myself anymore but I'm still angry at him," she gave Larrin a once over. "You're not going to try and talk me out of that too are you?"

Larrin shook her head. "No, not at all," she looked at Kate and silently sent an apology to Todd the wraith wherever he may be for the fact that she was about to make life much more difficult for him. But if it helped Kate, she didn't really care. "You can hate Todd all you want in fact you should. He's not attracted to you, at least not like you are to him, so he knew it was wrong when he started it but he did it anyways."

Kate looked down at the ground and Larrin swallowed as she knew perfectly well she'd just lied through her teeth about Todd not being attracted to Kate in the same way as she was attracted to him. Someone somewhere would probably damn her for it; she hoped to God that when Todd and Kate worked everything out - and she knew that they would - her friend didn't tell him what she'd said. Her only defense in the matter was she was trying to make Kate feel better and while Todd might go easy on her because of it, he most certainly wouldn't forgive her for putting idea's like that in her head that he had to sort out.

While Larrin was busy thinking about what Todd the wraith would or would not do to her if he ever found out about this conversation, Larrin jerked when Kate suddenly hugged her and her arms went automatically up and around the younger woman. "Shhh," Larrin soothed as Kate began to cry, all the anger, hurt and frustration finally working itself out. "It'll be alright."

Kate nodded into Larrin's shoulder because she knew that it would be, eventually. "Thank you," she managed to whisper through her tears.

Larrin rubbed her back. "Always, my sister, always."

Kate sighed and held on tightly, honestly afraid to let go.

~xXx~

"You're involvement with me has been discovered."

Illyria watched Valloran pace and shook her head realizing that it might have been best to not have told him. She rationalized her decision to do so by telling herself that he would've found out anyways and then would have been far more angry that she hadn't told him. She sighed. "Yes, the queens are now aware that I am helping you if not outright supporting you," she looked him over; he'd stopped pacing and was now standing in front of her as she sat on her throne. "I assure you that my involvement in Seera's plans was necessary; you would not have liked the outcome had I not intervened."

Valloran snorted. "I would have rathered your participation in my endeavors be kept a secret then to be provided with the information you have brought me."

Illyria sighed. "That is not what I meant."

The male eyed her curiously. "Oh?"

Illyria shifted her position in her throne and then stood up altogether, looking down on Valloran who remained stock still at the base of her dais. "Yes, oh. You would have lost something a great deal more dear to you had I withheld my assistance then simply information."

He glared at her. "Like what?" he demanded.

"Katherine."

Valloran blinked. "What?"

Illyria stepped towards him and noted in some satisfaction that he was so unnerved by her answer that he took several steps back from her. "I should think that you'd like to know that had I not intervened when I did Katherine Sheppard's life would have been terminated," she paused and eyed him, the look and expression on his face was not one she had ever seen on his face before; terror. So her conclusions had been correct and the human did have a place in his heart, there was no other explanation for why he should be so alarmed by the threat of her demise.

Valloran stared, utterly lost and horrified all at once. "Katherine was there?" he managed after a short while, his mind trying to work out how exactly she had come to be entangled in such an operation as the one from which Illyria had just returned.

Illyria nodded. "She was, and in a position of great danger. You should be lucky I intervened at all."

Valloran started realizing that he did own this damnable female something for the favor she had done to him in keeping Katherine alive and whole. "You have my gratitude," he offered her honestly because, at the moment, he was still too stunned to know what else to say. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't thank the female that had given birth to Caavin if his life depended on it.

Illyria smiled. "You are welcomed, Valloran," she said triumphantly as she walked past him and left him standing alone in her throne room. She would think of something to ask of him in return for this kindness later, for now the look on his face and the confirmation that Katherine was indeed as important to him as she had surmised her to be was enough.

It would keep her happy for some time yet and he confused for far longer.


	17. Origins

**A/N: **For all of you who wished for a quick update, I aim to please. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and if you do, be sure to let me know by clicking that little rectangular button down there at the bottom. Reviews are my best friends because they let me know if I'm doing a good job or not. So, read, review and enjoy!

* * *

**Episode XV: Origins**

"I still don't see why we always have to meet them at the gate."

"We don't."

"Well then why -"

"Nobody made you come, you could've stayed in the mess hall."

"Yes but -"

"But nothing Rodney, if you don't want to meet them at the gate then go back to your pudding."

The astrophysicist sulked and dropped back, glaring at Sheppard's back as the colonel continued down the hallway towards the gate room. After a few moments of self righteous stalling, the Canadian decided that since he was already more or less there, he might as well go meet SG-1 in the gate room. Sighing, he jogged to catch up to Sheppard.

"Took you long enough," John called out, glancing over his shoulder as McKay came jogging up to him. "Thought I was going to have to welcome them all by myself."

Rodney blinked at him. "All by your…you planned this didn't you? You purposely went by the mess hall so that I'd ask you what you were doing and follow you!"

John shrugged and turned his attention towards the gate. "I plead the fifth."

Rodney scowled. "Well, plead all you want because this is the last time I fall for -"

Three bright white beams of light cut the physicist off mid sentence. John took a step forwards, uncrossing his arms and holding out a hand towards his fellow colonel.

"Colonel Mitchell," he greeted, firmly shaking the man's hand. "How was the trip?"

"Long and boring," Mitchell replied, dropping Sheppard's hand and gesturing over towards Daniel and Mallock the Tok'ra. "These two were thick as thieves the whole way here. I swear if I have to listen to anymore translations -"

"Yes well, would you have rathered us get here and not know what we were looking for?" Daniel asked in a board tone sounding very much as though and Mitchell had these types of discussions often; which they did but that wasn't the point

Mitchell made a face. "Yeah, yeah I know so," he turned back to Sheppard, "This here is Mallock of the Tok'ra. He's going to help Daniel sift through all your databases while they look for whatever it is that they're looking for."

Rodney crossed his arms. "What, exactly, are you looking for?" he asked. Sheppard had just told him that they were coming, he hadn't said anything about why and despite the fact that the Canadian liked to fringe disinterest in anything that didn't involve him, he _was_ curious.

Mallock turned towards him. "A device, a machine if you will, that was built by the Ancients. They used it to alter the molecular and genetic structure of a number of humans within this galaxy in order to elongate their natural lifespan."

John raised a eyebrow. "How long are we talking?" he asked.

"Indefinitely," the tok'ra replied.

John whistled. "Well, good luck with that," he started to walk away, leading their visitors towards the archive rooms. "Rodney can help you if you need any -"

"Absolutely not," the man in question interrupted him loudly. "I already got suckered into meeting them at the gate; I've got better things to do."

Daniel looked at him incredulously. "Like what?"

Rodney faltered and, in the absence of anything good, grabbed for the first thing that came to his mind. "Jennifer needs some help reorganizing the supply closet in the infirmary."

The archeologist peered at him dubiously. "You made that up," he accused.

Rodney's face turned red. "Oh like I've got nothing better to do then make up reasons why I can't help you shift through the Atlantis archives," he bit out snappishly. "As it turns out, my wife is just a little more important then you are so -"

"Yes go, tend to your wife," John interrupted him having reached the archive room. "But if she hears about you using her as an excuse you know she'll skin you alive."

Rodney cringed and sped away. John turned towards the two members of SG-1 and the visiting tok'ra. "Alright, so if you need anything call Rodney, I don't care what his excuse is," he turned to Mitchell. "You, you're with me."

As the colonel turned back down the hallways the way they'd come, Mitchell lengthened his stride in order to catch up to him. "Where are we going?" he asked once he was matching pace with Sheppard.

John smirked. "Thought you might like to go with me to pick up Kate."

Mitchell grinned a grin so big it threatened to eat his face. "Would love to," he exclaimed as they turned a corner and headed towards the jumper bay.

John smiled. "Thought you might," he replied, entering the jumper bay. "She and Lorne are on a recon mission but I'm sure he can spare her for you…"

~xXx~

"So then Ba'al…"

Kate held up her hand. "Wait, stop," she cast Cam a impish look from across the table they were sharing in the mess hall. "Any story that starts with 'so then Ba'al' can't have ended well."

Mitchell snorted. "It didn't, in fact it went so wrong that we might have set a new all time low."

Kate laughed loudly, throwing her head back and startling a good number of the people sitting around them. Her brother and Cameron had come to get her from MP5 - 803 about an hour ago claiming to need her to play guide for the visiting members of SG-1. Lorne had taken one look at her face and gladly told her that she could go and that he'd get a marine to fill in for her . Kate had been so excited by the prospect of working with her old team again, even if it was just Daniel and Cam, that she'd damn near squeezed Evan to death in a bone crushing hug and shocked the hell out of Cam by kissing John on the cheek. John had swatted her on the bottom for it which had led to a quick explanation of family trees - Cam's face had been priceless - before she, Cam and John had all piled back into the jumper and headed back to the city.

Kate reached for her coffee. "So," she eyed Cam over the rim of her cup. "Any idea on how long it'll take Daniel to find this thing?"

Mitchell shook his head. "Nope, not a clue although, on the way over here, he hinted at it taking a while what with the archives being incomplete and all and us not having an ascended being around this time to point us in the right direction."

"Our archives are actually a lot more complete then they were the last time you were here," Kate informed him, setting her coffee cup down and leaning back in her chair. "Especially the parts about the wraith."

Mitchell nodded. "That's right, you've got your wraith - what's-his-name - Todd helping you," he looked at her. "Bet you've learned lots of interesting tidbits from him."

She scowled, the mention of Todd still making her slightly angry. While she'd gotten most of her resentment out when she and Larrin's little shopping trip had gone sideways that didn't mean that all was well between her and Todd. Per Larrin's instruction, Kate had shifted the majority of the blame for how things between them had gone onto him and she swore that whenever she saw him again, if she didn't just outright shoot him first, she'd certainly give him a piece of her mind.

Cameron kept talking and Kate listened, her mind unfortunately trailing back to Atlantis' wraith ally even though she tried very hard to put him out of her mind. Fortunately for her, Daniel's excited shout provided a welcomed distraction from her reflection on Todd the asshole wraith.

"Guys!" the enthusiastic archeologist shouted as he entered the mess hall, saw them, and then made a beeline straight for them.

Mitchell eyed him and cracked a smile. "I take it you found something," he concluded; Daniel really was like a kid at Christmas every time. It never got old.

Daniel nodded excitedly and then, as almost an afterthought, looked down and realized that Mitchell wasn't the only one sitting at the table. "Kate!" he said, his face lighting up even more and a shit-eating grin coming onto his face from whereabouts unknown. "When did you get here?"

Kate shrugged. "Oh a while ago."

Mitchell smirked. "Me and Sheppard went to go get her so that she can be our official guide while we visit the Pegasus galaxy which reminds me," he shot Daniel a look. "Did you know that Colonel Sheppard is this one's," he jerked a thumb at Kate who smiled in anticipation of what was coming, "…big brother?"

Daniel shook his head. "No I did…" his brain seemed to catch up to what, exactly, Mitchell had said. "Wait, what!"

Kate laughed. "Hello," she extended her hand to the completely flabbergasted doctor, "I'm Kate Sheppard, nice to meet you."

Daniel stared at her, blinking several times before speaking. "It all makes perfect sense now."

Kate snickered while Mitchell frowned. "What makes perfect sense now?" he asked, confused.

Daniel looked at him. "All her stories about her older brother and oh, never mind," he looked between them eagerly. "I've got a gate address."

"For what?" Mitchell asked, knowing perfectly well to what but feeling as though he ought to give the good doctor a hard time anyways. He'd promised O'Neill he would when he'd taken the reins.

Daniel rolled his eyes in exasperation. "For the machine, I think we found it."

"You think?" Kate questioned.

Daniel scowled. "Well we won't know for sure until we check it out."

Kate shook her head. "Alright, alright, I'll go get a jumper ready," she stood and turned back to her friends. "Meet me in the jumper bay in ten."

Daniel nodded quickly and practically sprinted off to go get Mallock while Cam snickered and laughed over their friend's boundless energy for all things Ancient and followed her at a more languid pace.

~xXx~

"So, find any directions in the data base?" Kate asked as she guided the jumper through the gate and began to fly off in a random direction.

Daniel shook his head. "Unfortunately not but, according to the Atlantis archives, this whole planet used to be inhabited by the Ancients. They had a city here like that one we found on PX5 - 722 back in the milky way."

Kate sighed. "Oh well, I guess it would've been too much for them to be specific," she touched a button on the dash board which brought up the HUD, beginning a surface scan for any structures on the plans below. "Got something," she said when her screen beeped. She enlarged the image.

"Oh look at that," Mitchell said, peering at the display image. "Ruins."

Kate glanced sideways at him. "You expected something else?"

Mitchell shrugged. "I wasn't expecting anything but every now and then it might be nice to find a whole city instead of parts of one."

"It's one of those once in a life time's things," Daniel remarked, leaning over Kate's shoulder and reading the schematics on the ruins the jumper's scan had found. "We cashed in on ours when we found Atlantis."

Kate snickered. "Danny's got a point," she looked at Mitchell. "It's ruins for us from here on out."

The screen beeped again and Daniel frowned. "Funny, the archives didn't mention more than one city."

Kate chuckled at the confused expression on Daniel's face. 'Yes, well, since when have the archives ever told us everything; there're always holes," she touched the controls and pulled up the structure that the scans had found. Her blood ran cold. "That's not a city."

Mallock eyed it. "It is large, nearly a mile long and half as wide," he looked at the woman. "What is it if not some sort of building?"

Kate turned the jumper around and abandoned the scanning of the planet in favor of putting some distance between them and the grounded ship. "It's a ship; a hive."

"On the ground?" Mitchell asked, squinting. "I didn't know those things could land."

Kate sighed. "Oh trust me, they can," she checked the readings. "It's a good ways from here so we should be able to check out the ruins without being detect -"

A loud blast thundered through the air and the jumper jolted.

"What was that?" Mallock asked, clutching the back f the seat in front of him in order to stay in his.

Kate turned the display off and came about, swerving when some sort of volley shot up from the forested ground below and came right at them. "We're being fired at."

The jumper jerked again as a mortar missed them and exploded in mid-air next to them. The craft shuddered and groaned. "By who?" Mitchell demanded. "I thought the wraith were on the other side of the planet?"

Kate grit her teeth and fought to maintain control over the jumper. "They are and it's not the wraith; the mortars are too primitive."

"Then who?" Daniel questioned, desperately clinging to the back of Kate's seat as the jumper was put into a barrel roll to avoid another mortar.

Kate grit her teeth. "I don't know," she growled when her attempt to engage the cloak failed. "I can't cloak the ship!"

Mitchell voiced reason. "Maybe we should go back to Atlantis."

Mallock turned to him. "Without first visiting the machine? We will have come all this way for nothing. I cannot and will not go back to the Tok'ra High council with nothing -"

"Right now I'm more worried about getting back alive," Kate relayed and jerked the jumper's flight controls to the left sharply to avoid another mortar.

The tok'ra didn't look happy. "Can we not simply -"

"Damn it we're going back to Atlantis!" Kate interrupted him, banking sharply to avoid getting hit, the exploding volley going off just to their left and shaking the gate ship violently. "We can come back with help later."

Mallock opened his mouth to argue farther but shut it as the craft jerked suddenly and began to lose propulsion. "Very well."

Kate grit her teeth and fought to maintain control of her damaged ship. The jumper was losing altitude but with any luck she could get them back to the gate. Her controls flickered and the power cut out and then turned on again. "Damn it, we're losing power," she switched controls and focused on channeling all reaming energy to the DHD. "Dial the gate," she ordered Daniel.

"Done," the archeologist said as he dug out his IDC. "We're nearly there."

Another shot sailed through the air towards them and even though Kate swerved, the mortar still hit the underbelly of the gate ship. The impact threw them all forwards and Kate's head cracked against the hull of the craft. Hissing in pain she felt blood began to drip down the side of her head. To make matters worse, the power cut out completely and the jumper's systems went dead.

"We're going down," Kate warned, giving up on the controls and the jumper was now in a free fall and holding on to the sides of her seat. "Hold onto something."

Daniel, Mitchell and Mallock did as they were told and braced from impact. The jumper skimmed over the tops of the trees below them and then began to crash through them. When it finally touched down, the Ancient ship bounced along the ground, it's momentum carrying it along until it finally slid to a stop about fifty meters from the active gate.

Winded, injured from the crash and with a throbbing headache, Daniel unbuckled himself from his seat and surveyed the others. Mitchell was fine from the looks of it and so was Mallock but Kate was slumped over the controls, bleeding freely from several abrasions on her head; apparently the dashboard had done quite the number on her cranium.

Daniel shook her shoulder gently. "Kate?"

Her head snapped up and her nostrils flared. "We need to go," she hurried herself with un-strapping her restraints and opened the back hatch, stumbling out and looking around. As she feared, a swarm of natives was already running towards the crash site. "Come on!" she called out as Daniel, Cameron and Mallock finally made it out of the jumper.

"Holy Jesus, that's not good," Mitchell exclaimed, taking off at a run towards the stargate. "Daniel, move it!"

The archeologist yelped as a spear was flung past him and he very nearly tripped over it. "We're not going to make it!" he shouted, ducking an arrow.

"Yes we are keep running," Kate called back only to scream, "Damn it, NO!" as the gate shut off.

The four of them screeched to a stop on the other side of the gate. "Now what?" Mitchell asked. An arrow bounced off the gate and embedded itself into the ground at his feet. "Kate run."

She stared at him. "What are you crazy? I'm not leaving you.'

Mitchell rounded on her. "It's an order, I still outrank you," he held her eyes with his. "You're the only one that can get us out of this."

Kate hesitated wanting to argue but knowing that Cameron was right. "I'll be back for you," she promised and then took off across the plain towards the sheltering trees.

Mitchell watched her go and then turned back around to face the native who now circled himself, Daniel and Mallock. "Hey guys, what's up?" he asked casually as they all raised their spears and closed in on them.

Kate watched her teammate's capture from the trees and hissed to herself. Rescuing them wouldn't be easy and as they were marched away, Kate began to task of following the retreat without being seen. She needed to know where they were being taken and she needed the cover of night fall in order to save them. She looked up at the twin suns both still high in the sky and sighed; she'd have a while yet to wait.

~xXx~

"Can't we talk about this?" Mitchell asked, already knowing that the answer was bound to be a resounding no as he, Daniel and Mallock were escorted through the village, into a building that must be like a grand audience chamber or something, down another corridor off to the side and then into a cell block where they were promptly tossed unceremoniously into a cell.

The man holding onto him grunted and replied gruffly, "No."

Mitchell turned towards him as first Mallock and then Daniel were shoved into the crude little cubicle after him. "Well then can we -"

"Silence!" the leader, a stout, horrid looking little man shouted, striding forwards and slamming the door shut on them, locking them in. "The old ones shall deal with you."

Mitchell frowned. "The old ones? Don't know if I like the sound of that, why can't we talk -"

"It is not up to you to question the will of the Ancients," the man yelled over him and Mitchell fell silent. Daniel, however perked up.

"Ancients?" he questioned, coming to the front of the cell and standing besides Mitchell.

The leader nodded. "Those that fly the stars and both give and take life as they see fit."

Daniel's hopes fell. "You mean the wraith," he said, now dreading the worst.

The man nodded. "Our masters will know what to do with the likes of you," and with that he and his men turned and left the room.

Daniel and Mitchell both visibly sagged. Mallock looked confused.

"Who are these wraith?" he asked, eyeing the two Tauri curiously.

Mitchell took a deep breath. "The wraith are these really big, mean, nasty guys that make the goa'uld look like bunnies. They're all about six feet tall, have white hair and green skin, various tattoos and can literally suck the life out of you from this little slit on their right hands."

Mallock frowned. "They do not sound kind."

Daniel sighed and sat down, leaning his head back against the wall. "They're not."

Mallock looked to him. "Well then how -"

The ominous sound of the cell block door opening cut the tok'ra mid-sentence and had all three of them looking wearily upwards towards the door. Heavy footsteps sounded in the gloom and all of them gulped at the ill-omened sound as it came closer and closer until the being to whom the steps belonged was standing before them.

All three of them could have sworn they were looking at evil incarnate, such was the power and presence of the intimidating and menacing creature that now stood looking at them, his golden cat-like eyes sliding over first one of them and then on to another.

"Leave," the wraith commanded the worshiper that had informed him of the capture of the three male humans he now saw in front of him. The worshiper had said that there was another but that she had gotten away. It was of little concern to him, he took a step forwards. "Explain your presence here," he demanded.

Mitchell raised an eyebrow, this was not at all what he'd expected to have come out of it's mouth. "Excuse me?"

The wraith stepped closer, peering at the three occupants of the cell more closely. They were wearing uniforms similar to those of the Atlantians - at least two of them were - but he could see now that he was closer that there were differences. The third male did not seem quite human to him at all. "I said -"

Mitchell waved him silent which, when he looked back on it, was probably not the smartest thing to do. "Yeah we heard you," he said impatiently. "What I'm wondering is why you even care what we're doing here. Aren't you going to like, threaten to feed on us or something?"

The wraith tilted his head to one side and raised one brow ridge. "Is that the outcome you desire?" he asked, grinning amusedly at the looks that came over all three of their faces, particularly the bespectacled male.

"Ah, no," Daniel said hurriedly before Mitchell could make some sort of comeback that got them all killed. "We just -"

"I will be most happy to accommodate you if that is the case," the wraith interrupted him, his own amusement at this turn in the conversation coloring his tone.

Daniel and Mitchell stared at him.

"He's joking right?" Mitchell asked, to no one in particular, but more because he felt like he'd stepped into a really, really bad prank.

Daniel didn't know exactly what to say. "I have no idea," he said slowly.

The wraith chuckled. "Let us try again," he turned towards the human who was obviously the leader. "What are you doing here?"

Mitchell swallowed. The wraith had gone from being in an almost teasing, playful mood to suddenly eyeing them as though he would snap their necks if they didn't tell him what he wanted to know. "Ah…that's a good question," he answered lamely, turning to Daniel for help.

Daniel sighed. "Forget it," he instructed Cameron. "We're not going to tell him anything."

The wraith turned his eyes towards the lesser of the two humans. "And why is that?"

Daniel stared him down. "Because you'll kill us either way," he answered stoutly.

The wraith chuckled. "Again, if that is the outcome you desire -"

"Wait, hold on stop," Mitchell waved his arms around, stopping the wraith in mid speech. The creature turned its head towards him in curiosity. "First off, why do you want to know and second, why do you keep asking us if we want to die? That's a dumb question right there if you ask me."

The wraith snorted. "I did not," he said and, when the humans all gave him confused looks he amended, "Ask you. What I wish to know is your reason for being here and where your fourth teammate is."

Suddenly defensive, Mitchell glared the alien down. "Oh no," he declared loudly. "If you think for one second that we're going to tell you where K- she is then you are very sadly mistaken. You can go to hell before we give her up to you."

The wraith growled softly, his patience with these humans growing dangerously thin. "I think you will find that I can be persuaded to be…sympathetic towards you and yours if you simply explain your reason from being here."

Mitchell frowned. "Sympathetic?" he asked. "What are you talking about?"

The wraith opened his mouth to respond.

Mallock, who had listened to the banter and grown tired of it, came forwards. "You would do best to let us go," the tok'ra said dangerously, his eyes flashing or emphasis.

The wraith didn't so much as blink. "You are goa'uld," he stated calmly.

Mitchell stared at him. "How the hell did you know that?" he demanded, now more than slightly unnerved. Sheppard had told him that the wraith could read minds and the colonel was guessing that was what had happened because he didn't want to think of any other way that the space vampire standing in front of him would of possibly known that.

Fortunately for Cameron Mitchell, his mind didn't have to dwell too long or too hard on what the hell was going on with the wraith because at that moment a loud shout, several growls, a shot or to and then a loud thud as though a body had just hit the floor reached his and everyone else's ears. The wraith turned just as the door to the cell block got kicked in revealing the most welcoming sight Mitchell'd seen in the last hour.

Kate was here and she looked pissed. Her gun was drawn, her left side was covered in blood from her injuries sustained from the jumper crash and the expression on her face was one of barely controlled rage. Mitchell glanced at the wraith, wondering if Kate's sudden appearance and wrath would have any effect on him, only to find said wraith staring at her oddly. The expression on his face was a mixture of what looked vaguely like excitement, although Mitchell wouldn't bet money on it, and something else that made the colonel suddenly very wary; want.

Todd stood still, unable to move, held completely in thrall by the woman standing before him. It had been months since last he had seen her and he had thought that that time spent away from her would calm the consuming desire that had built within him during her tenure as his companion. He had miscalculated and, seeing her before him, all his thoughts of her, his desire for her, came rushing back; threatening to drown him. He fought and eventually suppressed his need for her enough to be able to keep from reaching out to touch her, summoning his will power so that he could greet her and not have his voice come out thickened with lust.

"Katherine."

Kate turned her narrowed eyes onto the unwelcomed figure of the one wraith that she couldn't shoot and unfortunately, couldn't seem to get away from. She lowered her gun and holstered it, still glaring hatefully at him. "Todd."

Mitchell blinked and did a double take, looking from her to the wraith and back again before pointing at the green skinned creature and exclaiming loudly, "That's Todd!"

Kate snorted and walked towards him, brushing past him soundlessly and going to the front of her teammate's cell. "The one and only" she confirmed darkly as she grabbed the lock and pulled it clean off the bars, crushing it in her hand.

The cell door swung open and, stepping out, Mitchell looked first at Kate's steely eyes and then at the wraith that, while no longer such an immediate threat, was staring heatedly at Kate's back. Mitchell repressed a shutter; the way he was looking at her scared the literal shit out of him. He turned back to Kate. "I thought he was supposed to be a nice wraith?" he asked, thinking back over their conversation and finding nothing 'nice' about it.

Kate scowled. She could feel Todd's eyes on her and hated him for the way they made her feel, cursing herself for her inability to control her own body. "He's not nice," she informed her former commanding officer. "He's just a little less cruel then most."

The tone in her voice was resentful and scathing, a combination that cut deeply into Todd's skin. He winced involuntarily, some but not all of his pleasure at seeing her once again fading in the wake of her animosity. "You are angry with me," he observed, his mind trying to sort out why this would be. He could think of nothing that he had done to earn her enmity. Surely enough time had passed that her life would have returned to normal and whatever emotions that had been created due to their captivity together would have dissipated.

Kate spun on her heel and glared at him. "Gee," she spat contemptuously, "whatever gave you that idea?"

Behind her, Daniel and Mitchell glanced at each other nervously. It was clear to see that not all was right between these two and neither member of SG-1 had any idea of what to do about it. Kate played her emotions close to the chest and between the both of them they could only count maybe twice that she'd had an outburst like this before. The thought of whatever Todd the unfortunate wraith had done to earn her temper worried the two of them on the account that it had to be bad if she was this angry at him after only having been in the same vicinity as him for three minutes.

Kate jerked her eyes away from Todd's and called over her shoulder to her team as she made to move past him. "Come on, let's go," Todd blocked her path and she took a step back, glaring up at him. "Move."

Todd hissed as he looked down into her heated gaze, her grey eyes nearly black with anger. He knew not what he had done to earn her disdain but, whatever its source, he found that when directed at him Katherine's rage was no small thing that he could ignore. Her fury was as fierce as many a queen and would have made even his motem, High Queen of Vallan, back down from her and to make matters worse, only increased his desire for her.

"Why are you here?" he inquired, needing a distraction that would pull him from his damning thoughts; questioning her on her reason for being here would provide that.

Kate held her eyes to his and refused to blink; seeing herself reflected in his golden orbs. "None of your business," she hissed coldly.

Todd growled, her boldness and animosity doing the exact opposite of what he was sure it was intended for. If Katherine was attempting to make him angry or to provoke him she was failing and Todd, eldest of wraith, cursed himself for not having a better control over his body. His blood sang for her and threatened to accumulate in a location that would undoubtedly anger her further if she were to see it. He could not help it though, try as he might; the defiant female before him controlling him more completely then anyone ever had without even trying.

"Tell me," he demanded, discomfort making his voice sound irritable as he struggled against the part of him, an almost overwhelming part, that screamed at him to take her and finish what was begun on Romulus' prison world. In the end he gave in to a small part of that desire and reached out to grab her, his hands clamping down on her arms and pulling her just slightly towards him; the need to have her near overriding his common sense.

Her heart clenched and began to beat more regularly, thudding against her ribcage so strongly that she thought for certain everyone around her would be able to hear it. Her blood temperature rose and she began to feel hot, her traitorous body reacting strongly to Todd's hands on her arms. He was too close, his presence an overwhelming almost physical being that threatened to drown her and take form her all manner of her self control. Summoning the last of her strength, Kate pushed back throwing of the cloak of him that had wrapped around her and reacting as though she were in danger of more than loosing herself to him.

Lifting her knee, she thrust upwards and made contact with his groin. Todd's eyes widened and he immediately released her, staggering away from her and leaning back against the cell block wall before sinking down into a crouch, his face contorted with pain. Breathing heavily, Kate turned on her heal and walked away as quickly as possible before the guilt for what she had done could catch up with her and beseech her to stay.

"That was a bit harsh don't you think?" Mitchell asked as Kate swept past him and headed purposefully towards the exit. He glanced back at Todd; the wraith was looking down at the floor in concentration, most likely trying to get over the pain. Mitchell felt sorry for him, getting racked by Kate had to have hurt like hell.

"He deserved it," Kate bit out contemptuously, moving beyond the cell block and retreating away from it as fast as she could go.

Daniel and Mitchell exchanged looks and then both looked back at the wraith before following after Kate.

Once they were free of the village, and on the path towards where the jumper had said the ruins were when they'd first flown over it, Daniel let Mitchell and Mallock pass him up - the former giving him a nod of encouragement - so that he could walk besides Kate.

"Want to tell me what that was all about?" he asked, alluding to the attack she'd delivered to the wraith that was supposedly Atlantis' ally.

Kate shook her head. "Not really."

Daniel wouldn't have it. He knew that she liked to keep things close to the belt, especially her feelings, but he also knew that Kate was still, despite everything, human. She needed to talk about whatever was bothering her and she needed to do it soon. What had happened back in the village was just the tip of the iceberg and not talking about it would only hurt her more in the long run.

"Kate," he stopped walking and reached out to turn her towards him. "You know you can tell me anything right?"

Kate sighed, reaching up a hand to cover Daniel's where it lay on her right shoulder. "I," she stuttered, not quite sure of what to say. "We…Todd and I…"

Daniel's eyes softened and he took a step towards her. "What happened?" he asked her gently, coaxing her to open up to him.

Kate's lips trembled and she looked up at her friend, the anger in her eyes gone, replaced by bitter tears. She had thought she'd cried them all out when Larrin had first broken through her sell of self protection but apparently not, apparently all it had taken was for her to see him again to bring back all the feelings of regret and anger, fear and resentment both for him and for herself flooding back to her. "We were prisoners on a planet," she began, not knowing how else to start the strange and unusual story but from the beginning. "The wraith were in charge and I..I was going to be punished for my defiance."

Daniel nodded, encouraging her silently with a squeeze of his hand. He knew how hard it was for her to open up. "Go on."

Kate blinked, one tear escaping and sliding down her cheek to land on Daniel's hand. "I was going to be…g-given to a wraith as their companion," she dropped her eyes. "Todd took me so that that wouldn't happen but we had to pretend that we were…we had to make it look like we were sleeping together so we…"

Daniel sighed. "I can guess what you had to do," he soothed her, not forcing her to say exactly what they had done because he understood, as soon as she had begun her explanation, what the problem was and how painful it was for her. "You forgot that it was pretend."

Kate nodded, crying openly now. "I..I wanted him and I acted like a complete…" she trailed off, shakily wiping her eyes and looking up at Daniel, begging him with her eyes not to condemn her for what she'd done and whom she'd done it with. "I let myself get involved, I let myself forget that it was all just a game and he…he took advantage of it."

Daniel frowned. "What did he do?" Kate looked fearfully up at him, Daniel's eyes widened. "Did he hurt you?"

Kate shook her head. "No, I responded even though I shouldn't have. If Rodney hadn't come knocking on the door…" she took a deep breath. "Afterwards, he pretended like it didn't happen, just glossed over the whole thing like it was no big deal, like we didn't almost…the only thing he said about it was that we couldn't tell John."

"Because Colonel Sheppard's your brother and would break the alliance with him if he knew?" Daniel asked although he was fairly certain that that was indeed the wraith's motivation and he didn't even have to ask. He just wanted to make sure.

Kate nodded.

Daniel looked over her sympathetically. "Oh, Katie," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her and drawing her close. "It'll be alright."

Kate could do nothing but hold on tight and nod against the crock of Daniel's neck. She'd missed him, she really had. Daniel was the closest thing she'd had to family after she'd walked away from hers on her wedding day and, not knowing about John yet, Daniel had been her only confidant for three years. She told him things that she'd never told anyone else; not even Evan. When they pulled apart, Daniel reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Feel better now?" he asked her and Kate nodded.

"Yeah, thanks Daniel."

The archeologist grinned. "Any time," he took her hand. "Now come on, let's go find Mitchell and Mallock."

"And the ruins?" Kate teased, knowing that that was what he really wanted to go find.

Daniel nodded, tossing her a grin and squeezing her hand. "And the ruins," he answered, leading her down the path deeper into the forest and farther away from the village.

~xXx~

"Commander."

His subordinate's call failed to register, Todd's mind lost among his thoughts of Katherine. Her assault on him had surprised him as he had not thought that, given their rapport, she would have been capable of such a thing anymore then he was capable of bring injury to her. The physical pain he had endured, while great and exceedingly uncomfortable, was not the only injury she had brought down on his head with her quick action. No, her parting words that he had deserved it had done more damage to him than her attack and made him consider just what she was to him that her words would bring him more harm than a physical blow.

Beyond the reevaluation of her meaning to him lay another pressing matter that weighted heavily on his mind. Katherine was in pain and it was not a hurt of any physical making but something much more difficult to heal; emotional. Todd had little to no experience or expertise in healing but he was fairly acceptable at bandaging a physical wound. He'd had to do it often enough to Caavin who had, because he had wanted nothing more than to please his sire, often taken on challenges that were beyond him thus resulting in various broken bones, lacerations, and one or two close calls with death. His son's desire to gain his praise notwithstanding, on the few occasions where he had needed to console his eldest or needed to provide some other emotional support the High Commander of wraith had bowed to his own inadequacy and referred his progeny to either his motem, one of his sisters or even on one or two occasions to Romulus who despite being a warrior himself was strangely apt at fixing such things.

Todd himself was not an emotional creature. He had them, but he had learned early in his life that if he did not exercise supreme control over them then they had the potential power to overrule him completely. Since control by one's own passions was not an option to the wraith, Todd had spent the vast majority of his youth adopting logic and reason as his internal driving force so that the only emotions he displayed were those that he allowed and even then, they were but shadows of what could possibly be. He did not possess the ability to tap into that well of emotion that he had previously buried and so it was that Todd the wraith had absolutely no idea of how to go about healing the anguish that had taken hold of Katherine and that had begun to divide her from him.

"Commander."

Hearing an underlying call for him once more, Todd stood, lifting out of his pensive couch and turning towards the sub commander that had spoken. "Remain here, continue the work we came here to do," he instructed, his mind made up as what course of action to pursue.

The sub commander looked curiously at the elder as he passed him. "Eldest?"

Todd said nothing in the way of a reply but only explained where he was going and why his order should be followed. "I have a matter to which I must attend," he whispered, exiting the building under which the jail sat and turning his steps towards the forest covered mountain. He knew, without being told, that that was the direction that the humans would have gone and, his inability to communicate effectively where his emotions were concerned or not, Todd was under no circumstance willing to lose Katherine. It was this fear of loss that drove him onwards, quickening his stride as he found a path that led upwards and began to navigate it.

He did not know what he would say or even how to proceed once he'd found her but he knew that he had to try. For her he was willing to attempt to partially unearth that which he had hidden within himself just as he was willing to also make the attempt for Caavin. His affection for his eldest son was the strongest he had and the only thing to which he could accurately compare his growing concern for Katherine. What that care for her consisted of he did not know and was not entirely certain that he wanted to simply because the possibility that it would ever be allowed to come to fruition was as improbable as Sheppard reaching the conclusion that Todd himself was an acceptable mate for his sister. Impossibility aside, the wraith could not deny that he did have at least a slight affection for the human woman that stretched far beyond any physical desire he had for her and that, more than any other one thing, made his steps purposeful as he continued onwards up the mountain; his senses already reaching out in search of her.

~xXx~

"Dammit," Mitchell exclaimed, glaring down at his gameboy, his character just having died. "That always happens."

Kate chuckled lightly, still feeling a little overwhelmed but better then she had been an hour ago. "Funny, John says the same thing."

Mitchell gave up trying to get frogger across the road without getting squished and pocketed his toy, turning to look at the woman seated next to him on a fallen pillar. "So, had a nice talk with Daniel? He make everything better?"

Kate sighed and looked town, tracing her finger along a crack in the ancient stone. "Not everything," she replied softly.

"But most of it?" Mitchell pried, needing to know that she was okay. As tough as Kate always appeared to be, she was pretty fragile when it came to matters of the heart; she was a lot like Vala in that way. Kate had done so much and seen so much in her life that it was easy to forgot how young she was.

Kate nodded absentmindedly, still tracing the crack with the tip of her forefinger. "Yeah, most of it," she replied quietly.

Mitchell sighed and glanced over towards Daniel and Mallock who were in a geek's wonderland as they poked, prodded and made rubbings of the ruins that their quest for the proverbial fountain of youth had led them to. The toppled pillars of stone and mostly crumbled walls might not have been what they'd originally set out for but they were enough of a treat to keep Daniel happy for days.

Unfortunately that left Cam and Kate with almost nothing to do. "So, patrol?" Mitchell asked Kate, standing and clipping his P-90 to his vest. "You go that way and I'll go this way; meet back here in fifteen minutes?"

Kate left her crack and stood up, nodding towards Cam. "Fifteen minutes," she agreed, turning to the left as Cam turned to the right.

"We're doing a perimeter check," she heard Cam call out to the excavating Daniel and Mallock the tok'ra as she left the primary ruins and ducked into the forest that surrounded what Daniel had been able to determine in the first five minutes had once been a city much like Atlantis only made of stone and not nearly as large.

A twig snapped behind her and Kate stilled, steadying her breaths and looking around. Nothing out of the ordinary struck her as noteworthy and so she continued onwards. When she was about an eighth of a mile away from the ruins she heard another twig snap behind her and this time, as she turned around, she was greeted with the visage of Todd the wraith stepping towards her from out of the shade of the forest.

Kate's eyes grew cold at the sight of him. "What do you want?" she demanded.

Her anger was as fresh as it had been in the village's cell block and, armed with the knowledge that she would cause him injury if she felt threatened, Todd advanced towards her slowly and with caution. "Your aggression was uncalled for," he told her, the predator in him rearing its head as he stalked her. "I simply wished to know what you are doing here; of what interest is this place to the humans of Atlantis."

Kate glared at him, her eyes tracing every step he took as he moved in a perfect circle around her, her own body turning with his so that she was always facing him, not trusting her back to him as it had been to her back that he had made the majority of his advances on her whilst they had been imprisoned. "Atlantis doesn't give a damn about this place," she informed him, her words biting; she wanted desperately to shoot him if for no other reason than it would make her feel better because apparently racking him hadn't gotten the message through that she wanted him to leave her alone.

Todd's eyes narrowed. "Do not lie to me," he hissed at her, suddenly angry that their relationship with one another would have deteriorated so very much so very quickly that she would lie to him as easily as her brother did.

Kate's glare intensified even as a smirk twisted the corners up her lips upwards into an ugly sneer. "I'm not," she hissed back. "Atlantis doesn't care a fig about what's here or not the Tok'ra however do. I'm just the guide."

Suddenly weary of both their behavior, Todd creased his circling and stopped, turning the full brunt of his gaze onto her. "Why must we be at odds, Katherine?" he asked, eager to get to the source of what it was that was wrong with her, what thing he had done that had hurt her so very badly, so that they might face it and move on. He desperately wished to be in her good graces once more.

Kate snorted. "You want me to forgive you?" she queried, amazed that he'd think it was simple.

Todd eyed her quizzically. "Forgiveness first requires a transgression," he stated, tilting his head to one side and taking a step towards her. "I have done nothing to warrant -"

Kate scoffed and cut him off. "You transgressed more then you'll ever be able to make up for," she hissed at him pissed that, despite how intelligent he was, when it came to emotions and the like he was just as clueless as her idiot brother.

Her insistence that he had indeed, although he could not think of it, done something wrong and her avowal that he would never be forgiven for it made the fact of whether or not he had actually done something mute and he realized that quite suddenly as he came to face the real threat of losing her goodwill once and for all. "Katherine," he came towards her, reaching out to her and taking the risk that she might cause him injury again just to have her near; to have his senses reaffirm her presence and assure him that she was indeed close to him even as the chasm before them widened and he felt her drawing away.

To is advance, Kate took a step backwards and drew her arms up around herself to protect her. "Stay away from me," she hissed at him, desperate to have him leave. When he was gone she couldn't feel him close to her and imagine the things that they hadn't yet done, when he was near she couldn't get the imagines out of her mind regardless of if her eyes were closed or not.

Todd came still closer. "I cannot do that," he confessed, her allure drawing him closer like a drug that he could not cleanse himself of. He reached towards her once again only to have her turn and run from him, something that he knew she did not do out of fear. Something else was driving her actions and he knew that if he was to get to the bottom of it then a more direct approach was needed.

Kate breathed heavily as she sprinted back through the forest towards the ruins and the perceived safety they offered. She prayed that Todd would not follow her, whispered prayers to everyone she could think of as she ran, branches and twigs reaching out to her like hands and clawing at her face and neck. She gave them no mind and instead pumped her legs and arms harder, breaking into the clearing around the ruins at breakneck speed and almost colliding with Cameron.

"Whoa," Mitchell exclaimed, reaching out to steady Kate by the shoulders. He frowned, she looked scared. "What's wrong?" he asked her, Daniel and Mallock stopping their work on their rubbings in order to look concernedly over towards her.

Kate took a step back and took several deep breaths, glancing behind her and seeing nothing but the trees waving in the breeze. "I -"

"You looked scared to death," Mitchell interrupted her, coming towards her and setting his gun down so that he could reach out and turn her chin towards him, his eyes frowning when they saw the cuts and scratches she'd sustained from her sprint through the forest. "God, Kate," he whispered. "What happened?"

Kate jerked her head out of his grasp and took a step back. "I -"

Once again she was cut off but this time it was by the great and powerful force that was Todd coming out of nowhere like the apex predator he was and grabbing her, his arms locking around her own and pinning them to her sides so that she couldn't fight him. She struggled, her eyes flashing fearfully to Cameron's and Daniel's, both seemed at a loss; she could feel Todd breathing against her neck and the sensation sent shivers down her spine.

Her mind finally caught up with what was going on and she began to struggle. "Let go of me!" she screamed, pulling first this way and that but to no avail. Todd was using all his formidable strength to keep her still and there was very little she could do against him.

Mitchell started forwards. "Hey ah, Todd," he began knowing that he couldn't just shoot the wraith without completely screwing over Atlantis. "Why don't you just let -"

"This does not concern you," the wraith hissed at the advancing human male who immediately backed up, both his hands in the air, palms outwards. He turned his attention back to Katherine, just having her body against his was doing things to him, awakening desires that he had had to forcefully burry within himself when they had been forced apart by the arrival of their rescue on Romulus' prison world. He tightened his hold on her and allowed himself the luxury of inhaling her scent.

"Be still," he whispered to her, bringing his face as close to the skin of her neck as he dared. He could feel the heat of her body radiating in the air between them; it was intoxicating.

Kate struggled still harder even though she knew it was pointless; there was no way she could escape unless he let her go. "LET GO OF ME!" she screamed.

"We must resolve this," he begged of her, for his own sanity he could not lose her, not completely. He could teach himself to control his desire for her, could reign in his longing and want for both her body and her mind but he could not lose her companionship or amity. His need for that was his reason behind his request to not tell Sheppard of what had almost happened between them. Were the human to discover what had transpired he would never set foot in Atlantis again and in so doing, he would loose all contact with Katherine. His interaction with her was a matter that he held most dear.

Kate continued her fruitless struggle. "Resolve what?" she demanded, planting her feet on the ground and pushing backwards, trying to unbalance him; her attempts failed.

Todd hissed at her stubbornness. "This," he explained. "Whatever has you so angry with me."

Daniel and Mitchell could do nothing but watch, both knowing that the wraith was right; whatever was between them had to get resolved. Now may not be the right time to do it but they were both here and it didn't look like Todd would be letting her go anytime soon. They both knew that he wouldn't hurt her so, reluctantly, they both stood silently off to the side and watched things unfold.

Kate growled and struggled one last time before creasing her attempts and simply keeping her body taught and stiff. "Why?" she questioned him, twisting around in an attempt to see his face. She could just make out his cheekbone out of the corner of her eye.

Todd sighed. "It does us no good to be at odds with one another given the circumstances of our alliance -"

"Oh yes," Kate cut him off, her voice harsh and scathing. "Your precious alliance. You and I don't need to be on good terms in order to preserve your coalition with my brother!"

Her words hit him harshly and, in the wake of them, Todd thought he understood the source for at least a portion of her anger. "You believe I care more for my agreement with Sheppard then I do you?" he asked her, his grip on her loosening but not enough for her to break away from him.

"Don't you?" Kate replied stiffly, turning her head away and looking down.

Todd released her, too emotionally injured to continue to hold her so tightly. Is that what she thought of him? Had he not shown her that that was not the case several times previously? Had he not made it a point to seek her out whenever he was in the Lantean city, to invite her to share her company with him for no other reason then he enjoyed it and had thought that she wished for him to be near? Her eyes told him that, yes, that is what she thought and, looking back on how they had parted, he could see how she might have interpreted his request for secrecy. "Katherine," he began, reaching once more out to her only to have her draw away.

"Don't you?"Kate questioned again, looking into Todd's eyes and holding them, the rest of the world melting away.

Todd faltered, not sure what answer to offer her. He could not tell her the truth in its entirety - that she had come to mean a great deal to him and that he did not wish to grow distant from her - for it was a threshold that he knew he was not ready to cross as of yet. Therefore, all he could safely offer her without risking his self and his secrets was a part truth. "It is complicated," he began, ready to give to her what he could only to have her shake her head definitively and silence him.

"No, Todd, it's really not," Kate interrupted him, praying that her voice would hold; she would not cry in front of him, would not let him see how much he'd hurt her. "You either want us to be friends because you care about me or you want us to be friends again because I have a certain amount of influence over John's decision making process."

Although she covered it well, Todd could hear the pain in her voice hiding underneath her admirable strength. It made him ache knowing that he was the one that caused it. "Katherine," he tried again only to fall quiet. She needed to hear the whole truth or she would believe nothing he said, unfortunately the whole truth was not something he could give her. Telling her what her very presence did to him, how desperate it made him to want to be near her, would give her a power over him such as he could never reclaim.

When her name came to be the only thing he said in response to her question, Kate bowed her head and bit her lip, nodding to the inevitable. "I get it," she said softly. "So long as we were friends, you knew that John could usually be persuaded into helping you and now that we're not you've lost the upper hand."

Angry that the situation had come about and that it had to be so infuriatingly complicated, Todd took another step towards her needing to at least physically close the distance between them if not emotionally. He wanted her so very badly that his desire for her, his longing, was almost strong enough to make him set aside everything that he had worked for since the end of the great war if it meant earning her as his mate. It was a wasted dream; one that was pointless to entertain and one that threatened the responsibilities he had to those wraith who had put their faith in him to restore their world to what it once was. He needed the Atlantians in order to accomplish that and were he to bed Katherine then Sheppard would withdraw all of Atlantis' support from him thus effectively damning the wraith to extinction in a matter of centuries. He could not let this happen and so had to choose between his responsibilities to his race and his want for a single female; having her was not worth the deaths of thousands when they could just as easily be saved if he sustained.

He could not give her the whole reason for his restraint but he could at least offer her a part of it; she deserved that much. "While your assessment of the circumstances is accurate, that is not –"

Kate backed away quickly as the first words came out of his mouth. "Stay away from me."

Todd took another step towards her thinking that she would eventually crease her retreats when it became apparent that he would always follow her. "Katherine -"

Kate drew her side arm and held it up level to Todd's chest. The wraith's eyes widened and, to her left, Daniel and Mitchell gasped.

"Whoa now Kate," Mitchell said, taking a step towards them. "You don't want to do that now -"

"Stay. Away. From. Me," Kate said loudly, lingering on each word to emphasize her point and her seriousness.

Todd did not stop his advance and instead took another step. Several things happened at once: Katherine fired, he ducked, the two human males screamed and then his entire world went suddenly black as he felt his body move rapidly form one place to another by some unseen means.

"Okay," Mitchell said, calling through the pitch-blackness that he, Daniel, Mallock, Kate and presumably Todd now found themselves surrounded by. "Would someone please tell me what the hell just happened?"

Mallock was only too happy to respond. "The woman shot at the wraith whom ducked and now we are here wherever here may be."

Mitchell scowled. "Yes, thank you for that insight Captain Obvious," the colonel complained. "But I was looking for a little more of a detailed explanation like where here is and how'd we get here."

"We were transported," Daniel replied, taking one tentative step forwards and running face first into Todd the very solid wraith. "Ow."

In the darkness, Todd snorted when the one called Daniel ran into him, his mind more on the fact that Katherine had indeed fired a shot at him when he would have bet his life on her not following through with her threat. That she had spoke volumes about the depth to which he had caused her injury and made him feel that much more worse.

The lights came on and the five of them looked about, realized they were in a rather unique looking holding cell and then turned around only to find three persons watching them from the other side of the force field that was serving as cell bars.

Mitchell squinted, his eyes still adjusting to the obnoxiously bright light.. "Hello."

The man closest to him, glared at him before turning his eyes to that of Todd who was in turn glaring at the three men quite strongly. "Well, well," the man said, smirking cruelly. "I would have thought someone would have killed you by now, High Commander."

Todd snarled. "You and yours should know that I am difficult to get rid of."

The man in the middle, slightly taller and more well built then the first man sneered. "Oh we know," he said darkly. "After fifteen thousand years of trying to get rid of you here you stand."

Mitchell frowned. "Fifteen…" he looked between the three men and then peered closely up at the wraith. "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded, gesturing at the people outside of their cage. "How do you know them?"

Todd huffed. "The wraith are long lived," was his gruff reply.

Mitchell wasn't satisfied. "What's that suppose -"

"They're Ancients Cameron," Kate informed her former CO, glancing over the three men and frowning when she caught the look that the middle one was giving her. Instinctively, and despite the fact that she was mad at him and had just recently tried to kill him, she shrank closer to Todd.

Mitchell squinted. "Really?"

The smallest of the three men turned towards the woman. "Ancients?" he questioned, looking her over and noticing how she unconsciously seemed drawn to Valloran for protection. He'd caught the way that Arius had looked at her and while he found his brother's gaze to be distasteful he didn't know how much protection the former High Commander of the wraith would provide for her if any at all.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Ancients, Lanteans, Anquietas, Gate Builders, Alterans…" she trailed off and pointedly eyed the short one. "Need I go on?"

Mitchell tapped her on the shoulder. "You forgot Ascended Assholes and Cousins of the Ori."

Kate sighed. "Yes, thank you Cameron," she said sardonically.

Todd snorted.

The three Ancients on the other hand, stared at her. "How do you know of the Ori?" the middle one demanded hotly once more fixing his gaze on the woman. He could not help it; it had been a very long while since he'd seen a female and this one was arguably attractive enough.

This time Todd noticed and, in reaction, stepped closer to Katherine. When she allowed him to advance he took it as a good sign that, even while angry at him, she still looked to him for protection. It meant that he had not yet lost her completely.

The short one's eyes widened; his brothers missed the gesture entirely.

Kate glared at the man. "Heard of Earth?" she asked and, when the name didn't seem to register she sighed and tried again. "Terra."

The three of them looked between themselves and then back to the woman. "How do you -" the first one that had spoken started.

"We're from there," Kate said slowly as if speaking to a particularly dumb child. "Well, we are," she gestured between herself and Daniel and Mitchell before pointing a Mallock. "He's a tok'ra and you probably already know that he was born in a nest somewhere near the entrance to hell."

Daniel and Mitchell couldn't help it, Kate's description of Todd being born anywhere near such a place was just too funny; they both snickered.

The wraith himself, however, didn't find her liberal description of his place of birth so amusing. "I was not born in a nest," he informed her haughtily, falling back on his pedigree for the first time in over ten thousand years.

Arius coughed. "Oh yes, let us not forget that you were born in Vallan, the greatest of all the five cities," he shot the wraith a withering look. "Your home is nothing more than a pile of rumble now wraith."

Todd snapped at him. "Which is your doing!" he snarled defensively.

Arius shook his head. "We did not level the five cities, that was done by your own power hungry queens. You cannot lay blame for that destruction at our feet."

Todd glared at him. "If you had not started the war -"

"We did not start the war," the first Ancient said loudly over Valloran's verbal attack. "We simply asked -"

"You sent Tanis to assassinate me!" Todd countered, taking a step forwards and abandoning his protection of Katherine. "What did you expect us to do after such a betrayal?"

The first Ancient and the short one had nothing to say but Arius snickered. "Well, if Tanis had had better aim and actually managed to hit you in your heart then there wouldn't have been a war."

Todd opened his mouth to counter attack.

"Well, that'd be impossible," Kate muttered, all eyes turning to her and demanding an explanation which she gave without anyone having to verbally ask. "He'd have to have a heart first in order for someone it hit it."

Her comment rang loudly through the now quite silent cell block and Todd whipped his head towards her as soon as her words took root and made full sense to him. Katherine was refusing to look at him and in fact was looking quite intently at the floor whilst the wraith could sense the collective disbelief of the others about him. Finally her eyes lifted to his and Todd made a point of locking his gaze to hers.

"Is that truly what you think of me?" he asked quietly, careful to never blink lest she turn away. It was not as if he had never been accused of being heartless before, in fact it was something that happened quite often, but hearing Katherine say it somehow elicited more of a response from him then when it was said and repeated by his fellow wraith.

Kate looked away. "You haven't given me any reason to think otherwise."

Anger welled up inside him at her accusation as he had thought that, after all the time he has spent with her, she out of all others would know that he was capable of more than just basic compassion. Had he not tried to show her that? Had he not gone out of his way to be kind to her, to humor her curiosity of his race and to make the effort to show her who he was behind the mask of human pleasantries and politeness he wore whenever he was in the Lantean city? Apparently not; apparently there were a great many things he had failed at in concerns to her.

With Valloran silenced and the woman and her teammates likewise quieted, the first man to have spoken took a breath. "So you are not worshipers I take it?" he queried, looking back and forth between the girl, the wraith and the others. When the humans shook their heads he continued. "Very well, then, if you are not where is it that you hail from?"

Mitchell looked at him. "We told you: Earth."

The middle man's eyes narrowed. "And you expect us to believe that?"

"Yeah we do," Mitchell snapped scathingly. "Because it's true."

Arius opened his mouth; his brother Portan cut him off.

"Terra is a long way from here," the middle man began after he was certain that Arius would stay silent. "If what you say is true then how do you come to be here?"

Daniel answered. "We found Atlantis."

All three of the Ancient's eyes widened. "Did you raise the city?" the shortest one asked, curious and excited all at the same time.

Daniel nodded. "We did."

Portan glanced at Valloran who was still eyeing the woman, an expression on his face that the Lantean could not discern. He looked back to the humans. "If you travel from Atlantis, then how is it that you have come to know this one?" he asked of them, indicating the wraith who finally drew his eyes away from the girl.

Mitchell jerked his thumb towards Kate. "He's her brother - the commander of Atlantis' - friend. They met in a cell, escaped and now occasionally work together."

Arius growled. "You let him access the city!"

Todd smirked. "They do, I now have intimate knowledge of the secrets you and yours buried there when you submerged the city."

The Ancient's looked furious. "You dare allow the wraith -"

Kate snapped. "Hey," the middle one looked at her, his eyes narrowed, "He's helped us kill more wraith then we ever managed on our own," she took a step towards the electrotyping bars. "We've had more problems with your left over doomsday devices then we've had with him so you can save your self-righteous bullshit and shut the fuck up!"

Portan held out a hand to keep Arius from reaching through the containment field and slapping her. When he was sure his brother would not retaliate, he fixed the woman with a look. "We will verify your story," he informed her. "When and if we have then you will be released."

The Ancients left and the five of them all relaxed visibly. Todd turned to Katherine.

"You defended me."

Kate refused to look at him and instead sat down and leaned back against the wall. "I didn't do it for you, I did it because I was tired of listening to them."

The illation he'd felt at her verbal defense dimmed somewhat but did not disappear completely. "Still," he reasoned, looking down on her, "You have my thanks."

Kate scowled but said nothing and the five of them soon all lapsed into silence.

~xXx~

"They are lying."

"You don't know that."

"They have to be. There is no conceivable way for them to know the things that they know. They are wraith spies or worse -"

"They could be telling the truth."

"Valloran is with them, is that not enough for you to concede that I am right -"

"There are too many variables for -"

"ENOUGH!"

Arius and Zallus fell silent and turned towards Portan who shook his head at the both of them. As always, Arius was quick to judge and Zallus was quick to defend, each wanting their own version of facts to be true. They had been this way since their youths and Portan, being the eldest of the three, found it all rather tiresome and not at all productive.

Arius started forwards. "Brother, listen to me," he implored Portan. "We must -"

Portan held up his hand to once more silence his aggressive sibling. "We _must_ do nothing," he said, fixing Arius with a look that pinned him in place and forced the hotheaded man to listen to him. "While I will admit that you have a point as far as Valloran's involvement in all of this I also say that Zallus, too, has valid reason to argue that there may be some truth in what they say."

Arius growled. "But if you -"

"I am not planning on blindly trusting them, Arius, you should know better than that," Portan snapped at his brother, cutting him off mid protest. He sighed. "They will be tested and then, only then, will we decide how best to proceed."

Zallus perked up. "We will be using the memory retriever then?"

Portan nodded. "We will," he turned to Arius. "Do you wish to stay and view their memories with us or do you trust our judgment?"

Arius' hands curled to fists. "I will leave you to toy with their memories," he said darkly, his tone clipped.

Portan regarded him. "Very well, but being as you will not be present to see the evidence you will also not be able to participate in the final decision."

Arius' lip curled. "I can live with that," he told his brothers. "Just let me know when you have found the proof that they are lying. I should like to know when the both of you realize that I was correct and that we should have simply terminated them."

Zallus frowned. "And what if we find that they are indeed telling the truth?"

Arius turned to him. "You will not," he bit out scathingly before turning on his heel and walking away.

Zallus sighed. "He is so certain of himself," he shook his head regretfully.

Portan looked over him. "As are you, little brother," Zallus looked up at him. "Even with all the horror we have seen you still wish for there to be good in everybody. Sometimes such things are simply not possible."

Zallus stood up straight. "We shall see," he said stiffly, turning towards the door. "I shall go and get the first one so that we can test them."

"The male," Portan called out as he began to awaken the machine that would determine the human's fates. "The one called Mitchell. He is the leader, he shall go first."

Zallus nodded and walked from the room.

He was not gone for long and, as the machine hummed to life and Portan keyed in the proper sequence of codes so that the frequencies of the memory retriever did not do undo damage to the human's brain, Zallus returned with the first specimen.

Mitchell looked up at the chair that looked so much like the drone chairs in both Area Fifty-One and Atlantis and frowned. "What's that?" he asked, eyeing the thing and the giant screen that hung behind it.

Portan turned to him as his brother led the human forwards and instructed him to sit, beginning the process of connecting him to the neural transmitter. "This machine will allow us to trigger certain memories of yours so that we can verify whether or not your version of events is to be believed."

Mitchell frowned and stiffened in the chair. "So ya'll are gonna go poking around in my memory?"

Portan nodded. "That is an accurate if simplistic description of what we're going to do, yes."

Mitchell relaxed only just. "Okay, well have fun."

Zallus glanced at him as he finished syncing him with the machine. "You are not apprehensive?"

Mitchell shrugged. "Naw, not really. I've done this before."

Zallus frowned, surprised, but nonetheless stepped back and went to go stand with his brother while the procedure began. It did not take long before the two of them had viewed enough memories to know that this human, at least, was being truthful. As Portan shut down the system, Zallus went forwards to release him from the chair and to escort him back to confinement before retrieving the next one to be tested. That one, Mallock, proved impossible to test as he shared his mind and body with another and it was impossible to distinguish between his consciousness and that of the parasite. Returning him to the cell, Zallus returned with the one called Daniel and the process began again.

This time they were able to establish a connection and begin streaming the memoires. Settling back to examine them, the brothers were shocked at what they saw. This human had achieved ascension not once but three separate times. His intimate knowledge of their race and their kind astonished them and, when the testing was done, they were prepared to believe that all of them were indeed telling the truth.

"Zallus," Portan called to his brother before he could leave with Daniel and return him to confinement with the others. "Bring the woman.'

Zallus' eyes narrowed and he looked from the man he was escorting to his brother and back again. "Surely we have seen enough to be able to form a -"

Portan looked at him. "We must be certain, we cannot exclude her simply because of what we have seen thus far," he looked back down at his tablet as he began to prepare the machine for use yet again. "Bring her."

Zallus sighed in acquiescence and took the other back t the cell. When he arrived he saw that the woman was ready and waiting for him, aware that she was to be next. As he lowered the shield and put the already tested away and motioned for her to come to him, Valloran moved forwards and blocked her path. Frowning, Zallus was about to say something when he heard the wraith speak; the tone in his voice one that the Lantean had never heard before.

Having been made aware of the manner in which their stories were being checked when Mitchell had been returned to their cell, Todd looked down on Katherine and offered her a warning that he had not offered to any of the others. "Guard your thoughts," he said to her, locking his eyes with hers. "Hide away that which you do not want to be seen."

Kate glared at him, scowling. "Thanks for the warning."

Todd caught her arm, his fingers pressing against the fabric of her uniform so that he might feel the warmth of her skin beneath. "Katherine," he beseeched her, calling her attention to him in seriousness. "I have been on the receiving end of this type of interrogation. Believe me when I say that there are certain memories that you do not want any other to see."

Kate stared at him, the pressure of his hand on her arm reminding her of the last time he had gripped her so tightly. She pushed the memory away and jerked herself from his grasp. "Are you worried for my sake or because there are some things in my mind that portray you badly?"

Todd hissed but was denied the opportunity to reply as Katherine swept past him and out of the cell.

Zallus looked to the wraith, a curious expression on his face. "You worry for her?"

Todd turned the full brunt of his golden gaze onto the Lantean. "See that you take nothing from her other then what is necessary to confirm the truth of her story."

Zallus' curiousness deepened; Valloran was not known for his compassion or for his care for others. "And if we take more?" he asked, interested to see what the wraith would offer in reply to the possibility.

Todd took a step towards the much shorter male and snarled down on him, lifting his lip so that his teeth became bared in evident threat. "I will see you suffer if she is harmed," he promised dangerously.

The tone of his voice was sterner and more terrifying then Zallus had ever heard it and the Lantean actually felt his body quake in fear at the deadly seriousness in Valloran's eyes. For whatever reason, the woman was important to him as the scientist knew that the wraith _would_ carry through with his treat to the fullest extent of his abilities if she was caused any pain. Nodding shakily as he did not trust his voice at the moment, Zallus took one last look at the once High Commander of wraith and then walked away, gesturing for the woman to walk before him as he led her through the tunnels and hallways up to the testing room.

As with the others, she was put into the chair and then connected to the system so that her memories could be viewed. When Zallus was finished securing her and went to join Portan he noticed that Arius had reappeared and was now standing off to the side apparently to watch.

Portan noticed his brother's gaze and provided him with an answer to his unasked question. "He believes that out of all of them she is the most likely to be dangerous."

Zallus could well guess why his brother thought this. "Because of Valloran?"

Portan nodded. "She looked to him for protection almost without thought. It is reasonable to assume that she and he share a connection if not that of worshiper and master then of something else."

Deciding not to inform his brother of what had happened in the cells while he had collected her, Zallus said nothing in reply and instead turned his eyes upwards to gaze at the viewing screen. In the same vein as the others before her, a random smattering of images began to whisk across the screen showing the same places and situations as those seen in the memories of the other two humans. There were, however, in her memory, more images of Atlantis then the other two and finally, after several more minutes, Portan decided that they had seen enough.

"I believe we can confirm that they were indeed telling the truth," he confided to Zallus as he turned from the woman and made towards the machine's main control interface only to stop and look questionably at Arius who was already positioned at the controls. "What are you doing?"

Arius ignored him and instead dialed up the frequency of the probe so as to push past her mental blocks. "She is hiding something," he offered by way of explanation as, in the chair, the woman twitched and then grunted in pain as the machine's intensity was scaled up.

Zallus panicked, Valloran's warning coming back to his mind as the woman thrashed about in the chair, fighting against the machine's attempts to delve deeper into her mind. "You must stop this," he implored his brother. "The wraith said he would seek retribution if she was harmed."

Arius sneered. "All the more reason to see what she is hiding."

Zallus snapped, lunging towards his brother and grabbing his arm in an attempt to stop him. Arius struggled and, before his little brother could pull his hand away, managed to turn the machine on to its fullest capacity. The woman screamed in suffering and the Lantean grinned as images, those that she had previous kept from them, began to appear on the screen.

Aside from Arius who seemed to take pleasure in what was now being seen, portan and Zallus could only stare. There was no order to the memories but with the increased potency of the process assailing her, there was now sound to go with the images where before there had been none. Wordlessly, the two brothers watched as a child, no doubt the woman when she was younger, was told by a man they assumed was her father, that she was to grow up and marry young. Another memory came to be of the same man telling her she was a disgrace for joining the military. Another and then another showed her being beaten and almost raped by several men twice if not three times her size during what the watching Lanteans took to be her basic military training. Several more appeared of her in various states of near death, another of a failed assault on her, and then another of her being shot several times by an unseen assailant.

Blood, pain, torture; that was what she had kept from them, nothing that was of a malicious nature such as Arius seemed to believe. Horrified with what this woman had lived through in her short life, Zallus turned to his brother and beseeched him to release her from her suffering.

"This proves nothing!" Zallus screamed at him, his eyes returning to the screen only to view yet another memory of hers where she was being beaten this time while she defended a child, offering her body to the attacker rather than to allow the beast to touch the young girl.

Portan was in arrogance with his brother but before he could also add to Zallus' plea that her torture be stopped, the images changed. She was now in a room with Valloran standing behind her and she asked him if he was going to eat her, when he replied in the negative she proceeded to show him something on a computer screen. That memory was replaced with another this one of her being held still whilst a wraith whipped her mercilessly; the sting of the whip biting into her skin and almost cleaving it from the bone. In the chair, the woman screamed in anguish as the pain she had suffered during her punishment was relived.

But Arius was not yet sated. He had seen but one memory of hers with Valloran in it and so he pushed still more. Another sequence of images appeared on the screen these of her being held down to a table while Valloran stood over her, his hand flat on her chest as he refused to feed. As those, like the others before faded, the brother's gasped as a memory of the woman and Valloran locked in embrace appeared and then vanished to be replaced by the two of them standing near each other as the wraith instructed her not to tell someone named Sheppard of their time together. The last image to play out for them before the woman lost consciousness was of her inflicting injury on the wraith by striking him with her knee before all went black.

Still reeling from what they had witnessed, Zallus turned to Arius and saw that his brother was no longer looking at the blank screen but at the unconscious woman. "Are you satisfied now that you have seen her suffer!" he inquired angrily, walking to her and releasing her from the restraints that held her in place. She collapsed forwards and he caught her, holding onto her as though he would a fragile child.

Portan turned to Arius. "You may go."

Arius glared at him. 'You are dismissing me?" he hissed darkly.

Portan growled at him. "After what you have done to her simply to satisfy your own bloodlust you should be lucky I do not turn to over to Valloran," he looked steadily at his brother. "Get out and be gone!"

Arius held his gaze for a moment longer before turning on his heel and stalking from the room, his back rigid and his head held arrogantly high. Portan turned back to Zallus who still cradled the woman.

"Take her back to confinement," he whispered, still shaken by what had been done to her during the course of her life. While it was true that she seemed to be intimate with the wraith Portan could not, unlike his brother, damn her for that fact and that fact alone.

Zallus nodded and picked her up, holding her gently and taking her away from the room as quickly as he could.

Kate woke to the feeling of being carried and, opening her eyes, realized that she was. Squirming, she managed to alert the Ancient's attention to the fact that she was awake and, as he stopped, she gestured for him to set her down.

"Are you alright?"

Kate groaned and put a hand to her head as she staggered away from him. Putting her hand out, she touched the wall and then brought herself to it, leaning back and sinking down so that she sat on the floor. "What happened?"

Zallus sighed. "Arius took your interrogation too far," he explained to her, not sure how else to tell her that her privacy had been violated.

Kate let loose another groan and then looked up, tilting her head back until it too rested on the wall behind her. "What was he looking for?" she asked.

The Ancient faltered. "Evidence," he told her and then, upon seeing that she would not be content with that, he added, "Evidence that you and V - the wraith are more then what you say."

Kate let out a hollow laugh. "Well he could have just asked."

Zallus sighed in relief, aware that if she could put up the front of humor then she was in no lasting pain. "Yes," he allowed. "He could have."

Kate chuckled a bit at her own joke before gingerly getting to her feet and looking around. Finally, she turned back to the Ancient. "So," she started, "What's here that is so important?"

Zallus took a deep breath. "The machine responsible for creating our greatest foe," he replied heavily, feeling damned because of his family's connection and history with it.

Kate frowned. "I assume you mean the wraith?" she asked, suddenly very curious because no matter how pissed off she was at Todd, the wraith still fascinated her. She had a feeling she was about to learn more about their creation then even they knew.

"Yes," Zallus nodded and then peered at her. "Are you certain you wish to know this?"

Kate inclined her head. "Yes, please."

Sighing, the scientist continued; humoring her curiosity because after what his brother had just put her through, he figured she was owed it. "Several hundred thousand years ago, when my kind first came to this galaxy we began to seed it with life -"

"Like you did back in the milky way," Kate interrupted him, turning pink in embarrassment when she realized that she had. "Sorry."

Zallus shook his head. "There is no need for you to apologize and yes, we have done the same before in your home galaxy," he paused for a moment to asses her and insure himself that she was recovering from her ordeal before he continued. "The race that became the wraith was no so very different than any other when first we began their civilization. An ancestor of mine wished to see if a longer life span would give normal humans the chance to develop into beings more like ourselves with higher brain function and so he created a machine that would alter the base DNA just enough to achieve this. He also added in the ability to heal, insuring that natural disease would not claim so many of his specimens thus increasing his base for observations."

Kate blinked at him. "What's this got to do with the wraith?" she asked, perplexed.

Zallus continued. "What my ancestor did not expect was for his machine to stop the aging process altogether. He was quite surprised to find that it had when he returned to the planet he had left his altered humans on sometime later, he was however pleased nonetheless with the results. As a result of his altercations and the cessation of aging, his humans had developed several higher brain functions including telepathy - the ability to communicate to one another without words.'

Kate nodded, beginning to get a sense for where this story was going. "Like the wraith."

Zallus inclined his head, pleased that she seemed able to understand the end that his tale would soon reach. "My ancestor was a great many things but he was not too terribly bright. When he placed his modified humans on the world they called home he did not take into consideration that with such an advantage, the normal balance of the planet's ecosystem would be able to support them. As their numbers grew and more and more natural habitation was cleared away to make room for the humans ever growing numbers, they inadvertently caused a reaction from one of the planet's indigenous life forms. This life form, an insect known as the iratus bug, swarmed and attacked those that had destroyed their homes. Most of the humans died but there were some that, instead of succumbing to the viral infection that was introduced to their bloodstreams by the gorging insects, mutated it to suit their own bodies. They survived and, as the generations passed, began to take on certain characteristics of the bugs that had bitten them."

Kate's eyes widened. "The wraith," she breathed.

Zallus nodded. "They were no threat to us at first but, over time, that changed. During the war, my brothers and I were charged with discovering a way to reverse the changes my ancestor had made to their base genetic structures so that we might put an end to them. So far, we have remained unsuccessful."

Kate looked him in the eye. "Good."

Zallus looked back at her, startled and confused. "How can you say this?" he asked of her. "Knowing what the wraith have done, what they continue to do, how can you -"

"Because you don't have the right to decide if they live or die anymore then they have the same right," Kate glared at him.

Zallus fell silent, thinking over her words carefully before posting a response. Since he had nothing to say that could adequately counter her rebuttal, he chose instead to simply sigh. "Come," he gestured for her to follow him. "I will return you to your companions."

Kate nodded and followed, her eyes seeking Cam as soon as she was led into the cell block.

Upon seeing Kate, Daniel, Mitchell and Todd the wraith all stepped forwards, al noticing at the same time the haggard expression on her face. "What happened?" he former teammates exclaimed at once.

Kate shook her head as she was let back into the cell and Zallus walked away, no doubt afraid Todd'd eat him if he stuck around. "Don't worry about it," she assured them, putting on a smile that not a single one of them fell for. "I'm fine."

Todd's eyes narrowed. "You are not fine," he said, his eyes going over her once.

Kate rounded on him. "Oh, like you care," she hissed at him, retreating to the back of the cell where she sat down next to Cam and leaned her head against his shoulder, drawing comfort from her former CO.

Todd stared at her, not sure how to convince her that, yes, he cared about her well being. Anything he said would be dismissed anyway, cast aside because of the damage he had done to her trust in him. Would that he could take it back, but he could not. Defeated, Todd retreated to the corner he had made his own and sank down into a crouch, his eyes still trained on Katherine if for no other reason than he wished to be certain she was whole and safe.

Across from the pensive looking wraith, Daniel observed the way in which the predator watched Kate and began to wonder if maybe, just maybe, her assumption about his reasons for requesting her silence was accurate. Maybe, just maybe what she had felt during her time with him wasn't so one sided after all.

~xXx~

The five of them were left alone for about an hour before the Ancients came back. None of them stood when the two 'nice' brothers walked into the cell block and they didn't so much as blink when they stopped in front of the cell and looked in on them.

"Finally decided if we're telling the truth or not?" Mitchell asked, still hugging Kate to his side as he had been for the past hour.

Portan nodded. "We have," he confirmed and motioned for Zallus to lower the shield that hummed in front of the prison. "We have also decided to give you that which you seek."

Mallock looked up as did Daniel. "Oh?" the archeologist asked, slightly surprised.

Zallus nodded. "Yes," he stood back so that they could all exit. When Valloran made to follow, however, he held up his hand and reinforced the shielding. "You must remain here," he informed the wraith.

Todd snarled at him but said nothing, returning to his corner and crouching back down; he would wait for them to return and then demand his release.

Turning to the others, Zallus began to go over the same explanation as he had given to the woman earlier as he and Portan led them up through the many levels towards the laboratory where the machine was housed.

Kate held back, still feeling slightly sluggish from her questioning. The memories that had been forcefully revealed were ones that she kept locked away in the back of her mind for a reason; they were the ones that defined her, made her, and she had not wanted to part from them. In that, Todd had been right and she cursed him for it.

"Lost?"

Kate creased her slow walk and turned quickly on the spot to face the voice that had called out to her. There, leaning benignly against a wall was Arius. Her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"

Arius smirked widely and sauntered towards her, his eyes raking her form suggestively. "You and the wraith share an…interesting history," he whispered, stopping when he was but several inches away from her. He could smell her and she was intoxicating, perhaps one of the many reason Valloran had seen fit to find exception in her.

Kate cringed and backed away from him, wary of the way in which he was looking at her. "I don't know what you mean," she countered, desperate to get away from this man. Her strength had not yet returned in full from her trial and she doubted very much her ability to protect herself is he was to attempt anything like what his eyes told her he might.

Arius grinned predatorily and reached forwards, grabbing the woman by the wrist and twisting it so that she could not pull away from him. "I can remember quite clearly the wraith preaching against the many uses that his brothers adopted for females like yourself during the war," he twisted her wrist still more and smiled when she let out a grunt of pain. He leaned in close to her and ran his tongue down her neck, tasting her. "I should like very much to discover why he finds exception in you."

Kate's blood ran cold in terror.

~xXx~

Something was wrong. Standing from his meditative crouch Todd looked around the empty cell and closed his eyes, reaching out with his extra senses to try and find the source of the malcontent that clung to the air. He snarled in frustration when he failed to pick up on anything that might explain to him why his instincts were swirling with the warnings of danger.

"You can sense it."

Todd turned quickly around, looking about wildly for the owner of the voice but found nothing. He was alone in the cell and there was no other living being near. His eyes narrowed; he could sense someone watching him but he could not see them. "Show yourself," he demanded, speaking out into the cell block and expecting an answer.

He was given one. As his voice echoed throughout the empty jail a light suddenly materialized and began to grow. Todd blinked and shielded his eyes, opening them when he was sure that he wouldn't be blinded. What he saw startled him.

"Ganos."

The ascended woman smiled gently. "Hello Valloran."

Todd walked to the forefront of the cell and peered out at the former Lantean that now stood before him pulsing with energy, her form not quite corporeal. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" he questioned, tilting his head to one side as he gazed at her.

Ganos Lal steadied her bright eyes on the dark being caged before her. "I am here to help," she informed him.

Todd snorted. "I doubt that," he studied her. "Whatever help you have to give is indirect and oft times useless.

A tangible smile spread across her lips at his words and she inclined her head towards him gently. "You have been speaking to Katherine."

The expression on the wraith's face changed instantly at the mention of Katherine Sheppard. "You are…familiar with her?" he questioned the ascended Lantean, admittedly curious; he had thought that those who were ascended didn't bother to check on those who weren't. How did she know of his Katherine?

"I am," she answered him, a peculiar look in her eye. "She is not yours."

Todd's head reared back in alarm. "You are monitoring my thoughts?" he hissed angrily, not pleased to be on the receiving end of such mental probes.

Again, she nodded before, instantly, her eyes sobered. "You must hurry," she said cryptically, lifting a hand and releasing the energy that held the wraith in place. He stepped out of the cell and looked to her quizzically and in such a way that she considered giving him an explanation. "Under normal circumstances we would not interfere but -"

"Because the perpetrators are Lantean like you, you and yours have decided to make an exception?" Todd quipped, one brow ridge raised.

Ganos inclined her head. "Yes. It falls under our responsibility to monitor those of us that remain in your plane. "

Todd understood. "And should they seek to do harm -"

"Then we do what is necessary to prevent them from doing such," she concluded, regarding the wraith whom, above all others, she had respected while she had been alive. "You must hurry," she said, repeating her warning and doubling the urgency in her tone.

Todd eyed her skeptically. "And why must I do as you command?" he questioned, in no mood to take commands even if they did come from an almost godlike being.

"You must be quick," she directed him, giving up the only other piece of information she could. "Arius means to harm her."

Katherine. Todd's eyes turned to stone and he looked at her darkly. "Where is she?"

"I cannot help you beyond that which I have already done," she explained, lifting into the air and turning back into a spherical ball of light. "Run."

Having never before taken an order from a Lantean or from anyone else for that matter, Todd did as he was told and took off in a dead sprint. Coming out of the cell block he tried again to reach out with his senses and this time was able to ascertain a certain degree of tangible fear in the air. Turning right down a corridor the wraith quickened his stride before breaking out into a full fledged run as he neared Katherine's position and could see her in his mind's eyes struggling against the man who held her.

Rage filed him, pushing him faster. Rounding another corner he slowed when he heard Katherine's voice. "Let go of me!" her terror could be heard in every sailable and Todd's anger multiplied tenfold. "Please, let -"

"You didn't argue so much when he was on top of you," Todd heard Arius snarl and then grunt loudly before hearing Katherine let out a cry of pain. "You were willing for him."

Katherine's voice dissolved into horrified whimpering after that and Todd edged closer, finally peering around a corner and espying the both of them through the Lanteans open bedchamber door. The sight stopped Todd's heart cold and made his blood boil with fury. Arius had Katherine pinned to his bed and was fighting her, already having managed to get her partially out of her uniform. There was no doubt as to what he was trying to do and seeing that as his end goal made Todd react quickly and violently.

Stepping forwards he snarled loudly which caused the Lantean to look up, his eyes widening when he saw the menacing figure framed in his doorway.

"You," Arius breathed, tired from the effort of restraining the woman. "How did you escape?"

"I had help," Todd hissed coldly, coming still closer; his eyes never leaving the flushed face of his enemy.

Arius sneered and got up, leaving the woman lying prone on his bed and commanding her with a look to remain there before turning his eyes to Valloran. "What sort of help?" he demanded knowing that neither of his brothers would have released the wraith from his cell.

Todd's already narrowed eyes turned to slits. "It hardly matters," he growled, stepping over the threshold of the Lantean's quarters and clenching his fists tightly. "Release her."

Arius looked down on his hard won prize, reaching forwards and tangling a hand in her hair, using it to haul her towards him. She screamed and clawed at his hand but was pulled off his bed where her knees hit the floor and she released another exclamation of hurt. "And why would I do that?" he asked the now pacing wraith who was moving agitatedly back and forth in front of him, clenching and unclenching his fists angrily.

Todd stopped moving. "Because I will kill you if you do not."

Arius was nonplused. "Is she so valuable to you?" he taunted the former High Commander of wraith, twisting his hand tighter into the woman's hair and smiling when she let out a pained hiss; his fingernails digging into her scalp and drawing blood. He looked steadily into Valloran's reddened eyes. "Surely you got your use out of her."

Knowing what method of interrogation had been used on the humans in order to verify their information, Todd snarled angrily at the Lantean's interpretation of whatever memories he had take from Katherine that had had him in them. He could well guess what he had seen that would make him assume that they had copulated and it angered him that Arius would assume that after having taken that from Katherine he would have no farther use for her.

"The act you allude to was begun but not completed," Todd informed him wanting very badly to look down at Katherine, to reassure her that he would get her out of this. He did not, however, lower his eyes from Arius'.

The Ancient sneered. "But you tried. You whom used to preach to the wraith during the war about your disdain for human females and the practices that involved them. You found exception in her," he shook the woman he held and was rewarded by another cry of pain. "I simply wanted to see what about her made you break your own rule."

Todd hissed. "You are not capable of seeing the qualities within Katherine that attract me!"

Held tightly in Arius' grip and half delirious with pain, Kate heard Todd speaking and found herself gasping out loud at his words. The sound was mistaken for pain and Arius jerked her head upwards which only made her inch closer to unconsciousness. She fought it; she wanted to hear what Todd had to say.

The Lantean scowled. "And what qualities are those?" he questioned. "She's attractive enough, her attributes leave a bit to be desired but overall -"

"It is not her physical beauty that enthralls me," Todd snapped interrupting Arius and causing him to look quizzically back at him.

"Then what?"

Todd sighed. The situation being what it was, now was not the time to worry about how much Katherine did or did not hear; they could speak of this later when she was safe and away from the one that held her. "Her mind," Todd answered giving the first of Katherine's attributes that had called his attention to her before moving on to another. "Her combat skill, her ability, both are comparable to a wraith's, both enticed me to know more of her."

Arius's eyes narrowed. "Is that all?"

"No," Todd replied continuing his list. "Her spirit, her strength and yes her physical beauty all allow me to find exception in her where I find none in other female humans," he looked at the Lantean and snarled. "You do not deserve her."

Arius scoffed, throwing the woman to the ground and walking over her so that he might face the wraith more squarely. "And you do?"

Todd didn't look away but instead replied firmly. "I do not," as he said it he swore he saw Katherine lift her head up and look at him. "I am wraith, she is human, she deserves better than me and whatever I could give her."

This avowal coming from the great Valloran made Arius momentarily stop and consider the possibility that he had miscalculated exactly what the girl meant to the warrior standing so menacingly before him. As former High Commander of the wraith, nothing was beyond Valloran except what he deemed himself unworthy of and if Arius had heard right the wraith considered the woman to be just that; above him. It did not make any sense. She was human,_ human_, expendable and easily replaced. Even to his fellow Lanteans a human was less then themselves which was why they were used primarily for study. It had been the Lanteans that had taught this superiority over common humans to the wraith and yet here was perhaps the fiercest, most dangerous, most powerful wraith to have ever lived telling him that a human, a female human, was beyond his reach.

Todd could tell that his words had severely confused the Lantean but they were the truth. Katherine deserved more than whatever intimacy could exist between them while they both upheld their responsibilities to their respective peoples. A relationship such as that would have to remain forever in shadow and would consist of hurried copulations in whatever time they could find together while not under Sheppard's watchful eye. Katherine would have to repeatedly lie to her brother and to her friends as would he and while Todd felt no compunction whatsoever in lying to Sheppard he did not wish to for Katherine to have to find it necessary to choose between continued interludes with him and her loyalty to those for whom she cared.

He would not ask that of her. Katherine deserved a mate, a true mate, one whom she did not have to hide, one of whom Sheppard would approve of as he knew that her brother's opinion was of great importance to her. He could not be that for her and while it was true that Todd would do anything, would break, bend or completely obliterate any rule that stood between them if it meant a chance to achieve such a level of intimacy with her, the repercussions of those actions could very well cost Katherine everything she held dear. Todd would rather never have her, never touch her again and forever remain in constant agony due to his desire for her then to take from her that which she coveted; the love of her brother and friends.

It was accurate enough to say that he was undeserving of her and, as he held steadily the gaze of the baffled Lantean, Valloran knew without a shadow of a doubt that the statement was wholly and completely true.

Taking one last look at Arius, Todd moved past him and finally allowed his eyes to meet the storm grey orbs that were Katherine's. She was still on the floor, exactly where Arius had dropped her, bloodied and bleeding from the beating that Arius had given her in order to force her to submit, her eyes locked to his. Slowly Todd neared her and then stopped, directly over her, holding out a hand to her so that he might pull her to her feet. She took it, the touch of her skin to his causing his temperature to rise just slightly as he helped her to rise; tugging her closer to him so that he might examine her.

"Katherine, look at me," he commanded her and tilted his head just slightly so that he might catch her eyes once more. Their gaze met and held. "You will recover?"

Kate nodded. "Yes," she whispered brokenly, still shaken by all had happened in the past hour.

Todd pulled her in close and held her, giving her the comfort that he knew she required after having faced such an ordeal. A low rumble began in his chest and crept upwards, soothing her with its soft vibrations while Arius looked on completely at a loss. Todd remained in this pose for a few minutes longer until he was certain that Katherine would indeed be well before pulling away and looking down on her.

"Come," he began to lead her from the room, past the still confused Lantean and back towards the cell.

Kate went willingly and was glad when she was at last out of that room and away from Arius. Allowing Todd to lead her, his feeding hand at the small of her back while the other held tightly but not painfully to her arm, she walked back with him to the cell block and was immediately met by the worried shouts of Daniel and Cam as soon as they saw her.

"Kate!"

Their shouts startled her and made her shy away and press into Todd's side, turning her head away and leaning her forehead against the wraith's shoulder.

Mitchell stopped short when he saw Kate go to the wraith for protection. Looking up at the alien, the colonel's eyes narrowed. "What the hell happened?" he demanded, looking over Kate and noting the blood running down her cheeks from above her hairline well as the various other scratches and bruises that marred her skin. His eyes widened as he took the sight of her in and realized that her nano suit had been unzipped all the way to nearly her naval.

Todd supplied an answer for the human. "Arius."

Both Portan and Zallus' eyes flashed wide whilst their mouths dropped open. "You lie," Portan accused. His brother would never do such a thing to an innocent woman Valloran, however, might.

Todd snarled but was saved the task of answering by the same voice that had warned him of Katherine's impending danger.

"You should not doubt him," sang the disembodied voice of Ganos Lal as she appeared once more in the cell block of the Lantean lab. All eyes turned to her.

"Morgan le Fey."

She turned towards the formerly ascended human and nodded in greeting. "Daniel Jackson," before turning back to those who, like her, had once lived in Atlantis. "He speaks truth, Arius is responsible for Katherine's injures."

Faced with such a truth Portan and Zallus could only nod mutely; both knew better then to argue with this woman whether she was ascended or not. Her presence meant that what Valloran said was most likely true; their ascended brethren only ever interfered when a fellow Lantean who was not ascended threatened to go too far. The collective felt it was their duty to do such things and, if Ganos was here - aiding Valloran of all beings - then it was safe to say that Arius had almost done or tried to do something very grave indeed.

Ganos turned her gaze towards Valloran. "You did well."

Todd said nothing and instead attempted to coax Katherine away from him. While he did not mind comforting her - in fact he relished it for it provided him an opportunity to touch her - he could no longer ignore the looks that he was receiving from her human friends. Both males looked quite ready to shoot him.

Kate moved away from Todd at his insistence and was immediately grabbed by Mitchell who shoved her behind him and turned an angry eye on Todd the wraith. "Thanks," he said in a voice that didn't sound grateful at all. It earned him a glare from the alien that would've made Ba'al cringe. Mitchell managed not to, however and turned towards the two brothers. "Got a medical bay?"

Portan nodded and gestured for the man and woman to follow him. They did and soon the only persons left in the cell block were Todd, Daniel, Zallus and Morgan. The ascended Ancient quickly vanished and Zallus followed after his brother so that Daniel and Todd were alone.

The archeologist turned to the wraith. "You care about her," he commented having seen enough now to know that what had happened between this alien and Kate wasn't as one sided as she'd thought.

Todd nodded knowing that it was a pointless fact to try and deny any longer. "I do."

Daniel crossed his arms and studied the wraith. "Kate doesn't think so."

Todd growled softly, regretful that he had not taken the time to explain his standing to Katherine more thoroughly when last they had parted. Perhaps if he had then this would never have happened. "I am aware," he lamented.

The tone of voice implemented by the wraith afforded Daniel the knowledge that the alien regretted that fact and thus the many times ascended Dr. Daniel Jackson decided to cut Todd a break. "You know, she forgot it was a game," he began and watched as that one simple sentence completely changed the wraith's demeanor.

"What?" Todd asked, confused and not at all certain that he knew what the human was talking about although he hoped he did. If the male was referencing Katherine's time with him and telling him that she had forgotten that their interactions were nothing but pretense, then perhaps it meant that her reactions to him had been instinctual and not forced.

Daniel continued. "Kate. She forgot that you and she were supposed to be pretending."

Under normal circumstances it might have occurred to Todd to inquire as to how the human standing in front of his had received such knowledge but, as of this particular moment in the time space continuum, Todd did not care. All that mattered to him was that he was being told that maybe, just maybe, he had not so grossly miscalculated Katherine's behaviors towards him in the last days of their imprisonment.

"Her responses to me -" Todd began but could not finish, afraid that the human would amend his statement and inform him that it had meant something else other then what Todd desperately wanted it to mean.

"Were natural," Daniel finished for him, drawing on the fact that Todd seemed almost reluctant to say it in the case that it might not be true. "She responded to you because she wanted to," he looked at the alien whose face was now wearing an expression that Daniel never thought he'd see on a wraith; genuine pleasure.

It vanished quickly. "If that is so then explain her anger towards me when first we met?" Todd queried, not quite ready to believe that Katherine had indeed wanted him as much as he had wanted her. As much as he longed for it to be so he did not see it as being a probable possibility.

Daniel sighed. "She wasn't so much mad at you as mad at herself," he explained, watching the wraith closely.

Todd frowned. "For what reason would Katherine be displeased with herself?"

"For acting the way she did towards you," came Daniel's answer. Kate hadn't necessarily told him this but he knew her well enough to know that this would have been the rot of her problem.

Todd's eye ridges both rose at the same time, confusion washing over him. "I do not understand."

Daniel took a deep breath. "Kate let her heart get involved," he looked squarely at the wraith whose eyes had gone wide as he'd talked.

Todd's eyes closed at the confession and he allowed his mind to travel back to the memories he had of Katherine and he together, engaged in acts that he now knew were pleasurable for the both of them. She had wanted him, desired him as he had her and in the wake of such knowledge Todd felt his lust for her stir once more this time more forcefully then ever it had before. Opening his eyes he looked at the human that was friend to Katherine and nodded once in gratitude before turning away to stare at the wall and think.

Daniel observed Todd for a few moments more before turning and walking away, following the path that the others had taken and travelling to the infirmary to check on Kate.

~xXx~

After securing the machine they'd come to get in the jumper, Portan and Zallus stayed to help Daniel make the gate ship flight ready so that they could go home. While her old teammates and Mallock the tok'ra worked on that and talked amicably with both Ancients, a sufficiently healed Kate walked with Todd back down the mountains to the village.

They walked in silence neither saying a word and their footsteps echoing in the hills around them. When they finally reached the outskirts of the worshipers village they were greeted by several wraith and one or two of the head worshipers who took one look at Kate and made towards her. Todd stopped them with a snarl and dismissed both them and his sub commanders claiming to need to speak with her about something. When they were alone, he turned to her.

"Katherine…" the wraith struggled with what he had to say and sighed heavily when the words would not come. He forced them and after a few moments of awkwardness spoke candidly. "We must speak."

Kate nodded. "Yeah, I know."

Silence stretched on between them once more until finally Todd took the initiative. "I am sorry."

Kate's head snapped up and she looked at him, her eyes flashing to his golden gaze and holding. "For what?"

Todd let go a sigh through his nose. "For forcing you -"

"You didn't," Kate interrupted hurriedly no longer angry at him for any reason and much afraid that he believed that his behavior had somehow been similar to Arius'. "I responded to you."

"Yes," Todd confirmed before reaching out and touching Katherine's cheek with his feeding hand. "Katherine," he began soberly, his eyes imploring hers, needing to hear _her_ state her reasons for while he had no reason to doubt Dr. Jackson, he longed to hear from Katherine's own mouth that she had desired him."Why did you not stop me?"

Kate bowed her head and looked away from him. "Because I wanted it too," she confessed, her voice soft and only barely audible.

Todd inhaled sharply and moved his hand at her cheek so that he could lift her chin up, his eyes burning heatedly into hers. He gazed down upon her for several moments more before dropping his hand from her face and letting it fall back to his side. "We cannot continue," he whispered gently, uttering the hardest words he had had to say in all his long life. "We must control it."

Kate felt tears well up behind her eyes and threaten to fall. "Why?"

Todd took a step back from her. "You deserve more, Katherine, then what I could give you. An affair between us would hurt you and those for whom you care. I would bring you pleasure for a time but, in the end, you would have to choose between your own kind and a place by my side. I will not ask this of you."

His reason was not the one she'd expected and Kate found herself bowing to his logic if only very reluctantly. He was right, of course, if she and Todd were to take that step then it would have to be done carefully and would have to stay a secret. She'd already lived a double life once and was in no hurry to do it again. It was pointless to want him and he was right, they'd be happy for a time until the novelty of it wore off and then there'd be hell to pay.

When Katherine remained unresponsive, Todd sought to catch her gaze once more. "This is acceptable to you?" he inquired, desperate to have this over with so that he and she might be on amicable terms once more. He longed to have her amity returned to him.

Kate looked at him and nodded once. "Just friends then," she forced the words out of her mouth and found that they tasted bitter and sour. She would have to work very hard to bury her desire for him and be happy with what was possible and probable. Impossibilities such as having Todd the wraith as her lover were best left to her dreams.

Todd inclined his head already beginning the process of wrapping his longing for her under layers of logic and reason and burring the whole of it deep inside of him. He could not afford for it to break out and resurface again or else he would likely do something stupid as he had already done on the day that they had been relieved of their imprisonment. Such a relapse as that would lose her forever and Todd did not wish to contemplate life without Katherine in it in some way.

The repaired jumper flew over their heads and circled back around for a landing. Todd bowed to Katherine in farewell and walked away, forcing his steps to take him away from her and the temptation she presented.

"You okay Kate?" Mitchell asked as Kate boarded the jumper and closed the hatch, sitting down in the back across from Daniel.

She nodded. "Yeah."

Daniel eyed her. "You sure?"

Kate looked up at him. "I am," she answered confidently. "So," she started, looking over the machine that the Ancients had given them. "You took notes right? You'll know how to put this thing back together once you get it back to the SGC?"

From the pilot's seat Mitchell snorted. "Oh yeah, took lots of notes," he glanced backwards at Daniel. "Didn't ya?"

Daniel glared at him.

Kate laughed. "You wrote a novel didn't you?"

The archeologist turned on her. "I'll have you know…"

Kate smiled as she listened to her friend talk about the device they'd won and realized that everything was going to be alright.


	18. Bloodline

**A/N: **Here you go my peeps, another delicious chapter for you all to enjoy. And remember, that little button at the bottom makes my day, so click it and make me happy. Cheers!

* * *

**Episode XVIII: Bloodline**

"But what if -"

"That is not the principal purpose of this device. It's primary function -"

"Oh like you would know, you've probably never seen anything like this in your life."

"You do realize, McKay, that my life is exponentially longer than yours and that there is very little that I have not -"

"Seen. Yes, we know, you remind us constantly."

"As you continuously remind us off of your superior intelligence."

"He's got a point Dr. McKay."

"Shut up Riley, nobody asked you."

"Well you do. Getting mad at Todd for essentially doing the same thing you do -"

"It is not the same. He and I are nothing alike."

"You are too, the only difference is he's been around for like forever so he's aloud to have an ego the size of Texas. You on the other hand -"

"He hasn't been around _that_ long."

"I am roughly seventy-eight thousand years old, I believe it can be said that I have indeed been around 'that' long."

"What do you mean you're 'roughly' seventy-eight thousand years old? Don't you even know how old you actually -"

"I believe that, given the extent of my age, I am aloud to guess as the individual years and centuries hardly matter anymore."

"He's got a -"

"Shut up Riley! Go dig something up."

"Hey, you're the one who came over here with the wraith and interrupted my excavations so don't go tell me to 'dig something up'. I'll have you know that you're standing on some very important -"

"THE NEXT PERSON TO TALK GETS SHOT I SWEAR TO GOD!"

As one Rodney, Dr. Riley and Todd the wraith fell silent and turned to look at the irritated Colonel Sheppard who stood not far away, arms crossed, wearing an expression on his face that let all three of them know that he was dead serious and he would, literally, shoot the next one of them to make the mistake of speaking.

"Now," the annoyed military leader of Atlantis said patronizingly. "Why don't Todd and Rodney leave Dr. Riley alone so that he can get back to doing what he was doing before you two interrupted him?"

The wraith and the physicist grumbled and moved away. Dr. Riley turned to Sheppard.

"Thank you Colonel, I -"

"I didn't say you could talk yet!"

The slightly grey and balding Dr. Hubert Riley closed his mouth with a snap and took to looking at the ground.

John focused his attention on Rodney and Todd. "Now, the both of you come with me."

Rodney opened his mouth. "Where're -"

John held up a finger and made a noise of warning which had the desired effect in that it cut Rodney off mid sentence. Nodding once silence had been once more obtained, the colonel turned on his heel while beckoning for Todd and McKay to follow, which they did, and left Dr. Riley to his work. Once they were far enough away from the archeologist and head of the history and cultural departments in Atlantis, John stopped and turned around to face the two of them.

"Why is it," he began, annoyance clearly evident in his voice, "…that after all the time you two have spent together in the past five years, you still can't manage to go three minutes without arguing with one another?"

Rodney had the good grace to look chastened. Todd didn't, in fact, the wraith lifted his head up haughtily and had the gull to look slightly smug. John glared at him.

"Something you'd like to say?" he asked the wraith.

Todd sniffed. "I would like to point out that if Dr. McKay would simply concede to the fact that I am more aware of the universe and it's many mysteries then is he, the great majority of our arguments would never take place."

John rolled his eyes. "Yes, we know that you're smarter than Rodney -"

"He is not!" the miffed scientist argued.

John rounded on him. "Yes he is and you know it, everyone knows it. He's got more years on you then either of us care to count and he's been around longer then you. Just let your ego rest for a minute and accept it; you'll save me the headache of always having to play referee between you two!"

"Nobody said you had to stop us," Rodney countered. "You could just as easily leave us alone -"

"What and have you kill each other?" John snorted. "As nice as that sounds right now I'd rather not have to explain to your wife why he ate you and why you probably deserved it."

Rodney grumbled.

"I would never consume Dr. McKay," Todd commented dryly and both humans turned to look at him. "He would, more likely than not, give me indigestion."

John shorted; Rodney looked affronted.

"Hey, I will have you know that I am very eatable thank you very -"

"Do you have any idea what you just said or are you just arguing for the sake of arguing?" John interrupted the physicist, glaring reproachfully at him.

Rodney blanched. "Oh, ah, what I mean is….oh crap."

Todd huffed. "Indeed. But even after so gallant a proclamation, I still would not taint my body with your essence."

"Don't even think about it!" John yelled loudly before Rodney's mouth could go off on a tangent again and argue that he would, in fact, make a good meal for Todd. The colonel glared at the both of them. "Now, I'm going to go meet up with the new recruits the Daedalus is shuttling in. If I hear anything, anything, about you two arguing while I'm gone so help me I will have my sister beat both of you senseless. Understood?"

Rodney nodded meekly and shuffled off to his work station leaving Todd behind. The wraith eyed the colonel.

John sighed. "Yes?"

Todd tilted his head to one side. "Your sister is among those slated to arrive soon?"

John resisted the urge to ask the wraith why he cared so much and possibly shoot him; he was still mildly miffed about him kissing Kate while they'd been on that planet. "She is," he told him. "Her and Lorne and Cadman and about twenty other people all of which are new and all of which you will be nice to."

Todd scowled. "I am not 'nice' to anybody."

"Yeah, really," John muttered before adding, "You seem to be mostly civil to my sister so try and reproduce that with these new marines and doctors and historians and such; they'll be skittish as hell the moment they see you."

Todd smirked. "Alarming am I?"

John glared at him. "You know very well you're about the scariest mother fucking thing to walk and talk so don't give me that," he took a deep breath. "Just, go to your tent and catalogue stuff until I get back," and with that he turned and walked away.

Todd chuckled and turned his steps towards his work station as Sheppard had told him to. He so enjoyed annoying the human as it was an easy enough thing to do and it always brought him great amounts of pleasure. Almost as much pleasure as seeing Katherine again would bring him. Sighing, the wraith quickened his stride and quickly made it to the rim of the basin in which sat the ruins of the city he was helping Atlantis to excavate. He had been visiting the city in order to confer with Jennifer McKay on a side effect of the gene therapy that he had been experiencing recently. It was nothing serious, just his immune system adapting to the changes his body was making. This, apparently, made it crease to function as proficiently as it normally would and, according to Jennifer, he had a cold. It was mild she had said which had led to an explanation of what, exactly a cold was and Jennifer was still explaining things to him when Woolsey had come to her and requested that she assemble a team together to travel to this distant world where the ruins of a semi-evolved civilization had been found. Todd, after some convincing, had been asked to accompany them and so now he was here, among more of Atlantis' personal then he had ever interacted with before at any given time, heading the project along side Dr. McKay and Dr. Riley

It was going well all things considered and he did not spend so much time arguing pointlessly with McKay as Sheppard would believe, only, it seemed, when the colonel was around did they tend to disagree so heatedly. He would be quite pleased to meet those new personnel members that would be arriving soon if only because there was bound to be at least one of them that would be of more help to him than those that were already here and more likely to listen to him rather than to dismiss the majority of what he said the moment he said it. Long time exposure to the humans of Atlantis had led the greater portion of them to develop the assumption that all of his knowledge had already been given to them and that he now had nothing more to offer other then the occasional assistance with a wraith related issue. Only Katherine still listened to him as intently as she had at the very beginning of their acquaintance.

Katherine.

Todd stood a moment on the lip of the bowl that held the lost and forgotten city that was crumbling and decaying and thought of the women that had so often made an appearance in his thoughts as of late. The last time he had seen her a great many things had happened not least of which had been the decision made upon what to do with their progressing relationship. It had been decided by him, and agreed upon by her, that nothing _could_ be done to change their rapport from that of plutonic amity to something of a more serious and intimate nature, that did not mean, however, that his desire for her had waned. To the contrary, he had thought of her more since departing from her after agreeing to keep a respectable distance between them then he had in the whole rest of their knowing of each other. She appeared to him in his mind's eye at almost every waking hour and then again when he closed his eyes to sleep. She was in the fore and background of his thoughts with a consistency that bordered on obsession and Todd saw no reason to cleanse himself of it, not that he could have it he had bothered to try.

Katherine had become something to him, something that he could not define with any sort of agreeable clarity. What he did know was that, as time passed, her importance to him grew and strengthened evermore until it bound him to her in such a way as he could, again, not entirely describe. He knew that she was of great value to him, the only other single person in his life that took precedence over her was his eldest son who was the only being in all of existence to have a secure place within his heart that could not be questioned by anyone. Even his affection for his siblings was measured and could be retracted if the need arose, the only brother he had ever been close to was dead and the one that still lived was an annoyance the grand majority of the time. Together, Caavin and Katherine were the only two individuals whom he would be willing to die for.

The knowledge scared him. That he would willingly trade is life for that of his son's was not new; he had been more than willing to make that sacrifice the very moment his tiny, newborn son, abandoned by his motem, had been placed into his arms. That he would die for Katherine so that _she_ could live, that development was somewhat more recent and therefore startling. It spoke volumes about what she had come to mean for him and Todd was ready, if not entirely willing, to admit that the human woman, sister to John Sheppard, had managed to do what no other female before her had ever done before.

Touch his heart.

That was not to say that he loved her as love, at least as defined by humans, was a fairly fickle thing that could wax and wane in time, growing and dying at nothing more than a whim. No, Todd did not love her but he did have an ever growing amount of affection for her that was unquantifiable and therefore indefinable. He would never love her, as humans do, but the wraith was now aware of the distinct possibility of eventually coming to care for her as much as he was able to which, he supposed, might be considered a type of love, if he was not careful.

And he was not, currently, being careful at all.

Sighing deeply, the wraith turned form his contemplation of Katherine and the ruins laid out at his feet and made his way down into the valley, heading towards his work tent and some much needed study.

~xXx~

"Are you feeling alright?"

Kate looked up and frowned, seeing Cadman standing over her with a concerned expression on her face. She sighed. "No, not really."

Cadman eyed her and sat down across from her, putting her tray down and picking up her fork. "Want to talk about it?"

Kate shook her head. "Not really."

At the moment, the two women were in the mess hall of the Daedalus on their way to join the majority of Atlantis who was excavating the ruins of a city that one of their recon teams had discovered a few days prior. Lorne was busy briefing the new troops most of which were fresh out of basic - the SGC had started recruiting younger and younger - and Dr. Zelenka was off doing the same thing with the science teams that were all just out of grad school or something like that; Carson was dealing with the new batch of medical doctors. This left Kate to her own devices and, given her mood as of late, had led to her sulking around the mess hall since they'd left Atlantis. Laura, who was worried for her friend, had come to find her and make sure she was alright which was something the super solider was very clearly not.

"You sure?" the captain asked her fellow marine. "You look…terrible."

Kate scowled. "Gee, thanks."

Cadman shook her head. "I'm serious Kate," she said, the tone in her voice reflecting the sincerity of her words. "I'm worried about you."

Kate folded her arms on the table and leaned forwards. "You really want to know?" she asked, verifying that Cadman was offering to listen to her spill her guts.

The captain nodded.

Kate took a deep breath. "Todd," she said hollowly.

Normally it would take a lot more than one word to tell a person what was wrong with you but the name of Atlantis' wraith ally was more than enough of an explanation for the strawberry blonde. "What about him?" she asked, settling in and preparing to be as supportive and objective as she could. When it came to Todd, Kate needed all the advice she could get mostly because she tended to over think things. Wraith or not, Todd was still male and males - whatever their origin - were really not all that complicated.

Kate looked down at her tray and her half eaten food. "We talked," she said quietly, the conversation she and he had had the last time they'd seen each other replaying it's self over and over in her head as it had been for the past two weeks.

Cadman raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she questioned, surprised by the admission. "About what happened?"

There was no need to elaborate because they both knew perfectly well what Kate was referring to. "Yeah," she muttered, "About what happened."

"And?" Cadman pressed knowing that her friend must really need to talk about it if it was eating herself up this bad.

Kate sighed. "And we decided to be just friends."

Cadman very early spit out her food. "You what!" she cried, at a complete loss. "You, how, are you crazy!"

Kate shot her an annoyed look. "What else could we do?" she demanded, hurt that her friend would be so upset by her choice; it didn't register to her at the moment that it hadn't really been her choice at all but rather Todd's.

Cadman looked at Kate like she'd grown a second head. "Well for starters you could have gotten rid of some of the tension between you two and -"

"And what?" Kate interrupted. "Slept together? Yeah, that would've ended well."

Cadman snorted. "It would've made you happy, it would've _him_ happy too. Maybe then you wouldn't be so…moppy."

Kate scowled. "Yeah, maybe it would've but then where would we be?"

"Together," her friend stated as if it were obvious, which it was; painfully so.

Kate crossed her arms. "Yeah right, even if I was more than a one night stand with Todd I really don't see the two of us dating. It just wouldn't work."

"So make it work," Cadman argued. "What'd be so hard -"

"John would kill him!"

Cadman waved of her friend's worry. "It wouldn't be that hard to keep a secret from the colonel, your brother's not that observant."

Kate snickered. "He's more observant then you think."

"Not about people stuff, emotions and feeling and all that garbage. When it comes to matters of the heart, the colonel is just as clueless as McKay," she informed Kate stubbornly. "You can't just give up on -"

"And what, exactly, am I supposed to be giving up on?" Kate wanted to know. "It's not like he's in love with me or me with him."

"Yet," Cadman argued obstinately.

"He'll never love me!"

"You don't know that, didn't you say that the wraith have some sort of marriage thingy or something like that. People who aren't capable of love don't get married and if other wraith -"

Kate rolled her eyes. "But Todd's not most wraith."

"Exactly!" Cadman exclaimed. "So what's to say he can't love you eventually?"

"Because it'd be a bad idea!"

"Yeah, how?"

Kate hesitated and tried to find something to say because right now she was just as much trying to convince Cadman that it was a bad idea was she was trying to also convince herself. "It just would be. We're too different, there's our jobs to consider and then there's the fact that if we did anything we'd have to keep it a secret -"

"Like I said, your brother's not that observant."

"From everybody," Kate wailed desperately. "We couldn't tell anybody! We'd have to stick to little touches when we could find time and quickies in the jumper bay where there are no cameras. I could never hold his hand in the mess hall or ask him to come home with me or even kiss him where anyone could see. It would be…it just wouldn't work!"

Cadman gave her a hard, poignant stare. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

Kate growled and threw up her hands, dropping her head down to the table and taking a huge, deep, sigh. "I don't know."

Cadman felt sorry for her. "Because, if you're trying to convince me I say that I know at least half a dozen people if not more that'd go out of their way to make it work for you two, myself included."

Kate looked up. "Really?"

The captain nodded vigorously. "Oh yes. Me and about half the city have been watching you two circle and dance around each other since you met and, quite frankly, it's giving us all a headache. Just get together already and get it over with; we'll make sure your brother and Woolsey are none the wiser."

Kate felt hope flare up inside of her for one brief, tangible moment before it sputtered and died a horrible death. "It still wouldn't work," she said sadly.

Cadman blinked at her. "Why not?"

Kate sniffled. "Because it was his idea to just be friends. He's the one that said it couldn't work; he doesn't want me."

Cadman looked up at the ceiling and damned the wraith straight to hell for being an absolute idiot. "He's trying to protect you," she informed the forlorn woman who looked downright pitiful at this particular moment in time. "You've just got to try and change his mind."

Kate picked at her peas. "Oh yeah, like how?"

Cadman shrugged and looked around the mess hall for inspiration, her eyes alighting on one of the new doctors that, unlike the other ones currently getting a lecture from Zelenka, had actually transferred from the SGC. He was sitting not too far away from her and Kate and, every now and then, he'd glance over at them. She turned her attention back to her sorrowful looking friend. "Make him jealous."

Kate's mouth dropped open and she sputtered uncontrollably. "Make him…what, how?...Are you nuts? How would that even work?"

Cadman snickered. "There's a guy behind you that keeps looking at you."

Kate glared at her. "So?"

Cadman leaned forwards and looked her friend dead in the eye. "So flirt with him a bit, spend time with him, just do it where Todd can see."

Kate shook her head. "You're crazy you know that?" she sighed. "How would that help?"

Cadman sat back in her chair. "Todd gave you up right?" Kate nodded, "So all you have to do is make him see what he's missing and while you're at it have a little, harmless fun."

"Harmless?" Kate questioned. "How is shamelessly flirting with some random guy harmless?"

Cadman eyed her. "You've never done this before have you?"

"No!"

The captain tried to explain. "Look, I _have_ done this before and it's worked so just trust me. Guys who give up girls because their trying to protect them or save them or are trying to be noble don't like watching those girls be happy with other guys despite the fact that they walked on the same opportunity."

In some weird fucked up way, and Kate chose to take it as a sign that she really was in over her head as far as Todd was concerned, what Cadman was saying actually made sense. "So, according to you, it's okay to lead some other guy on just so that I can make the person I really want to be with jealous enough so that he'll reconsider us being 'just friends'?" she made a face. "That sounds like something you'd do in high school."

Cadman laughed. "Haven't you ever heard the song _High School Never Ends_?"

Kate shook her head. "No."

"Well it's true, it really doesn't and what worked then will still work now so maybe you should try it," the marine concluded.

Kate winced. "I must be really desperate if I'm even considering doing what you're telling me to do."

Cadman smirked. "You're not desperate, you're just more than halfway in love with him and you know what they say: love makes you do crazy things."

Kate frowned. "I'm not in love with Todd."

Her friend shot her a look that clearly told her she didn't believe her. "I said you're more than _halfway_ in love with him and don't try and tell me you aren't because you are and you know it."

Kate remained mute and looked at the table.

Cadman grinned. "There, see? I'm right, now," she leaned in close. "Get up and go talk to the drop dead gorgeous guy behind you and try to have a good time. Then, when we get to the dig, do the same thing only kick it up a notch and make damned sure you're within sight and hearing distance of Todd the wraith."

Kate looked at Cadman. "Do I have to?"

The captain crossed her arms. "Do you want to be with Todd or not? Answer honestly," she added when it looked like Kate might just disagree with her for the sake of arguing.

Kate muttered something unintelligible.

"What was that?" Cadman queried, knowing full well that she'd just caught Kate hook, line and sinker.

Kate turned a brilliant shade of red. "I said yes."

Cadman smiled triumphantly. "There, you see," she patted her friend on the hand. "Now hop to it."

Grumbling something inaudible, Kate got up from the table, put on a face that would pass for pleasant to anyone who didn't know her and, turning on her heel, picked up her tray and walked over to put it up conveniently passing by the guy Cadman had pointed out to her on the way. Back at her table, Laura nodded encouragingly.

"Excuse me," a voice sounded from behind her as she emptied her tray into the garbage can and Kate turned around only to find herself facing a man that could rightly be described as drop dead, melt into a puddle on the floor, hot. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Yes?" she answered.

The guy smiled at her with a gently twinkly in his hazel eyes that made her knees go week. "I couldn't help but notice, while you were sitting with your friend, that you seem a little unhappy," he responded, looking genuinely concerned. "Are you alright?"

Kate nodded. "Yes," she squeaked; boy was she out of practice at this, she felt like she was fifteen again. The feeling was not a pleasant one.

He frowned. "Are you sure?" he pressed. "It's just, it's kind of sad to see such a beautiful woman upset."

That did it, suddenly Kate felt her equilibrium leave her and her entire world turn upside down, she even felt dizzy. It'd had been a hell of a long time since a guy had called her beautiful and been this nice to her. She was going to enjoy this while she could because not even Todd complimented her often; saying she was desirable was _not _the same as calling her beautiful and she liked the latter much better particularly coming from this man. ""I'm fine," she assured him and stepped away from the trash receptacle, playing idly with her hair. "It's just -"

The man held out a hand and gestured to the table that he'd just left, the marines he'd been eating with had cleared out and it was empty. "Would you like to sit down?" he asked her.

Kate sat down hard and continued to fiddle with the end of her braid. "Um, thank you," she whispered.

The guy smiled at her. "You're welcome," he said and then smiled at her again. "Oh, by the way, my name's Travis, Travis Mathews."

Travis, she liked that. "I'm Kate."

Travis grinned at her. "Just Kate or is there a last name or a rank in there somewhere?" he teased, looking her up and down. "You're not a geek like me, I'm a doctor - cultural anthropology - but you're not wearing fatigues like the rest of the military either."

Kate honestly liked the way he explained to her that he was a doctor without sounding like he was bragging but rather, stating a fact. Not many people she knew would do that. "Major Kate Sheppard."

One of his eyebrows went up. "Sheppard?" he questioned. "Like Colonel John Sheppard?"

Kate nodded. "He's my brother."

Usually this scared away any potential suitors and so Kate was pleasantly surprised when it didn't seem to faze Travis. "Well, then I'll have to treat you extra special then," he told her. "Not that I wouldn't anyway but just to be safe. I'd rather your brother not shoot me for flirting with you."

"John usually doesn't shoot people without a good reason," she giggled, liking him a lot already if for no other reason than he was almost as laid back and easy going as her brother was.

"Better safe than sorry," Travis continued before looking over the woman sitting in front of him. He hadn't been lying about the reason for speaking to her, it was a shame to see any woman, stunningly beautiful or not, sloe to tears and he was glad that she was alright. He was even gladder that she was talking to him.

Kate opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by Caldwell's voice coming over the loud speakers and announcing that they were now in orbit and that everyone needed to report to the nearest beaming platform for transportation down to the planet. In front of her, Travis stood and looked down on her.

"Well, I've got to go get my gear," he held out a hand to help her up. "Maybe I'll see you later?"

It was all Kate could do to nod.

"Great," he announced and then, with a bow of his head, he turned and walked away.

Kate stood there and watched him until Cadman came over to her and snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Having fun?"

Kate turned on her and threw her arms about the shorter woman's neck. "I love you!"

Cadman snickered as Kate released her and stood back. "I can see that," she quipped and then grabbed her teammate by the arm, leading her out of the mess and towards the nearest transport pad. "So, what's his name?"

Kate grinned and then proceeded to tell Laura everything that had happened. The conversation lasted all the way to the beaming pad and then down to the planet so that by the time they'd been rematerialized, both girls were suffering fits of giggles. The giggles stopped when John asked his sister to escort the historians, scientists ad archeologists down to the dig sight. Kate and Cadman parted ways and the former called out over everybody's heads for them all to follow her.

Dr. Riley met them at the entrance to the city in front of which all the many work tents had been set up and erected.

"Ah, Major Sheppard," he called to her as she approached him with his newest team members trailing along behind her, their many eyes wide and in awe. "How was your trip?"

Kate shrugged. "Long and mostly boring," she looked around, her heart leaping to her throat as she caught sight of Todd out of the corner of her eye. He'd seen her and he was coming this way, she turned back to Dr. Riley. "Everything going okay?"

The balding man nodded. "Oh yes, well, mostly."

Kate frowned. "What's wrong?"

The man sighed. "Between you and me, I don't know how you can stand to put up with the wraith for any considerable amount of time. He's very disagreeable."

Kate snickered despite herself and she wondered if the many rumors were true and he really was only ever nice to her. "Yes, he can be," she agreed before she felt the aforementioned wraith come to a stop directly behind her. She gulped, willing her heartbeat to remain steady. "Hello Todd."

The wraith inhaled sharply, the sound of her voice doing things to him that it normally did not; perhaps this was because of his recent carelessness. "Katherine," he greeted her, watching as she slowly turned to him as Dr. Riley scuffled away and smiled at him. His temperature skyrocketed and his heart began to beat more erratically. "You are well?"

She nodded and desperately tried to keep her cool, Cadman's words coming back to her full force. Before they'd parted, her friend had reminded her that she had to show disinterest, had to be distant in order for the plan to work otherwise Todd wouldn't be able to tell the difference between now and before they'd made the agreement. She had to show him that she'd moved on. "I am," she replied a little more formally then she otherwise would have.

Todd noticed.

"Katherine," the wraith cocked his head to one side and regarded her, her manner was off and not at all like her usual demeanor towards him. "Are you certain?" he queried, concerned for her.

Kate flashed him a reassuring smile that did not reach her eyes. "I'm fine," she told him before deciding that now would be the best time to break this conversation off. "I'm gonna go help the new guys set up," she looked up at him and saw clearly his confusion at the way she was acting. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Todd was not privileged with the opportunity to respond before Katherine had moved away from him and selected a course that took her to the side of one of the newly arrived humans. The one that she'd walked to looked up and smiled at her as she approached him and Todd was granted a wide view of the human's face and form. He was attractive, extremely so, as far as humans were concerned and Todd felt himself frowning as he continued to observe them.

The male was obviously interested in Katherine, the wraith could see this from the way in which he looked at her and Katherine, hard as it was for him to see, seemed to be likewise inclined towards him. That she'd left him after so short a greeting to go and join with this human made him inexcusably angry and Todd's fists instinctively clenched at his sides. The human was young, perhaps as young as Katherine, and while he supposed that he might make a suitable enough mate for her the thought that they might be indeed compatible did not make him feel any better and in fact made him feel worse and that much more livid.

Snarling, the wraith turned on his heel and stalked back to his work tent where he began to throw things about in an effort to find something, anything, that would take his mind from Katherine and her chosen companion, lamenting all the while that it was not he that she wished to spend time with.

~xXx~

"He looks angry."

Teyla, Ronon and Jennifer nodded in agreement with Major Lorne.

"Yep," Ronon grunted. "He looks like he's thinking about killing somebody."

Teyla shook her head. "Yes but whom?" she questioned, again looking across the mess tent that was a part of the main camp that had been erected some ways away from the excavation site. Todd was sitting, alone, in a corner at the very back of the pavilion looking very gloomy and very, very angry although not a single one of them knew why and, indeed, the look on his face was one that greatly resembled the visage of a man plotting murder.

Jennifer frowned. "What's wrong with him?" she too glanced at him before returning her gaze to Lorne and Teyla who were sitting across from her. "He was fine earlier today."

Ronon snorted. "Yeah, Sheppard had to break up another argument between him and your husband."

Jennifer offered an apologetic half shrug as if she could repent for her husband's abrasive personality.

Teyla sighed. "Yes, but arguing with Rodney is commonplace as far as Todd is concerned," she looked around the table. "Agreeing with him is not."

Lorne's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Todd agreed with…he's gotta be sick or-or something!"

"Whose sick?"

The four of them looked up and espied Cadman coming to join them, her dinner tray in hand. Ronon took his feet off the only seat left and grunted for the woman to sit down who, after she did, repeated the question.

"We think Todd might be," Teyla informed her. "He agreed with Rodney earlier today on a matter I would have thought certain he'd have disagreed with him on."

Cadman grinned. "Really?" she repressed the urge to giggle and instead turned in her seat to look at the wraith. "Well I'd say it's working then," she said after turning back to the table.

The four original occupants looked around at each other and then back to her. "What's working?" Lorne asked.

Rather than explain everything to them, Cadman just turned and pointed to the food line where Kate and her new friend Travis were getting their food. Once she was sure they'd all seen them, she then turned and pointed to Todd who was now no longer looking so gloomy and instead looked downright murderous, his eyes were narrowed to slits and his fists were clenched on the table top; the subject of his gaze happening to be a certain cultural anthropologist.

"That," she informed the lot of them when she was sure they'd made the connection.

Lorne stared. "He's…he's jealous."

Cadman nodded. "All part of the plan."

Jennifer rounded on her. "Plan, what plan?"

Lorne mirrored her sentiments but with a dose of incredulousness. "Yes," he beseeched his captain, "What plan?"

Cadman grinned like a cat who'd just eaten a particularly fat canary. "The plan to make him jealous so that he'll do something about Kate," Ronon, Teyla, Jenifer and Lorne all blinked at her. "What?"

"That's a fucked up plan," Lorne yelped loudly, gesturing at the still glaring wraith who looked about ready to literally kill the guy Kate was now sitting with. "I mean, obviously jealousy is not something he handles well."

"If at all," Teyla added.

Cadman put her fork down. "Yes, well, we were out of options. Kate was miserable and he'd an idiot._ Something_ had to be done!"

Lore rubbed his forehead. "And why is Todd an idiot?" he asked, feeling like he wasn't going to like the answer.

Cadman squared her shoulders and faced off with her CO. "Because he told Kate that nothing could happen between them and it was better to be 'just friends'."

Lorne blinked. Whatever explanation he had thought Laura Cadman would come up with for why she thought Todd was a moron it was not this. This was worse by far than anything he'd heard in a long time. "They decided -"

"_He_ decided," Cadman interrupted him, needing to get the story straight because it was important that it'd been Todd's idea and that Kate had only gone along with it because she'd thought he didn't really want her.

Lorne threw up his hands. "Oh whatever, it doesn't matter who thought of it, it's a bad idea!"

"Trying to insight envy in Todd or them both trying to pretend that they can only ever be friends and nothing more?" Teyla asked for clarification.

Lorne scoffed. "Both!" he growled. "Them trying to be just friends is asinine and trying to get him jealous is just plain stupid."

Cadman defended her logic. "Well excuse me but it was the only thing I could think of that might wake him up and convince him to pull his head out of his ass!"

Lorne sputtered but was currently too angry at his captain to actually form a coherent sentence.

Teyla did it for him. "While the attention of another male to Kate might well push Todd over the line it is still not a good idea to test him like this," she scolded the young marine. "Just look at him. He looks angry enough to harm the unfortunate person that has been pitted against him in competition for Kate's affections."

Cadman waved off the warning. "He won't hurt Travis because Kate likes him; even if it would get rid of him. He'd never do anything that'd make Kate unhappy whether it was in his best interest or not."

"She's got a point," Ronon grunted.

Laura felt vindicated . "Besides," she went on, jerking her thumb towards the scowling wraith. "He wouldn't be that angry if all he really wanted to be was Kate's friend. He might be a little miffed, maybe slightly protective because he cares about her but he wouldn't be trying to figure out how best to kill Travis and make it look like an accident."

Again Ronon grunted. "She's got a -"

"Yes, I know she's got a point thank you very much," Lorne interrupted him snappishly. "I still don't think it's a good idea."

Cadman still had more comebacks. "Yeah, well, it's working and Kate deserves to have a little fun and happiness after everything she's been through lately," she argued, smirking. "And, besides, you've gotta admit that Travis Mathews is really, really good-looking."

Jennifer glanced at him with a dreaming sort of smile. "Ah-huh," she agreed.

Lorne started. "Doc, you're married."

Jennifer snorted. "That don't make me blind," she informed Evan bluntly. "Married people can look so long as they don't touch, think or dream."

The major looked at the table while Ronon and Cadman snickered.

Teyla took up the previous conversation. "Have you considered what would happen if your plan succeeds and Todd's obvious agitation at seeing Kate in the company of someone else does push him over the line?" she eyed Cadman. "I do not believe you have thought out the consequences of an actual copulation between them."

"Yes I have," Cadman countered. "It'd be great and make more than half a dozen people who are sick of watching them circle each other very happy, not to mention _they'd_ be happy which is what matters."

Teyla sighed. "But what of John? Surely he would not be pleased -"

"So they wouldn't tell him. Like I told Kate, keeping a secret from the colonel wouldn't be that hard."

Teyla shook her head. "Todd is wraith and while he may care about Kate to the greatest extent of his ability he will never love her as she will come to expect from him should their relationship endure for any length of time," she looked directly at the young woman who so very badly wanted her friend to be happy. "You would do that to her? For I know as sure as day that Todd is not the sort of person that he would let Kate go simply because he cannot give her what she wants."

Cadman shook her head. "He wouldn't force her to stay with him," she looked Teyla over. "And how do you know that he'd never love her? It could happen one day."

"One day perhaps but that day is not now nor will it be tomorrow or the next day after that, or the next after that," Teyla continued. "For Todd to surrender his heart to her it will take a great deal more time then what they have already shared together thus far. I am not saying that it will never happen for it well might, I can see the possibility of it in his eyes when he looks at her, but it will not happen soon. This ill conceived plan of yours will only expedite his feelings of procession, of protectiveness it will not stir his heart as you seem to think it will and it will cause damage, to both of them. It will push them together when they are not yet ready to be."

Properly chastened, Cadman knew deep down that there was great truth to Teyla's words. "I just want to see her happy," she said softly. "Her and Todd."

Teyla's hard gaze softened. "We all do wish for Kate's happiness and if that , in the end, is with Todd then I believe that he will succeed in being loyal to her and bring her great joy until the end of her days but that day is not today. They must both grow first and your plan will compromise their ability to do that."

After saying her piece, Teyla stood up and left the table leaving a now grey faced Laura Cadman behind.

"I," she muttered, looking up and eyeing both Todd the glaring wraith and Kate and Travis, "…I just wanted -"

"We know," Jennifer soothed her, rubbing her back gently. "We all want it, it's just too soon for them. Teyla's right, they're not ready."

Cadman nodded and looked up at her commanding officer and Ronon. "So what do we do?" she asked, her voice small.

Lorne sighed. "Unfortunately there's not much we can do right now," he looked across the mess to momentarily watch Kate and Travis. "I think we'll just have to wait for it all to blow over and pray that it doesn't do too much damage."

Cadman squeaked. "I'm sorry."

Ronon eyed her. "It's not your fault, you were just trying to help."

Laura looked at him. "I'd have figured you'd be madder at me then Teyla for trying to get Todd and Kate together," she confessed. "I mean, despite everything, Todd's still a wraith."

Ronon shrugged. "A year ago maybe, or even six months," he sighed. "But, knowing Todd has taught me that just like not all people are the same, some are good and some are bad, the wraith aren't all the same either. Todd's kept his word, most of the time, and he hasn't killed us all yet so, I figure, he can't be completely evil."

Lorne nodded. "Yeah that and the way he looked at her while we were on that damned prison planet."

Ronon grunted. "Right before he kissed her?" at Lorne's confirmation he crossed his arms and settled back in his chair. "Yeah, there's that too."

Jenifer frowned. "I don't understand, how'd he look at her?"

Ronon took a deep breath. "With passion, the kind that gets stronger as time goes by, the kind that's talked about in legends and myths. He doesn't love her yet but he will and the day is coming faster then I think Teyla thinks."

Cadman felt somewhat released. "So I may not have totally screwed them both over?" she asked hopefully.

Ronon shook his head. "You didn't do them any favors, but you didn't kill any chance like Teyla said. They'll survive, they have to."

"They have to?" Lorne questioned the Setedan. "What makes you say that?"

"Because of everything I've seen," Ronon informed them. "Love like what theirs will be, love that powerful, will move stars and start wars. We need them to win this one."

Silently, everyone could at least agree to that.

~xXx~

Sleep was a natural cure all for almost all ills and, having gotten none the night before, Todd was in a very bad mood. Having spent his evening meal watching Katherine laugh and talk amicably with her chosen, Todd had gone to bed angry and had tried to sleep only to have it denied him. This had darkened his temperament considerably more as his dreams were the only place in his reality where Katherine dwelled permanently and was his. Having lost that respite because of continued and unwelcomed contemplations of her with another male for company put him into perhaps the vilest mood he had ever before been in his entire life. Breakfast had been more of the same from the night before and lunch after that was also similar except this time she and the male ate with others rather than alone. By the time he had returned to the field after having abruptly left the mess tent without eating he was ready and quite willing to kill something if only to alleviate his mood.

He wished desperately that the life he ended belonged to Dr. Travis Mathews.

"Hey Todd?"

The wraith snarled and whipped around. "What!" he demanded only to come face to face with the very doctor that he had just recently contemplated murdering. The sight of the male human made a growl such as he had never made before escape him. "Yes?" he forced himself to say as calmly as he was currently able.

Travis blinked at the green skinned alien and swallowed hard. "Ah…Dr. Riley told me to come get you and tell you that we're going on a trip to the center of the city. He wants you to come."

Todd's lip curled and his fingers flexed, he so very much wanted to cause this one harm and terrible amounts of pain. "Does he?" he questioned, in no mood to go anywhere at the moment for fear of what he might do to the human standing in front of him if left alone with him. Katherine would not be pleased with him if he accidently killed him.

Travis nodded, now perpetually scared to death of Todd the wraith; and to think Kate had told him he really wasn't that bad. He was worse than Ba'al on a bad day when the world was ending. "T-that's what he said," the doctor stammered, gulping back his fear and trying to remain calm.

Todd hissed darkly. "I will not go," he announced.

Travis frowned. "Why not?" he asked before realizing that questioning the wraith was probably not the wisest thing to do at the moment. "You know what, never mind, I'll go tell him," and with that he sped off to the other side of the camp as fast as he could possibly go.

Todd watched his retreat and thought it wise of the human to retract his curiousness. Hissing angrily, he turned back to his work.

"Well that was rude."

Todd's spine stiffened and he turned jerkily around to find Katherine standing some distance away, leaning against a half crumbling wall. "What do you want?" he asked snappishly.

Kate raised an eyebrow and frowned. "What's wrong with you?" she inquired. Taking a step forwards and sitting down on a rock whilst looking at him. He seemed a bit off today and she wondered if that meant that Laura's plan was working, she had decided to come visit him today anyway because, plan or not, she really couldn't stay away. Not from Todd and not for long, he always drew her in somehow and today it was the fact that he wasn't dressed in his usual layers of leather and was instead in pants, boots, bracers and a sleeveless shirt made out of some sort of material she didn't know the name of. He looked nice, very nice, and Kate especially liked the fact that she could now see the tattoo on his right arm that stretched from shoulder to elbow.

Todd scowled. "Why do you care?"

This time Kate secretly grinned because she was pretty sure that, from his reaction, the plan was indeed working. "You're my friend," she said, giving the word friend a very subtle, almost unnoticeable, stress to remind him of the decision they had made the last time they'd met. "And I care about you."

_Apparently not a great deal_, Todd thought sourly having assumed that Katherine would have almost as much difficulty moving on from him as he was having in moving on from her. That she was not meant that perhaps she had not cared for him as much as he had thought she had. Her statement however, that she did care for him, if not in the way or with the force that he would have liked, made him settle his temper and let out a deep sigh.

"I am sorry," he apologized earnestly, having truly not meant to snap at her. "I…did not sleep well last night if I slept at all."

Kate shot him a look of pity. "I'm sorry," she replied gently. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? I'll do anything."

Todd did not honestly think she understood how much he wished her offer were genuine. He did not, however, think that Katherine would consent to the very many things she could do for and with him that would improve his mood; mating with him was one of many atop a very long list. "There is nothing you can do," he informed her, pushing aside the irrational desire he had to ask her to lay with him. "But I thank you for the offer."

Kate was disappointed that he hadn't asked for anything but let it go figuring that he probably knew that anything he asked for weren't things she could give him. The thought made her feel fuzzy and emboldened at the same time. "You're sure?" she asked him, prodding him more then was probably wise.

Todd blinked at her, his mind working feverishly to try and comprehend why it seemed she wished for him to make a request from her. "You could…" he tread very softly upon the path he choose in order to oblige her, "…walk with me."

Kate smiled, at least he'd asked for something. "Need a break?" she teased him, nodding towards the materials he'd been working with when she'd come up to him.

The wraith nodded. "It would be welcomed yes," he looked at her through hooded eyes. "As would be your company."

Kate hopped off her rock and stepped towards him. "Lead the way."

Todd inclined his head and bowed slightly to her, inviting her to go first and to set the course. She did and he soon fell into step besides her. Their path led them through the excavation site and up the side of the basin it sat in but on the opposite side from the main camp. Once they reached the rim, Katherine walked off to the south and Todd obediently followed, finding simple pleasure in merely being with her. She stopped when they reached an outcropping of rocks and took a seat upon one of them, allowing him to place one foot on the boulder besides her and lean forwards, resting his arms on his knee.

"Feel better?" she asked him, turning her head to look up at him and shading her eyes with her hand. Unlike the absolutely miserable heat down in the bowl, there was a gentle breeze up here and it felt good.

Todd nodded. "Indeed," he looked down on her. She had turned her head away and was now leaning back on her hands, looking out over the dig pensively. Todd was about to inquire after her state of mind, perhaps invite her to share her thoughts with him, when the wind blew suddenly more strongly and the gust pushed her hair, which had been left loose and free today he had noticed, over her shoulder. His eyes widened as they alighted on the mark that was now exposed and he felt his heart constrict painfully as he came to realize that he had put it there.

"Katherine."

Kate frowned at the tone of sorrow in Todd's voice and looked up only to immediately realize what he must have seen. Instinctively her hand reached up to touch the bite mark that had scared over on her neck at its juncture with her shoulder. "Todd…"

The wraith looked very much pained. "I am sorry," he lamented, having not thought, when he had done it that, that she would be unable to heal herself. That he had caused her permanent injury was a sharp reminder to him that Katherine was human and not wraith and that he had been too harsh with her.

Kate stood and looked at him, turning her body towards his and locking her gaze on his golden eyes. "Don't be."

Todd was not swayed to forgive himself so easily. "I am -"

Kate cut him off by reaching out to him and placing her hand flat on his chest, directly over his heart. "I know," she cooed gently, feeling how warm he was beneath her fingers and how firm. She quickly dropped her hand away. "It's okay, really."

His skin burned under her touch and it did not matter that fabric separated her flesh from his for he could feel her hand as keenly as he had when both of them had explored his back whilst he had pressed down atop of her. Suddenly his eyes flashed to her face but Katherine was already looking away, seemingly because she had realized what she had done. He mourned the loss of pressure when she dropped her hand away and turned from him, wrapping her arms about herself for protection.

"Sorry," Kate muttered, turning to look out over the decaying city rather then look a Todd.

The wraith inclined his head and stepped closer to her so that only the smallest of hair's breathes separated them from one another. "Do not be," he said quietly, his voice vibrating in his chest as he decided that the subject that they both seemed to be avoiding needed to be broached. "You must know," he began and reached out to turn her head towards him, dropping his fingers from her chin when she was once more looking at him, "…how difficult this is for me. I desire you still."

That he was admitting it was a huge deal and Kate was quite honestly surprised. "Remind me again," she spoke very softly, deliberately, her eyes searching his face, "Why nothing can happen?"

Todd took a great intake of breath and had to seriously halt himself from telling her that something could and that he very much wanted for it to. "We are too different, you and I," he forced himself to say, repeating the argument he had made to her the first time. "Whatever could be between us would have to take place in secret and shadow as the humans would no more accept me then the wraith would you. I will not ask that of you, to live a double life, simply to ease my want of you."

Hearing him reiterate that he did, in fact, greatly want her almost made Kate throw all caution to the wind and tell him that she didn't care. She did, however, want him to consider her side of things. "And what about me?" she asked him, lifting her face up to his and holding his gaze defiantly. "What about what I want?"

The set of her shoulders and the way her body leaned fractionally towards his very nearly made Todd loose all his self control, grab her and kiss her. He refrained, however very difficult that was, and thought of something to say that would persuade her. "It is lust only that you feel Katherine and it can be appeased by anyone else same as it can by me."

Kate turned her head away. "But I don't want anyone else," she hissed venomously.

Todd felt his heart literally leap to his throat at her confession that he was the only mate she truly desired. However unlikely that was to happen it still warmed his heart to know of it. "You will, with time," he assured her gently, in as soft and soothing a voice as he could muster. "Katherine," he stepped closer her and turned her head with his hand once more so that he could look at her, "I cannot give you what you seek; it is not within my power, my skill range or even within my capabilities. I can care for you as much as I am able but it is not and never will be the depthless devotion that you deserve."

Hearing Todd the wraith tell her he could never love her stung and brought tears to the backs of Kate's eyes. "Oh," she muttered weekly.

Todd knew that he had hurt her but it had needed to be said, she needed to know that he could not provide the type of affection for her that she was worthy of or needed. He wished he could but he could not, she may have been about to reach his heart and touch it, warm it, make it beat ever faster and stronger but she could never be in it; he could never surrender it to her. He had locked that part of himself away long ago, too long ago for him to try and unearth it now, he didn't even know if he could.

"Katherine," he spoke softly, trying to draw her attention to him once more but she refused and moved away. Looking up at him, he saw moisture welling up at the corners of her eyes and knew her pain as his own. "Forgive me."

Kate blinked, allowing a single tear to fall softly down her cheek. "There's nothing to forgive. You can't be anything more then what you are and if you could, then you wouldn't be you," she swallowed and pushed away the rest of her tears. "I accept that and you, I always have."

Her words were true and spoken from her as they were now while he was sure a tiny part of her heart was breaking, Todd realized that he truly did wish he could be what she needed in a mate. For the first time in his life Todd, Valloran, felt and acknowledged his shortcomings and damned himself for them. Emotions had always been considered a weakness by him, it was the reason why he had buried his heart and thought never to use it in the first place but now, seeing Katherine cry and knowing he was the cause, made him honestly wish he had known he would one day meet her when he had been a young wraith.

"Katherine -"

"We should go back now," Kate said meekly. "It's getting dark."

Todd looked up and realized that was correct and that the sun was setting. "Yes," he agreed and then gestured for her to once more lead while he followed.

The walk down to the bowl was silent as was the journey to the main camp. When they at last reached the very edge of the mess tent's inviting light, Todd stopped and turned to her to ask if she would consent to spend a meal with him only to be cut off before he even opened his mouth.

"There you are, where've you been?"

Kate turned and saw Travis walking towards her and felt rather then saw, Todd stiffen. "I was taking a walk," she told him as he stopped in front of her.

Travis was about to ask her to come and eat with him when he noticed that she looked particularly sad. "Hey," he said gently, approaching her and gently lifting her chin up so that he could look at her; the wraith growling in the background got ignored. "What's wrong?"

Kate tried to turn away. "Nothing," she held up her arms and placed them on Travis' forearms in an effort to push away but he held her firm. "I'm fine."

Travis shushed her and carefully wiped his thumb over the tear mark on her cheek. "Remember what I said about beautiful women being upset?" she nodded. "So, tell me what's wrong and we can have you smiling again."

Kate sniffed and Todd wanted to strangle him, only minutes ago it had been his hands touching her and calming her. _It was also you that made her this way_, a tiny voice sounded from the back of his head and Todd choose to ignore it in favor of the growing desire to tell the young human male to let go of his Katherine.

_But she is not yours, you just explained to her that she never will be, you must let her go._

Violently telling the little voice to shut up, Todd forced himself to turn on his heel and walk away just as Katherine's dams broke and she started to cry in earnest, falling forwards and getting wrapped in the human male's arms in the process. Retreating was difficult for him as Todd very much wanted for it to be him that comforted her even though he knew that it wasn't exactly his area of expertise. Todd was terrible at providing comfort for others and had not even managed to be proficient at when he had been rearing Caavin; his son had had to find the reassurance he'd needed from another source other than his sire and it pained Todd to remember that he had failed miserably in that area of parenting.

Returning to his tent, the conflicted wraith looked around before aggressively kicking his desk out of pure frustration. The folding table toppled over, spewing papers and various artifacts everywhere which he did not bother to pick up. Growling angrily, he sat on his bed and allowed his head to fall into his hands as he pulled at his hair in aggravation.

Jealousy was never something that he had handled with any grace and the few times in his life that he had had cause to be jealous, his envy had led him to take that which he wanted as a way to dispel it. He could not do that with Katherine for all the reasons he had already come up with as to why a union between the both of them would be impossible the least of which was his concern for what Sheppard would do to him. Having now made Katherine cry and having watched her being comforted by another male all while wishing that he was the one holding her, Todd realized that he no longer cared what John Sheppard would do to him if ever the human was to discover his affection and concern for his sister. He would take a bullet, or twenty, if it meant having Katherine as his and thus, fear of retribution from Sheared was removed from the equation entirely.

But it was never about what he would do to have her, always what held him back was what Katherine would have to endure in order to accept him as her lover. What she would have to sacrifice in order to be _his_ was not something he would, now or ever, allow her to give up simply to appease his ever waxing passion for her. He knew he did not simply want her in his bed, he would not be reacting this way to the human male if that was all he wanted from her and he had come to realize this ever more since last they had parted as his thoughts dwelled longer and longer on her; both in his waking hours and whilst he slept. He wished to have her for his mate, as long as she would have him, and while he could not give her his heart there were other concessions he could bequeath her with to make up for his inability to surrender himself entirely to her; his name was one of them.

For some time now there had been a gnawing need growing within him to hear her call him by name, to hear 'Valloran' roll off her tongue in simple speech as he could not have it in anything else but that. He could never hear her scream it whilst he brought her pleasure but he could, quite easily, hear her say it and call him by it when they were alone. That fact, that acknowledgement that he trusted her enough to know his true name mingled with the maddening desire that bordered on lust simply to hear her speak it caused a great shudder to rack his body as the wraith felt all his blood rush downwards and accumulate in a hot, boiling pool in his groin. Snarling in pure, pent up, sexual frustration and the thought that he would never have what it was that he so desperately craved, he laid back on his mattress and stared up at the ceiling of his tent, at the lantern that swung there gently moving back and forth as if afraid that it would farther anger him if it moved too much.

He did not honestly know what he was going to do and that uncertainty alarmed him as he had always prided himself on being able to plot a respectable course of action given any circumstance. Katherine quickly removed his ability to plan and to think rationally and while he might have once considered that a sign that he was getting in too deep and needed to retreat as quickly as possible, now he contemplated what would happen if he stayed and allowed himself to be pulled still farther inwards. He could never leave her, he knew that, could never crease to see her or simply stop coming to Atlantis altogether. Katherine was an addiction, an obsession that he could not see himself taking the proper steps to rid himself of because he did not want to. To live and be enthralled by her was preferable to living without her and while he may never have her in the capacity that he truly desired her he could have her amity and her company and that would have to be enough.

Knowing that, Valloran, High Commander of wraith, allowed himself to sleep and to dream; calling Katherine to him in his slumbering thoughts.

~xXx~

Todd the wraith didn't sleep, he took naps and was always up before everybody else. Therefore, John Sheppard found it truly odd that it'd be oh-seven-fifteen in the morning and the wraith was still nowhere to be seen. He had it on good authority that he wasn't out in the field already and John had been sitting in the mess tent doing paperwork since oh-five-hundred so he knew that Todd hadn't been here yet either. The whole thing bothered him slightly.

"Hey Rogers!"

The marine he'd called out to came over to him and stood at parade rest in front of him. "Yes, Colonel?"

John looked up at him and rubbed his hands over his face. "I need you do go do me a favor."

The marine didn't even blink. "What's that Sir?"

"I need you to go wake Todd up."

Rogers eyed his commanding officer as though he'd grown a second head. "Sir?"

John sighed. "I'll give you extra leave or something just…poke your head in his tent and make sure he's not dead."

With a smart salute, the marine was gone and John went back to his paper work.

~xXx~

Rogers grumbled to himself as he walked towards the row of tents that had been erected for people to sleep in. Todd the fucking wraith had gotten his own because nobody was stupid enough, or brave enough depending on how you looked at it, to sleep with him. The wraith's tent had also been set up a fair ways away from everyone else's and, as he neared, Rogers couldn't help but angrily kick rocks as he stomped towards it; at least he was getting rewarded for this, otherwise he would've told the colonel to shove it. Extra leave was worth the possibility that Todd might not be happy when he was woken up.

"Hello?" he tentatively called as he stopped outside the tent and nervously pulled back the flap. Todd?"

There was no answer but the young marine got the distinctive feeling that something was wrong anyways and so took a step inside. Once there, he looked around at the overturned table and all the objects littered around the floor and figured that, if he was smart, he's just leave now and tell Sheppard to come wake him up himself. Rogers was braver then most, however, and took another step towards the slumbering wraith, making sure to walk as quietly as he could.

"Todd?"

Before Rogers knew what was happening and before his brain even registered that something was indeed very wrong, the hapless marine found himself in on his knees and with his arm twisted around behind him painfully. He cried out and heard a soft growl behind him; this had been why he hadn't wanted to go wake Todd up, the wraith never reacted well. "Todd?" Rogers croaked, hissing sharply as he felt his arm break.

The wraith hissed dangerously. "What are you doing here?" he demanded of the human, wrenching his arm back farther and nearing it snap.

Rogers had to try very hard to keep himself from crying. "Colonel Sheppard told me to come wake you up. Breakfast is over and he was wondering where -"

"I am awake."

Rogers swallowed. "I can see that. Please let go of me."

With another hiss, the wraith complied and dropped the hapless human before walking around him and towards the entrance to his tent, pausing and looking back. "The next time Sheppard wishes for me to wake, he can come do the chore himself rather then send an…underling to do it for him," and with that he was gone.

Rogers weekly got up off his knees and cradled his broken arm to his chest protectively. There was definitely something wrong with the wraith and if he hadn't been sure about his feeling of unease earlier he sure as hell was sure about it now. Aggressive though Todd might be, he wasn't normally this mean and he had never attacked anybody the way he had just done him before, not even when they had first started dealing with him. Something was very, very wrong with him and, as Rogers picked his way out of the destroyed tent and up towards the infirmary pavilion, he knew he had to tell the colonel and as many people as he could about it as quickly as possible.

~xXx~

"So, let me get this straight," John said as he stood in the infirmary tent, arms crossed, watching Jennifer set and bandage Rogers' broken arm. "Todd did this to you when you went to wake him up and you think that there's something wrong with him."

Rogers nodded, wincing as Dr. Jennifer pulled the bandage tight about his injured arm. "Yes Sir. Todd's not usually this aggressive, I think he's sick or something."

"The wraith don't get sick," Ronon pointed out. He's come along with Sheppard when the colonel had gotten the call that Rogers was in the infirmary.

Jennifer made a noise. "Well, actually -"

John rounded on her. "What aren't you telling us doc?"

Jennifer sighed. "Well, the reason Todd was in Atlantis when all the got started was because he was feeling a bit off. He thought it might have something to do with the gene therapy so I ran some test and…he's got a cold."

John's eyebrows shot up and seriously threatened to disappear into his hair. "He's got a cold," he echoed. "How the hell did he manage that?"

Jennifer took a deep breath. "It's a side effect of the gene therapy. Because his body is going through so many, but very small, changes, his immune system's been effected. It's nothing serious I mean, he'd not going to catch the chicken pox or anything really bad like that but he is susceptible to some of the more common, less threatening aliments."

"Like a cold," Ronon confirmed.

Jennifer nodded.

John shook his head. "Yes, well that's all good any everything but I seriously doubt a cold is making him act this wacky."

"Maybe it's something else?" Ronon suggested.

"I could run some blood tests," Jennifer offered. "See if anything pops up on any of my scans."

John sighed. "Alright we'll do that," he looked at Rogers. "You're officially off duty for the next month, sorry by the way."

Rogers moved his head back and forth. "Don't worry about it Sir, I'll be fine," he said, hopping off the gurney and skipping out of the tent cheerily. He had a full month of leave, sweet.

Watching Rogers bound off, John turned back to Ronon and Jennifer. "So, here come the hard part. How do we get Todd to agree to have his blood tested?"

Ronon offered the colonel a one-off shrug. "Get Kate to ask him."

John looked at him. 'Why?" he asked incredulously.

Ronon grunted. "Because he's more likely to agree to it is she's the one that asks him."

Jennifer agreed. "He's got a point," she said.

John rolled his eyes. "Alright, radio my sister and tell her to meet me at the rim. Come on Chewy, let's get this over with."

Shooting Jennifer a look, Ronon followed after Sheppard.

Kate met them just outside the digging zone. "So, what's going on?" she asked her brother as he and Ronon joined her. "Jenn said something about you wanting me to ask Todd something. Why don't you ask him yourself, I was having a very good time -"

"Because apparently according to him and the good doctor," John began, jerking a thumb towards Ronon, "…Todd's more likely to agree to it if you ask him."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Agree to what?"

"He's sick," Ronon informed her. "Jennifer needs to run some blood work on him to figure out why."

Kate frowned. "But I thought wraith didn't get sick."

John groaned. "Well, apparently it's a side effect of the gene therapy," he shook his head. "Sometimes I swear that it's all just more trouble than it's worth."

"At least he doesn't have cancer," Ronon reminded him.

John sighed. "Yeah, there's that," he looked at his sister. "So, do you think you can convince Todd to come to the infirmary for some blood tests?"

Kate rolled her shoulders. "I'll try."

John clapped her on the shoulder. "Good enough, let's go," they entered the dig site and found Dr. Riley first. "Yo doc!" John hailed him. "Seen Todd?"

The normally good natured, all around nice doctor Riley turned towards them with a particularly harried and worried look on his face. "There's something wrong with him!" he wailed as the colonel, his sister and Ronon approached him. "He's acting not at all like himself. He's sniping at everyone for everything and…and…there's something wrong with him!"

John frowned. "Yeah, strangely enough that's why we're here," he gave the stressed out looking historian a once over. "Any idea where he might be?"

Riley pointed and then turned back to the three of them. "Be very careful and I mean very. He's already caused several minor injuries this morning."

John snorted. "Oh, you have no idea," he gestured for Kate and Ronon to follow him. "Come on, let's get this over with."

Maneuvering through the dig site, they found Todd in his work tent, pouring over some recently discovered artifacts that had been brought to him attention. "Hey Todd?" John called as soon as they got within hearing distance of him and the colonel jumped nearly a foot in the air when the wraith turned around and growled at him.

"WHAT!"

John blinked at him. "Oh yeah," he muttered quietly aside to Ronon and Kate, "There's defiantly something wrong with him."

Kate and Ronon snickered.

John approached the incensed wraith cautiously. "So, I hear you're feeling a little under the weather lately," he began, not really knowing how else to start this particular conversation.

Todd snarled and hissed at the human contemptuously. "I am fine."

John slowly shook his head. "No, I don't think you are."

The wraith started in on him. "And what do you suppose is the matter with me, John Sheppard?"

John hated it when he said his name like that. "I think that you're sick and need to come with me up to the infirmary so that you can get checked out."

Todd growled. "I have work to do," he informed the annoying human, turning back around to continue what he had been doing before he had been interrupted.

John turned to his sister. "Okay, I tried, your turn."

Kate shook her head at her brother's terrible attempt at persuasion and stepped past him, coming up directly behind Todd and reaching out to touch his shoulder. "Todd."

The wraith stiffened as his senses were assailed by the presence of Katherine behind him. Her touch to his bare shoulder, her fingers to his flesh, caused a reaction in him and he turned slowly to her able to see immediately that there was concern for him in her eyes. "Katherine?"

Kate gazed up at him and had to hold back the gasp that threatened to escape her. Before her stood a wraith that somehow, if at all possible, seemed more wild and untamed then Todd normally did. "Please come to the infirmary," she asked him softly.

Todd hissed but did not snap at her as he had at Sheppard. "There is nothing wrong with me, I am myself," he insisted darkly, displeased that she would try and persuade him otherwise.

Kate had prepared herself for this. "Then do it for me," she implored him, reaching out a hand to lay it on his chest as she had done the evening previous. "Please."

Behind her, John doubted very much that this way would work any better than his.

Todd sighed. "It would please you?" he asked, searching her eyes with his and finding true worry lurking there for his well being, she nodded. "As you wish," he gave her his consent.

John stared at him and blinked rapidly. What the hell?

Kate however, ignored her brother and took Todd's arm, linking it with hers, and started to march in off to the infirmary while John and Ronon stayed behind.

John sputtered. "I…what, how…"

Ronon smirked. "Told you."

John glared at him. "Is there a reason he does what she says or is there some other mystical magical way that my sister makes Todd the wraith obey?"

Ronon shrugged. "He likes her better then you."

John scoffed. "I already knew that funnily enough," he sighed. "Let's go, I want to make sure Kate and Jennifer are gonna be alright with him before we leave them alone."

Ronon followed.

Upon their return to the infirmary station, they found Todd topless on a gurney with Kate on one side of him and Jennifer on the other sticking a needle into his arm. "You okay here doc?" the colonel asked, eyeing the wraith who was currently holding his sister's hand. John had to remind himself that he was sick otherwise he'd have shot him for it.

Jennifer nodded as she capped the last blood sample and added it to her collection; she'd decided to run as many tests as was possible. "We're fine colonel, no need to watch us," she informed him. "I'm Todd'll behave."

John nodded. "Right then, tell me if you find anything," and with that he was gone. Ronon stayed for a few minutes longer but then followed him out leaving the two women alone with Todd the sick wraith.

Once they were alone, Jennifer moved away from the gurney and looked at Kate. "I'm going to go start these tests," she told her friend, shooting a look at Todd who was watching them very closely. "See if you can get him to lay down."

Kate nodded and turned back to Todd as Jennifer moved towards the other side of the tent. "How you feeling?" she asked him, sitting down beside him on the bed.

Todd let out a low hiss through his teeth. "I am fine," he repeated again, turning his head so that he could look at her. "I do this only to please you."

Kate smiled. "And I'm grateful."

Todd breathed deeply and laid back on the bed, crossing his arms over his stomach and twisting his head so that he could look at Katherine. "How long do you think it will take?" he inquired.

Kate shrugged. "Don't know, not long I don't think."

Todd growled.

"Impatient to get back to work?" Kate teased him, smirking lightly.

The wraith inclined his head. "I am, there is much still to do and these pointless tests are a waste of time better put to other things."

Kate frowned. "Well, then forgive me for being concerned about you then."

The wraith sat up and reached out a hand to her face, turning it to him. "Never apologize for that my Katherine," he hissed gently.

It had just registered in her brain that he'd called her his Katherine when Jennifer came back with the first of the test results. "Well, I can't seem to find anything wrong with -"

"As I said," Todd snapped, cutting her off darkly.

Jennifer ignored the brusqueness in his tone. "Yes, well, we're not done yet. There are still more -"

"We are," Todd interrupted her again, standing. "I have work to do."

Jennifer got in his way. "But we have to make sure -"

Todd snarled and reached for her throat, Katherine stopped him.

"One more test, Todd, please!" she compelled him, coming between he and the doctor and wrapping her arms around his middle to stay his advance. The touch of so much of her skin to his lit a fire in his belly that would not be quenched, he looked down on her.

"Very well."

Kate nodded and pushed him back onto the bed before turning to Jennifer. "Make it fast," she told her.

Jennifer nodded and looked from Todd to her friend Kate. "Maybe you should leave," she suggested. "We need to see what he's like without you around -"

"I'm not leaving him," Kate avowed, squaring her shoulder and looking Jennifer dead in the eye.

Jennifer sighed. "Okay," she agreed and then turned to go back to her testing machines.

Kate returned to Todd's side.

"She wishes you to leave me?" he inquired when his Katherine was once more at his side, her hand placed reassuringly on his arm as he reclined on the bed.

Kate locked her eyes with his. "I won't leave you," she promised him and thought she saw him smile.

Silence reigned for several minutes until it was broken by the call of another male.

"Kate, there you are, where'd you go?" Travis Mathews entered the tent and stopped short at the sight of her holding the wraith's hand at his bedside. "What are you doing?"

Kate felt Todd's fingers tighten around her own and knew that they were in dangerous water right now and that things could get very messy if she wasn't careful. "Travis, he'd sick -" she began only to have him cut her off.

"So you don't need to be here," he insisted, coming towards her and drawing Kate away from the creature that glared reproachfully at him the moment he touched her. "He could get you -"

"I'm not leaving him," Kate argued, removing her arms from Travis' grip and taking a step back towards Todd. "I promised him -"

"I've heard what he's been like this morning," Travis argued, worried for her because she seemed to have a different opinion of the wraith then everyone else did and it could get her hurt. "He could hurt -"

"Todd's incapable of hurting me," Kate insisted, retreating still farther back towards Todd. "Just go aw-"

"I'm not leaving you with him, he could seriously hurt you," Travis argued still, reaching out and grabbing Kate forcefully by the arm. "Come on, let's get you -"

"Travis let go!"

A loud, earsplitting roar stopped everyone in their tracks and chilled the blood of everyone that heard it. Across the tent at her computer, Jennifer looked up, saw what was going on and yelled to one of her nurses to radio Sheppard before running over to try and defuse the situation. When Travis had tried to force Kate to leave with him, it had set Todd off and the wraith was now on his feet and baring down on the human with more malice and ill intent then anyone had ever seen him utilize before.

"Dr. Mathews, let Kate go," Jennifer instructed, feeling sorry for the man because he was only trying to protect her.

Travis' eyes narrowed. "No," he said as he pushed Kate behind him.

Todd growled loudly.

"You've got to let her go, he thinks you're hurting her!" Jennifer yelled, trying to get it through the man's head that he was not helping Kate or doing anyone any favors.

Travis turned to her. "I'm hurting her? He's the one -"

As soon as the human's attention was elsewhere, Todd lunged at him, pushing him aside and grabbing Katherine to him; holding her tight.

She didn't struggle but she did yell when Travis, not to be dissuaded, regained his footing and tackled Todd, throwing Kate to the floor in the process. "Todd, Travis, NO!"

Jennifer ran to Kate's side to help her up as the two males fought with each other, Travis being surprisingly good for being non military. "We've got to break them up," Kate wailed desperately.

Jennifer agreed. "You get between them, Todd won't hurt you but he'll kill Travis if he gets the chance."

Kate nodded and started forwards, easily grabbing Travis by the back of his uniform and hauling him backwards. He crashed into Jennifer who stumbled backwards until the both of them tumbled to the floor while Kate held out both hands and pressed them flat against Todd's green chest, bracing her feet of the ground to keep him from advancing.

"Toss, stop, Todd listen to me!" he stopped moving and looked down on her. Kate gulped, the humanity, what very little there was to begin with, was gone from his golden eyes which had now gone almost feral.

The wraith calmed himself and looked down on the female that stayed him. "Kat-er-in.'

Kate nodded, almost in tears to see him like this. "Yes, Katherine," she looked up at him. "Todd please -"

"What the hell is going on here!"

Kate turned and found her brother, Lorne and Ronon all standing there with their P-90's raised and aimed at Todd, bewildered expressions of all of their faces. Kate called to them, "John, don't sh-"

With a snarl, Todd ducked to the side so that Kate fell forwards and took another swipe at Travis who scrambled backwards before fleeing the tent entirely and disappearing outside. Once he was gone, John and the new comers looked around, Jennifer and Dr. Mathews were on the floor and Kate looked about ready to cry.

John looked at his sister. "Care to explain?"

Kate's hands balled into fists and she turned angrily on Travis who was just getting to his feet. "None of this would have happened if you'd just let me go like I asked you!" she shouted at him.

Travis stared at her. "I was trying to protect you from that..that…Todd. He could have hurt you!"

Kate was so angry she shook. "Todd is very protective of me you idiot, when you wouldn't let me go he snapped. This," she gestured around at the tent and the mess within it, "…is all your fault!"

Travis opened his mouth to argue but Kate cut him off.

"Don't," she ground out tersely. "Just don't," and then she was gone leaving the rest of the people behind her to figure out what was going on.

~xXx~

It was decided almost right away that the main camp needed to get cleared out and everyone needed to be put into a secure location before anyone did anything else. This was why that majority of the military minus the colonel, Lorne and Kate and everyone else other then Dr. McKay, his wife and Ronon were currently being held in a still mostly intact storage facility on the outskirts of the ruined city. With guards posted at every conceivable entrance they'd all been left to wait.

Travis felt terrible. Not only was Kate mad at him but he could now see, after it was all said and done, how he had only made things worse. He kept himself busy by trying to work out the language these people had had so that the historians could actually start reading everything that had been left behind.

"Any luck?"

Travis looked up to see Dr. Riley standing over him. "No, not really. It seemed to be some form of Ancient although I've never seen this dialect before. There are a whole bunch of extra letters thrown in all over the place and it's making everything very difficult."

Riley sympathized with him. Dr. Travis Mathews was an excellent archeologist and anthropologist and had a pretty fair hand with languages too, better than any of Atlantis' linguists at least. If he couldn't figure out their language, Dr. Riley wasn't so sure anyone could. "Got any ideas?" he asked anyway, sitting down besides the young doctor. "You know that this isn't your fault right?"

Travis chuckled. "I'm not so sure of that," he took a deep breath. "Kate seemed to think it is."

Riley snorted. "Nobody's told you anything about Todd and Kate have they?" he asked.

Travis looked up, frowning. "No, what about them?"

Riley shook his head. "They like each other and Todd, damn him, has been known to be a bit protective and possessive of her from time to time," he gave the young man a strange look. "You made him jealous."

Travis sputtered. "I…well that explains a lot," he managed, trailing off and staring down at the tablet in front of him.

Riley sighed. "Yes, well, somebody should have told you. It's generally considered courteous to inform the new arrivals in Atlantis that if you want a date with Kate you'll have to go through Todd and that it's extremely unwise to…" he caught sight of the look on Travis' face. "What?"

Travis blinked, staring down at the tablet in awe as he wondered why it'd taken him this long to see it. 'I figured it out," she breathed excitedly.

Riley quirked an eyebrow. "You did?"

"Yeah, I knew it looked like Latin, well Ancient, but it's more along the vein of pig Latin mixed in with the verb structure of some very early Nordic languages…" he frowned down at the stone rectangle. "Uh-oh."

Riley eyed him. "Uh-oh?"

Travis looked up at him. "I need to see Colonel Sheppard and Jennifer as soon as possible."

Riley shook his head. "You can't go out there, it's suicide. There's a crazy wraith on the loose."

Travis made a quick rubbing of the tablet and then stood up, tucking the piece of paper into a secure pocket of his BDU's. "This could explain what's wrong with Todd," he insisted. "I have to see -"

"We will take you."

Travis turned around and found Teyla, Captain Cadman and another female officer standing there. "You will?"

Cadman nodded. "We overheard you. Come on, let's go."

"Stay close," Dusty ordered him as they broke away from the others and told Major Marks what was going on before heading out of the storage building and made a beeline towards the main camp.

Travis did as he was told and stayed smack dab in the middle of the three women. A hundred yards from the infirmary, the heard a growl.

"He's hunting us," Teyla whispered and then reached for her radio as they all moved in closer to the doctor. "John this is Teyla, come in."

"Teyla," came the response. 'What's going on?"

"We are about seventy yards from the infirmary and need backup, Todd is circling us."

There was some static on the other end and then, "What! I told you to stay -"

"It is important John or we would not have made the attempt," another loud snarl echoed around them and they all stopped and took up defensive positions. "Hurry."

Travis was terrified.

"There," Dusty pointed and the three of them looked up only to catch but a brief glimpse of the wraith before he disappeared behind a rock again.

They retook their previous positions.

"Watch out!" Cadman yelled as Todd pooped out of nowhere not ten feet away from them and made to charge them. They all jumped to the sides and rolled away, coming up to see the wraith holding the doctor by the throat.

"Put him down!" Dusty yelled and opened fire, not aiming to kill him but hopping ot hit him where it'd hurt him enough to let Travis go.

They were soon joined by Sheppard and Ronon the latter of which rushed Todd, tackled him and then grabbed Travis and hauled him to his feet, taking off in a run back towards the others.

"Retreat!" John yelled and, together, everyone scrambled to the infirmary and locked the doors.

"Well, that was fun," John un clipped his gun and turned round to face the four people who had very nearly just gotten them all killed. "Care to tell me why you lot decided to take a little afternoon walk?"

The three women all looked at Travis. John frowned.

"You again."

Travis sighed. "Yes, me again."

The commotion had alerted everyone else and Travis soon found himself surrounded by everyone who had not been sent to the storage facility.

Kate glared at him. "What do you want?"

He took a deep breath. "To maybe help you all figure out what's wrong with Todd."

Rodney frowned. "And how are you gonna do that?"

He looked at the arrogant astrophysics. "I figured out their language."

John raised an eyebrow. "And that helps us how?" he demanded.

Travis took out the rubbing he'd made and spread it out on the table before sitting down to explain it to them. "According to this, which is apparently their entire history, these people were put here by the Ancients who were using them as a part of a two group experiment. They and another group of people had had their DNA genetically altered by this machine in order to lengthen their life spans -"

"Just like the wraith," Lorne concluded.

Travis nodded. "Yes, exactly like the wraith because they were the other group."

"The other part of the experiment?" Rodney inquired. "Huh, well that makes a lot of sense but I still don't see how this helps -"

"Shut up, I'm getting to that," Travis snapped knowing that time was of the essence he could really do without McKay's mouth running off. The physicist scoffed but did as he was told when his wife gave his a shake of her head. Travis continued. "Now, the only difference between these guys and the guys that would eventually turn out to be wraith was that a signature protein wasn't added to their blood like it was the other group's. That protein is what eventually mutated into the wraith's innate ability to sure themselves of all natural diseases."

"so these guys didn't have it," John surmised. "Let me guess, they tried to make it."

Rodney rounded on him. "How do you know that?" he demanded.

John sighed. 'because that's always the story," he looked at Travis. "I'm right aren't I?"

"Yes, you are," Travis confirmed, going back to his story. "Now, they didn't actually try this until after the Ancient that put them here came back to check on him, apparently from what I can tell this would be about the time that the iratus bugs swarmed on the wraith's planet so the Ancient figured they were a total loss and came to meddle with these guys. He advanced their technology to about Ancient Greek level and it was only then that they attempted to make this man made sure all."

"Did it work?" Kate asked, curious despite not seeing how this would help them fix Todd at all.

Travis nodded. "It did but with a catch."

"There's always a catch," Lorne moaned.

Travis agreed with him. "The drug they eventually developed is a lot like the tretonin we developed for the free Jaffa in that it replaces their entire immune system. The problem with what these guys did is that they made the stuff addictive and eventually ran out but not before they added it to all of the water supplies."

Rodney choked. "So we've been drinking -"

Travis cut him off. "Our bodies would dispel the drug same as it would any foreign substance that we take in when he drink alien water. You're fine."

Rodney heaved a sigh a relief.

Kate frowned. "But how does this help us fic Todd?"

Travis looked at her and truly felt sorry for having been the one to bring all of this to a head. If he'd just _listened _to her…now all he could do was try and fix it. "Because the drug replaced their immune systems it didn't have any of the immunities that their natural immune systems had developed over time so, people started getting sick but not with common stuff like the cold or a fever. The most common disease that everyone contracted was something that is apparently native here and that their natural immune systems automatically protected them from."

"But the drug didn't," Cadman concluded. "So what's this disease do?"

"It's a bacterial airborne parasite that once it enters your bloodstream, makes its way up to your brain where it releases a chemical that stops your synapses from firing thus rendering the infected incapable of higher brain function."

"So it makes you stupid?" Ronon asked, confused.

Travis shook his head. "No, it makes you revert back to a primal, feral state operating only on the most basic of functions; like a animal."

"Like Todd," John deduced and then sighed. "So Todd's got this bug, how'd he get it?"

Travis looked back down at the rubbing. "Well, according to this the Ancient tried to talk the Atlantian high council into letting him interfere but they refused. He made a cure that would restore their natural immune systems anyway but by the time he got here there were only about twenty or so people be could save."

"Did he?" Jennifer asked and Travis turned to her. "Save them?"

Travis nodded. "He did and then he moved them to another planet where he'd dropped off group B and left them there. Because they were slightly more advanced then group B had been what with knowing astronomy and all, they built their own city and started their lives over. Unfortunately for the Ancient, the planet wasn't so dead as he'd thought it was when he dropped these people off. Not everyone in group B died from the iratus bug plague and so, eventually, the twenty people from this world interbred with the survivors from the wraith world and became, well, wraith."

Kate's face has screwed up in concentration so that by the time Travis was done with his explanation, everyone was now looking at her. "The city they started," she asked him. "It wouldn't happened to be named Vallan would it?"

Travis nodded slowly. "Yeah, how'd you -"

"Because that's the name of the city Todd was born and raised in," she looked around. "What are the chances that Todd's a living descendant of some of those twenty survivors? If he was then it would certainly explain why we was so susceptible to the cure in the water despite his natural ability to heal."

Jennifer suddenly looked excited. "We found a medical lab that looked like it might have belonged to an Ancient. All of the materials were brought here including a box with exactly twenty blood samples in it. We didn't know what to make of it but now…"

"Run a comparison against the twenty survivors and Todd and see if you get a match," John ordered her, turning to Travis. "Well done."

Travis smiled ruefully. "Just trying to fix the mess I made."

John patted him on the shoulder. "Well, you're doing a pretty good job. Now all we have to do is get Todd here so we can treat him. Hey doc," he called out to Jennifer. "I don't suppose this cure the Ancients made is in the box too?"

Jennifer nodded triumphantly and held it up. "For once in our sorry, sad lives we've caught a break."

John smirked. "Great, now we get to go Todd hunting."

Everyone, even Kate, grimaced.

~xXx~

John had split everyone, even Travis who could aim and shoot surprisingly well, into team of two and sent them all out and about to try and lure Todd in close enough for them to grab him and subdue him. So far, everything was going well.

"So Travis," the colonel called back to the doctor who was following along behind him. "How'd you learn to shoot so well?"

Travis snorted. "You work at the SGC long enough and you learn how to aim."

John figured that made sense. His radio crackled. "Go ahead."

"Well I ran the tests and Todd's a match to at least half of the original twenty so at least we know now why he was so susceptible to the disease," Jennifer's voice informed everyone who was on the same frequency. "And why his body accepted the cure al that was in the water."

John sighed. "Well good, that's nice to know," he peered around him. "Now if we could just find -"

"COLONEL!" Travis shouted and John turned just in time to shoot at Todd before the wraith could make a meal out of the doctor who ducked just in time.

"Is everyone alright?" Teyla's voice asked followed by a chorus of the same question from everybody else.

John reached for his radio. "Yeah we're fine," he turned to Travis. 'Is it just me or does he really want to kill you?"

Travis looked very unhappy. "I don't think it's just you."

John frowned. "Well, we'll see. Ronon," he called into his radio.

"Yeah?"

"Come meet me at my position, we're swapping teams."

"Okay. Why?"

John looked at Travis. "I've got a theory."

Six minutes later they were joined by Ronon and Cadman, the former of which took Travis and started off in another direction while Sheppard and Cadman continued onwards on the colonel's previous heading.

Back in the infirmary tent, Jennifer shook her head worriedly as she worked on preparing the injection that would fix Todd. "The colonel's right, Todd does seem to have it out for Travis," she said gloomily.

Lorne nodded. "Yeah, it would seem that…oh…" he'd been thinking about it and suddenly drawn a very startling conclusion.

Jennifer turned to him. "Oh?" she questioned. "Oh what? Evan, what's going-"

"We need to recall everybody," he said slowly. "I think I've figured out why Todd's acting the way is he."

Jennifer nodded and reached for her radio. Ten minutes later, Lorne stood in front of everybody feeling very nervous about what he was about to try and explain to everyone. "Okay, he began, deciding to go with a recap to start things off. "Todd's been stripped of all higher brain function and is operating on a base level -"

"Yes, we know that, why are we here?" Rodney interrupted, annoyed at the major for telling them things they already knew.

Lorne glared at him. "I'm getting to that," he snapped.

John rolled his eyes. "So get to it faster, major, we've kind of got a deadline here."

Lorne took a deep breath. "Sir, in the wild, what do male animals do when another male animal comes into their territory?"

Everyone looked around. "You're joking right?" Rodney admonished him. "This is a joke isn't it?"

Ronon grunted. "They attack it," he said, ignoring McKay because he really didn't think Lorne was making fun of them.

"Or they kill it of they believe it to be a large enough threat," Teyla added for good measure.

"Bingo," the major sang out, pointing to Travis. "And that is why Todd keep trying to get at him. He thinks he's a threat."

Travis made a face of utter and complete disbelief. "Me?" he questioned. "Why would he feel threatened by me?"

John had to agree with him. "Yeah, no offense Lorne but Travis here isn't exactly the most threatening person in the world. Me and Ronon on the other hand, we -"

"Yes but nether one of you are interested in Kate," Lorne cut him off.

Kate yelped. "Me? What have I got to do with any -"

Lorne rounded on her. "You and I both know that those feeling you and he had didn't just get turned off because you two decided to be friends. With all his inhibitions and what have you gone, do I really need to tell you what Todd sees you as?"

Kate looked at the floor. "No."

Lorne looked satisfied. 'I didn't think so."

John was now extremely confused and very, very worried about where this conversation appeared to be going. "Well could you explain it to me?" he asked stiffly. "Because I'd really like to know what's going on here."

Kate looked fearfully at her brother, she'd been dreading this conversation for over two months now and she really wished they could have it when Todd's life didn't depend on her brother because, after she explained herself to him, he'd be much more likely to want to kill Todd then help save him. "John -"

"Don't john me," the colonel cut her off, eyeing her. "What aren't you telling me?"

Kate stumbled for something to say. "On the prison planet, the day we got rescued, Todd and I almost…" her strength failed her.

His sister couldn't bring herself to answer him. Rodney did it for her. Rodney:

"They almost slept together."

Kate's face turned bright red and she rounded on her best friend's husband angrily. "McKay!" she screeched furiously.

Rodney looked at her. "What? Oh please, I'm not an idiot. I figured out what was happening when Todd opened the door half dressed and growled at me. There are very few things out there that'd make a male, any male,_ that_ angry not to mention when I saw the bite mark on your -"

What little portion of John's brain that was still functioning after having been told that his baby sister had very nearly had sex with Todd the he-was-so-dead wraith, latched on to Rodney's last words and came grinding to a complete and total halt. "Wait, wait, whoa, stop!" everybody froze and John's head turned very slowly towards his sister. "What bite mark?"

Kate contemplated telling him to shove it but the look on John's face told her he'd hold her down and find it himself if she didn't show him. Obediently albeit reluctantly, Kate pulled the neck of her shirt down and pushed her hair back over her shoulder, wincing as she did in preparation for John's explosion.

As predicted, John flipped the minute his eyes landed on the raised puncture wounds on Kate's neck that looked to be a perfect impression of Todd-the-he-was-gonna-castrate-him wraith's teeth. "I…he…you, how…what! I'm…" his brain, overactive as it was an switched entirely into big brother mode, struggled to find something to say as it waded through a multitude of images he'd have rather never have to have a reason to think about. "I'm gonna kill him.'

The resolute conviction from her brother made Kate suddenly very worried. "John no, please, don't -"

Her brother looked at her, aghast written all over his face. "What, you're defending him? After he did that," he pointed at her neck, "…to you? He almost ra-"

"I started it!" Kate yelled which was a completely bold faced lie, Todd had kissed her, but she knew that anything short of her taking on the blame wouldn't save the wraith's life. That and she didn't need John to think that Todd had tried to force her which seemed to be the conclusion he'd already drawn on his own.

John stared at her. "You started…what is _wrong_ with you!"

Kate glared at her brother defiantly. "I kind of got carried away…"

"Oh you kind of got carried away?" John raged at her. "You tried to seduce Todd! That's getting more than a little carried away!"

Kate narrowed her eyes. "I'm sorry okay, it wasn't my most brilliant move but it'd over and done with and we've both moved on."

John scoffed. "Oh yes, you've decided to be 'just friends'. What kind of idiotic -"

"Colonel, this is not helping!" Jennifer yelled loudly, putting an end to Sheppard's degradation of his sister who was taking the blame for something she didn't do in order to protect Todd; it was sweet and just farther proof to the doctor that Todd and Kate were already past the point of no return. Once the yelling at stopped, she looked between her friend and the colonel and sighed. "What we need right now is to focus on how to fix Todd and make him better -"

"So that I can kill him," John finished for her, crossing his arms and setting his face into a dark scowl.

Kate started in on him. "John, I swear to God if you touch him I'll make you very, very sorry."

He looked at her angrily. "Why are you so determined that he get out of this scot free?"

"Because it's not his fault!"

"Not his fault, you almost, the both of you…you almost had sex with him!"

"I said I started it."

"Well he didn't stop you so he obviously didn't mind the idea of -"

"ENOUGH!"

Brother and sister fell silent and turned abashedly towards Jennifer who stood over them with her hands on her hips and a disappointed expression on her face. "Kate's right, colonel, what happened wasn't Todd's fault regardless of what you may think they are consenting adults and you don't have any right to tell your sister who she can or cannot be attracted to," she sighed. "Look, they both decided that it was a bad idea and the wrong thing to do and they moved on, I suggest you do the same and focus on how to deliver the cure to Todd so that he can get better."

John harrumphed and crossed his arms, growling to himself.

Jennifer turned to look at the others who had, remarkably, not intervened this whole time. "Now, anyone got any ideas on how to get close enough to Todd to give him the cure?"

Lorne winced. "I can think of one way."

Jennifer nodded encouragingly. "Okay, that's good, what is it?"

Lorne grimaced and looked at his commanding officer. "You're not gonna like it," he said quietly.

John peered at him. "Oh yeah, and why is that?"

Lorne sighed. "Because the only one of us that Todd'll let near him, close enough to stick him with a needle, is Kate."

The infirmary tent was quiet for all of thirty seconds before John exploded, again.

"WELL FUCK THAT!" the colonel snarled loudly. "Todd the horny wraith is not getting anywhere near my sister so help me -"

"Will it work?" Kate asked Jennifer, talking over her brother and turning to her friend. "The cure, will it make him normal?"

Jennifer nodded. "It will, it's the same formula that the Ancient used to cure the original twenty."

Kate sighed and nodded. "Then give it to me."

John rounded on her. "You can't seriously be considering -"

"Todd won't hurt me John, I can get close to him," she argued, taking the syringe from Jennifer and tucking it into a pocket on her thigh.

"I don't want you close to him, I don't want you within twenty feet of him ever again after what -"

"I'm going to do this whether you want me to or not and I swear to whoever SG!-1 hasn't killed off yet that if you do anything to Todd once he's better again, I'll never talk to you again!" she yelled, her voice hard and scathing.

John gave in, mostly because in the back of his mind he knew that Todd wasn't really to blame because, quite honestly, there weren't that many males that could resist a beautiful women coming on to them and he didn't figure that being a wraith would make any difference. "Fine," he ground out stiffly. "I won't kill him."

Kate nodded and turned around to look at everyone else. "Be ready to come running if this doesn't work," she asked and then turned and walked out the door.

Finding Todd wasn't hard, Kate had taken exactly twenty-nine steps out of the infirmary tent when the wraith came to her. He came out of the shadows, startling her but she held her ground and waited while the wraith circled her, hissing and making various clicking noises with his tongue. "Todd?" she called out to him and then, suddenly he was right in front of her, reaching out a hand to touch her face.

"Kat-er-in," he whispered, speaking a broken and contorted version of her name that made Kate's heart break.

"Yes," she confirmed to him, just as she had done when he'd first called her this in the infirmary. "Katherine."

Todd hissed in pleasure and trailed his fingers down her neck, bringing up another hand to lay on her arm as his feeding hand slid over her skin. "Mine," came the soft whisper from behind his teeth as he leaned towards her.

Kate nodded and wished that she could hear him say that when he was in his right mind. "Yes, yours," she agreed with him and knew that now was her chance. Todd was leaning in to kiss her and she quickly grabbed the syringe Jennifer had given her and pressed it into his neck.

For one wild moment a look of betrayal and hurt flashed across his golden eyes before they rolled up into the back of his head and he lost consciousness. Kate caught him on the way down and settled him on the ground, cradling his head in her lap. She heard footsteps come up to her.

"Did it work?" her brother asked.

Kate nodded and moved back, letting go of Todd's head and standing. Turning to her brother she hissed at him. "What do you think?" before turning on her heel and stopping off, forcefully whipping the tears from her eyes as she went.

John looked down on the sleeping wraith.

"You promised not to kill him," Ronon reminded him as Sheppard fingered his gun wishfully.

John sighed. "Yeah, I know. Come on, help me with him."

Ronon complied and between he and Sheppard, they managed to pick Todd up and drag him towards the infirmary tent.

~xXx~

Headaches, he hated headaches and he had the worst one he had ever suffered in a long time as he felt his eyes open. The sight that greeted him was not the canvassed ceiling of his tent as he'd expected but rather the Atlantis infirmary. He frowned and sat up, looking around and finding Sheppard standing, arms crossed, at the end of his bed. "Sheppard," he whispered and discovered that talking hurt. "What happened?"

John had to forcefully remind himself that Kate had all of his Jonny Cash CD's in her procession and had threatened to destroy them if he did anything to Todd. He'd almost told her to go ahead and do it until she'd also threatened to smash his guitar, that had done him in. "How much do you remember?" he asked the wraith stiffly.

Todd pushed himself up the rest of the way and noted his distinct lack of attire. He was wearing pants and that was it. "I recall being asked to go to the infirmary at the excavation site," he eyed the human. "You believed that there was something wrong with me. I can surmise that you were correct."

John swallowed. "Do you remember anything after that?"

Todd shook his head. "I do not," a certain amount of fear began to creep up his spine at he registered the hard set of Sheppard's face and features. "Why? What did I do?"

John smirked, making Todd feel bad was going to be his one joy in all of this. "Oh you terrorized the whole camp, sent completely primal, tried to kill Travis twice," the wraith didn't really look upset about that, "Oh and did I mention that you tried to mate with my sister?

Todd had lived a long time, seen countless things and faced enemies that no other would dare to face but, now knowing that John Sheppard was aware of his attraction in the sexual sense to his sister was somehow more terrifying then facing an entire inquisition force of Damon troops. "Sheppard -"

John made a noise in the back of his throat that cut Todd off before he could get started. "Don't, I don't want to hear is I already got an explanation from my sister concerning some things you and she forgot to tell me," he looked pointedly at the wraith. "She tells me you two have decided not to do anything about it. Can I have your word on that?"

Todd nodded. "You have it, Sheppard, I will do nothing. A relationship between myself and Katherine would be inadvisable and without point."

John figured that'd be the best he'd get. "Good to know," he turned to go but stopped. "Oh, and I ought to shoot you for biting her but Kate told me she'd stop talking to me if I hurt you so consider yourself lucky and don't, I repeat, don't, ever, touch her again."

Todd inclined his head in acquiescence to Sheppard's terms and the human nodded once before turning on heel and walking away.

Jennifer came to him. "I just need to make sure everything is alright and then you can go," she told him, reading a needle for a blood test.

Todd didn't really hear her. All he could think about was what Sheppard now knew and how that would affect his interactions with Katherine. He knew that he could not keep his promise to Sheppard and never touch her again although he knew that he would never do so in the manner he was sure the human had been thinking when he'd made the request of him. A light touch of his hand to hers, or a brush of his arm over hers would be greatly needed if he was to maintain his sanity. His desire for Katherine would not wane anytime soon and he now knew that with certainty. She would be in his thoughts and in his dreams for, quite likely, the rest of her life and possibly beyond that for he would morn her when she was gone. What had happened recently only served to make him vow to place a greater importance on distance between them. Katherine needed to move on and she could not do that with him hovering over her. It would be painful to watch, her being wooed by another but he would bare it because he had already accepted the impossibility of removing her from his life.

He would simply have to keep away, allowing her to choose a mate of her liking while he remained ever her friend and took what joys he could have from her that she allowed him.

The road ahead would not be kind.


	19. The Tale of Two Todds

**A/N: **Here you go my peeps, another delicious chapter for you all to sink your teeth into. I would like to especially thank the wonderful theassassinnox who, out of the kindness of her heart, helped me tremendously with whipping this episode into shape. Thank you so much, it would not be so incredibly wonderful without you. As always, read, enjoy and the remember to click on the button at the bottom. Reviews make my day, you see, and let me know how good a job I've done. That and I simply enjoy hearing from all of you. So, have fun and cheers!

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**Episode IXX: The Tale of Two Todds**

"You have persuaded me to do a great many unpleasant things during our mutual acquaintance, but you are clearly lacking any discernable sense if you think that I will agree to that."

"Aw come on, it's not as bad as it sounds."

"To _you_ perhaps, but then you will not be the one subjecting yourself to -"

"It's just a few harmless tests! What could possibly go wrong!"

"I believe you have used that logic before, and I also believe that it ended quite badly."

"Well then there's something wrong with your memory because I don't -"

"If I can remember, in minute detail, events that transpired tens of thousands of years ago, I am sure that recalling events that came to pass much more recently is not beyond the range of my skill."

"Yeah but -"

"ENOUGH BOTH OF YOU!"

As one, both Todd and John fell silent and looked sheepishly at the floor – although in Todd's case, the wraith looked less embarrassed and more annoyed. Richard Woolsey sighed as he leaned forward in his chair and lowered his head so that he could massage his temples.

For the past twenty minutes he'd been listening as John tried to convince Todd to do something that was a bit of a stretch even for him. They found themselves in their current situation due to the persistent requests of an Area Fifty-One scientist whose sole job was to study the wraith. It would seem as though this particular researcher was tired of being sent only pieces of wraith, and so he'd gone and pled his case to the IOA and demanded the opportunity to study a whole, live, one. The IOA had put forth the suggestion that Atlantis capture one for just such a purpose, Colonel Sheppard, on the other hand, seemed convinced that he could get Todd to willingly volunteer.

So far, it wasn't going well.

"Ah, come on," Lorne complained loudly, turning to Woolsey and grinning from ear to ear, "Why'd you stop them? This is the most fun I've had all week."

Woolsey glared at him.

Todd scoffed. "I'm glad, major, that you find amusement in Sheppard's pathetic attempts at persuasion."

Lorne snickered. "Actually, I was talking about you and him arguing like you're actually friends or someth –"

John cut him off. "Okay," he said loudly, turning back round to look at Todd. "So how 'bout it?"

The wraith gave him a withering look. "I believe I have already provided you with an answer in the negative."

John crossed his arms, not ready to give up just yet. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Because I think –"

"There is absolutely nothing you could offer me that would entice me to –"

"How 'bout a drone?"

Todd stared at him, not completely sure that the human had just offered what the wraith thought he had. "What?" was unfortunately the only thing that the wraith could get out of his mouth and, at seeing the smug look on the human's face, Todd cursed his inability to conceive of a better come back.

On the other end of the room, Woolsey and Lorne both mirrored the wraith's surprise and confusion.

"Yes," Woolsey turned towards his commanding military officer, "Please repeat that."

John smirked, knowing that he'd just caught Todd hook, line, and sinker. "If you do this for us, we'll let you have one of the drones from the city's defense system."

Again the wraith could do nothing but blink at him, completely shocked that Sheppard would have proposed such an offer.

Woolsey, on the other hand, was less stunned and more incredulous. "We will?" he demanded of the Colonel, giving him a piercing look accompanied by a glare that would have made anyone who didn't know the man think that Sheppard had just offered Todd complete control of the entire city or something else equally damning.

John ignored Woolsey, as he frequently did, not really caring about the man's current objection to his decided course of action. "Think about it," he started again, fixing Todd with a stare that would have pinned his mother in place. "You agree to stay here for - oh say a week - and let the nice doctor from Area Fifty-One run some tests on you: take your blood pressure and all that good goop, and I'll personally hand you one of our drones. I know for a fact that you've wanted to take one apart and study it for like, forever."

Todd blinked. "An active Drone?" he asked, imagining Sheppard using the piece of tech as an incentive, then turning around and rewarding him with a depleted drone. While he supposed that he could well accomplish the same things with an already spent drone, he had neither the time nor the energy to waste on the project when he could just as easily get an active one.

"I'm not so sure -" Woolsey started only to get cut off by the Colonel.

"Sure why not," John said with a shrug, knowing full well that the grin on Todd's face was the closest thing to excitement that he was ever likely to see from the wraith. He looked at the alien, "So, do we have a deal?"

Todd let out a sigh and fixed the human with a potent glare, but nonetheless nodded. "We do."

John grinned. "Great," he hopped off the table he'd been sitting on for the past hour that it'd taken to convince Todd to be a willing lab rat. He turned to Woolsey. "When is he supposed to get here?"

Woolsey opened his mouth.

"You already arranged for your scientist to come here before you secured my permission to use my person as a -" the wraith began only to have Sheppard wave him silent.

"From what I understand, this guy's been hammering to come to Atlantis and study a live wraith for about three years now," the colonel made a face that let Todd know that the human thought very little of this particular sort of scientist. "Trust me, your participation notwithstanding, he would've come anyways."

Todd harrumphed. "Indeed."

John nodded. "Yes, they're very persistent, these scientists. He would've gotten here, found out that you'd said no, and then sent us out to go _get_ a wraith for him to study. This way, you're already here and are at least sort of willing."

The wraith snorted; John clapped his hands together and turned toward Woolsey.

"Well, my job's done. I'll go get my team ready -"

Todd rounded on him, one brow ridge raised. "You are leaving?"

John nodded. "Oh God yes, the last thing I want to do is hang around while a whole bunch of nerds poke at you," he shook his head vigorously. "Nope, me and my team are going for an extended stay with some of Teyla's people while they teach us how to plant and cultivate this bean thing that's a lot like coffee."

Todd glared at him. "You are leaving me here, alone, to be studied?"

John grinned at him. "Don't tell me you're scared of a scientist?" When the wraith growled dangerously as if to tell him exactly what he thought of being accused of being scared of any type of human, John continued. "Don't worry; Lorne'll look after you and Jennifer won't let them do anything too untoward to you."

Todd was unconvinced, but knew that there was nothing he could do about it so he glared at the human as Sheppard turned and walked out of the briefing room, leaving him alone with Mr. Woolsey and Major Lorne. He turned toward them both. "When is your…guest, scheduled to arrive?"

Woolsey looked down at his watch. "Tomorrow," the director stood and gulped as he took in the angrily look on the wraith's face. "I trust you'll be alright until then?"

Before Todd could answer Lorne stepped in. "He'll be fine," he glanced toward the wraith whose arms were now crossed as he glared at the major, not at all happy to have been spoken for. "Like Sheppard said," Lorne continued, turning back to Woolsey, "I'll take good care of him."

"Hmm," Woolsey murmured as he gathered up his ever present portfolio of "everything Todd" that he always toted around with him whenever he had to deal with said wraith. "Well, escort him to his quarters. I'll have him sent for before they get here."

Woolsey left and Lorne turned to a thoroughly irked looking Todd the wraith. Looking the alien over and trying to judge his mood, the major asked, "You remember how to play poker right?"

Todd looked at him. "I recall the specifics of the game, yes," his eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Lorne started to steer him out of the room. "Because Kate's having a poker night in her room and I thought you might prefer that to being incarcerated in your quarters for the next seventeen hours." They'd reached the control room and were heading toward the transport.

Todd thought about it and nodded. "That would be preferable."

Lorne snickered. "Thought you might like it," they entered the transport and Lorne pressed the screen. "Just, try not to scare the botanist that Laura invited. She's new and so far the only wraith she's met tried to eat her."

The major's request brought a smile to the wraith's lips. "I shall endeavor to behave," he assured the human as the transport doors opened at the level on which both his and Katherine's rooms were located.

~xXx~

"I cannot believe I let Sheppard talk me into this."

Lorne glanced sideways at the wraith and equaled his look of incredulousness because, quite frankly, he couldn't believe that Todd had let the colonel talk him into doing this either, or that the wraith was actually going through with it. The major had figured that, sometime during the past seventeen hours Todd the wraith would've thought about what he was setting himself up for and backed out of it. He hadn't, and now the two of them were on their way to the gate room to meet the doctor that would be putting Todd through his paces for the next couple days. Lorne was personally terrified because one: the average doctor from area fifty-one was about twice as annoying as McKay was on a bad day, and two: Todd had a short temper. The major could just not see this week ending well and with both Sheppards off world, although Kate was due back in about an hour, he didn't know how well Todd would behave while somebody poked at and stuck needles into him.

"Ah, I see you're both here," Woolsey greeted them as both Major Lorne and the wraith came down the stairs toward him and stopped just short of the gate.

Todd grunted. "Unfortunately."

Woolsey pressed his lips together. "I don't need to remind you what you're getting out of this for agreeing," he said.

Todd hissed reproachfully. "I am well aware."

Woolsey nodded. "Then perhaps you could stand to be a bit more pleasant then you are being now."

Todd glared at him.

Lorne shook his head. "I think this is as good as he'd gonna get."

Woolsey harrumphed. "Yes, well, at least it's something."

The gate activated and all other replies that might have been made were ceased as the wormhole settled into its usual placid puddle and a single man stepped through before it dissolved. Getting his first look at the human that would be running whatever tests on him that he so pleased for the next several days, Todd immediately disliked him.

Woolsey stepped forward and held out a hand. "Welcome to Atlantis, Doctor?"

The man smiled. "Travers," he replied, taking the offered hand from the director of Atlantis and shaking it. "Dr. Todd Travers."

In the back of his mind, Todd knew that the human's name sounded familiar but could not place it

Woolsey stood back and waved a hand over Todd the irritated wraith. "This, as you might have guessed, is Todd; your test subject."

Travers looked the creature over and gulped. Dead, the wraith that had come across his lab tables in pieces and whatnot had been disturbing. Standing imposingly before him, the very much alive wraith qualified as the single most terrifying thing Travers had ever seen. "Ah, nice to meet you," he said to it, not really sure what else to say.

Todd hissed darkly. "The same cannot be said for me," he growled, the harsh sound a warning for the human to not try his patience. He turned to Woolsey. "May we get this over with?"

Woolsey nodded and folded his hands behind his back. "Of course, Jennifer is in infirmary lab six waiting for you. She's our CMO here in Atlantis and she'll see that you have everything you need."

Travers nodded. "Thank you," he looked at the wraith. "Shall we?" he asked and the wraith turned on his heel and trusted the human to follow.

Lorne watched them go. "I can't believe he let the colonel talk him into this," he commented as Todd stalked stiffly off while Dr. Travers followed eagerly at a somewhat slower pace.

Woolsey agreed. "Nor can I," he sighed and then turned around to face Major Lorne. "Perhaps it would be best, in light of the fact that neither Colonel or Major Sheppard are here right now, that you go down to the infirmary and…supervise."

Lorne thought about it. "That's probably a good idea," the major decided.

Woolsey nodded. "Well then, I'll be in my office; radio me if anything goes wrong," and then he was gone.

Lorne sighed and headed toward* the infirmary, arriving just in time to see Dr. Travers bend down to kiss Jennifer's hand and to witness Atlantis' chief medical officer giggle and turn a nice shade of pink. Lorne scowled. "I don't think you're husband would approve doc," he called out, coming over to the two doctors and crossing his arms, shooting Travers a look that clearly said 'back off'.

Jennifer turned to him. "Oh Evan, it's perfectly fine," she dismissed his worry. "Dr. Travers was just being nice," she turned to him and offered him a brilliant smile. "Weren't you doctor?"

Travers bowed his head and turned to face the major. "It is my belief that, married or not, a beautiful woman should always be greeted as courteously as possible."

Evan Lorne felt like he was going to puke and, off to the side, Todd's expression amounted to much the same thing. "Seriously?" he asked Dr. Travers, not at all impressed.

Jennifer took up his defense. "Oh now honestly Evan, it's no big deal," she looked at the visiting doctor. "You're not planning on trying to seduce me are you?"

The corner of Travers' mouth twitched upwards and he offered the young, blonde woman a charming smile. "Of course not, I was simply being polite, as you said," he looked at Lorne. "There is no need to get defensive Major, I can assure you I didn't mean any harm."

Lorne's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, sure," he replied tersely.

Jennifer rolled her eyes. "Well, now that we all know each other, where would you like to start?"

Travers considered this and, while he was thinking, began to circle the wraith. "Well," he pondered, coming around for another turn of the alien who was standing particularly straight. "I'd first like to ask a few basic questions, nothing too probing, just some things myself and my team have been curious about for a while now."

Todd lifted a brow ridge. "Like?"

Travers stopped circling and faced the wraith. "Well, for starters, what exactly do your sensory pits, the ones on your face, enable you to do? How do they work?"

Of all the questions the human could have asked, this was probably one of the milder ones and so Todd consented to answer him; there were worse things he could inquire after. "From what I understand, they function in much the same way as the sensory pits of an animal native to your home world," he cocked his head to one side and tried to recall what it was Katherine had told him the life form was called. "It is a kind of snake, a viper of some kind; the name escapes me."

"A pit viper?" Lorne offered and Todd nodded.

"Yes, that sounds right," the wraith confirmed.

Travers looked thoughtful. "That makes sense actually," he turned toward the wraith. "So, through these," he gestured at Todd's face with his right hand, waving it through the air lackadaisically, "…you're able to detect things that we as humans wouldn't be able to. Like what exactly?"

Todd scowled. "I cannot answer your question."

Travers frowned. "Why not?" he asked, wondering if maybe he'd his calculated the creature's intelligence.

Todd appraised the human in front of him and decided that while he might put on the airs of one that was impressively intelligent, he actually wasn't. "I am not human," he said flatly, one eye ridge raised patronizingly.

Travers was now seriously concerned. "Yes," he replied confusedly. "I can see that. What -"

"So I do not know the capabilities of your senses."

The proverbial light bulb went off in Travers head and he understood the wraith's hesitancy to answer. "Oh, yes, I see now, let's see," he set his face into one of contemplative consideration. "Well, as humans our senses are limited to sight, sound, taste and touch. Yours, I'm assuming, go beyond that rather far I'd imagine."

Jennifer smiled at the visiting doctor. "You know," she said, "I've never thought of that," she looked at Todd. "There must be lots of things you can pick up on that we can't."

Todd grunted. "Indeed," he was not all impressed by the human male's attempts at charm, but it would seem very much as though Jennifer was. He didn't like it, a bound human should not be looking at another who was not their mate in such a way. At least Major Lorne seemed to agree with him.

Travers smirked. "So, what extra things are you able to read?" he took up his questioning once more.

"I am able to detect a variety of things: changes in body temperature, chemical emittance," he eyed the doctor. "My sensory pits can deduce nothing beyond that. Does that answer your question?"

Travers nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes it does in fact it supports my theories," he looked up at the wraith. "Another question: your facial hair or, hair in general."

Once again, Todd raised a brow ridge. "What of it?"

Travers stepped closer and peered up at the wraith. "Well, I've noticed that while you have it, there does not appear to be signs that it's growing," he paused and stepped back, crossing his arms as he leaned back against one of the lab tables and continued his scrutiny. "And for that matter, none of the various bits of wraiths that I've seen appear to have any body hair."

Lorne made a face. "Huh," he looked at Todd. "You know, I've wondered about that one or two times myself."

Jennifer nodded. "Me too."

Todd eyed them both. "And you have never thought to ask?"

Jennifer shook her head. "Ah, well no not exactly," she looked at him. "I mean, I tend to avoid asking you question about your, uh, body."

Todd understood her reluctance; he was sure there were things about his anatomy that the female did not wish to dwell upon or to know. It was therefore, not difficult to see why she had not previously asked. "Once removed, our hair does not grow back," Todd explained patiently. "Thus it is that we elders tell young wraith to think carefully about the image they wish to present for once they have chosen a style they can never change it."

Lorne looked thoughtful. "So if we were to shave your head in your sleep -"

Todd glared at him. "I would not suggest it," he growled dangerously at the human.

Lorne ignored him. "Yeah, but if we were to, you'd be bald forever?"

Todd snarled at him. "As I said our hair does not grow back so yes, I would be, and rest assured Major that if you were to do such a thing the punishment would be very…painful."

Lorne gulped. "Remind me to tell Colonel Sheppard not to include you in any April fool's day pranks," he said shakily.

Todd hissed at him but let the matter drop as he returned his attention to Dr. Travers. "Your next inquiry?"

"That's actually all I've got for now," he man said. "Now what I'd like to do is give you a physical."

Todd looked skeptical. "And this would accomplish what?" he asked darkly.

Travers shrugged. "It'll just give me a basic understanding of you," he looked pointedly at the wraith. "I'm sure that whatever it is your colonel told you I would be doing to you it worse than it really is."

Todd frowned. "Sheppard was not specific as to what tests would be run on me."

Travers eyed him. "You went into this blind?" he asked, having not figured that the creature would have agreed to this without first being completely briefed on what would be done to him.

Todd grunted and nodded slowly. "John Sheppard can be very persuasive when he chooses to be."

Lorne snickered. "I'll tell him you said that."

Todd hissed. "If you must," he turned back to the doctor only to find that the human now had a very pensive and confused look on his face. "Doctor?"

Travers snapped out of his thoughts and looked around the room at the three individuals, sure he'd heard wrong. "You…you don't mean Jonathan Patrick Sheppard do you?" he asked.

Jennifer nodded. "Yeah, why?"

Travers shook his head. "It's nothing, just…John and I used to know each other is all; way back when."

Todd lifted one brow ridge. "You are acquainted with the colonel?" he asked, intrigued. Sheppard had not mentioned this.

Travers was unsure of what to tell them. He couldn't tell them the truth about John because he was afraid they'd take it the wrong way; he was sure they didn't know anything about the real John Sheppard at all. "We used to be friends," he told them, deciding to play it safe.

Jennifer frowned. "What happened?"

"We had a falling out," Travers explained, shrugging. "It was nothing serious, but john took it the wrong way and we haven't talked since."

Lorne was now pretty sure that he really didn't like this guy; just something about him seemed off. and his story didn't really sound like the colonel at all. "Really?" the major pried, hoping to get more out of him then just that.

Travers didn't fall for it. "Yes," he said shortly and then took up his notes again. "But that's not what I came here to discuss," he looked at Todd. "Now, if you'll please remove your shoes, I'd like to start by measuring your feet and then go on from there."

Todd sighed and did as he was told, a tiny voice in the back of his mind warning him that all was not as easy as Travers made it out to seem. He would have to ask Sheppard about him when the human returned to the city.

~xXx~

After suffering through three days, the entirety of which Todd spent in various stages of undress whilst Travers poked, prodded and did things to him that – upon occasion – made him wish fervently for the human's demise, Todd decided that he detested the things humans called physicals. Beside his distaste for being poked at and asked to fill various containers with some questionable things - what the human wanted with a sample of his genetic contribution he nether knew nor cared, but when the human explained to him what he had to do in order to get it, Todd very nearly killed him - he also had to wonder at the competence of Dr. Travers as, to date, most of his conclusions over the subjects of his anatomy had been based purely on assumptions.

And those assumptions were very nearly all bad.

For example, the doctor had been rather surprised when, after many an hour of persuasion, Todd eventually agreed to take off his pants. Jennifer had turned bright red and left the room, scurrying off to he didn't know where while the male doctor, and several hovering nurses, had stared at him. Todd had asked what was so intriguing and had then been told that apparently Travers had not expected him to have genitalia similar to that of a human male. Todd had rolled his eyes, an action that came naturally given the current situation, and asked how, then, had the human expected him to mate and reproduce. The answer had been that Travers hadn't thought wraith reproduced in the usual manner because of how drones were made and Todd had growled at him for his stupidity. He had then spent the next hour being asked questions about the mating practices of wraith and, having achieved the point where Travers asked him whether or not wraith and humans were compatible, Todd had simply answered them with a smug looking smirk that left little to the imagination.

The topic of sex having been covered in more detail then Todd thought was truly necessary, the human had moved on to other things. At the moment, Todd was busy examining his the doctor's findings and making notes to his notes about Dr. Travers' inaccurate conclusions over said test results and medical observations. It was late, and around him the city slumbered. The silence granted Todd a peace that he had not had in three days. Footfalls sounded behind him which Todd thought strange as he had assumed that all but the night guards would have been abed at this hour. Turning from his work station he saw Katherine approaching.

"It is late," he greeted her as she crossed the room to come and stand before him, leaning forward to rest her arms on the table that stood between them.

Kate shrugged. "Couldn't sleep."

Todd let out a hiss of acknowledgment before turning back to the doctor's reports and scanning back through them, looking for any more errors in his findings that he had failed to correct or comment upon.

Kate watched him. Jennifer had told her, after fleeing the infirmary, what kinds of tests the doctor was running on him and Kate had to admit that she'd been tempted to pop down to the infirmary to see for herself, only her common sense had talked her out of it. "So," she began, watching as Todd's fingers moved with deft grace over the keyboard, "How's it going?" she shook her head. "_I_ can't believe you volunteered for this."

A rueful smirk crossed his face and he ceased his corrections and turned to her. "Your brother can be most…persuasive when he wants to be."

Kate snorted, amused; Todd admitting that her brother was good at anything was a rare occurrence. "What'd he promise you?" she asked knowing full well that Todd wouldn't have agreed to do this at all without some sort of payment.

Abandoning his editing of Dr. Travers incorrect conclusions, Todd turned his full attention to the woman before him. "A drone," he answered flatly.

"Yep, that'd do it," Kate chortled, amazed - not that her brother had stooped so low as to offer Todd the one thing that he'd been trying to get his hands on for years - but that Woolsey had agreed to it. Her brother must be better at persuasion then she thought. "So," she began after a few moments had passed, "You've been down here for three days. Ever think of taking a break?"

"I have not been in this lab as consistently as you believe," he looked at her, wondering in which direction her suggestion had been meant. "I have, of course, required food and occasional rest."

Kate dropped her eyes. "_I_ haven't seen you."

Todd felt the by now all too familiar sensation of his heart beat increasing as it seemed to do whenever Katherine showed an interest in him that stretched beyond the roles into which they had agreed upon for themselves. "You have missed me?" he asked, lowering his gaze to her face and attempting to catch her eyes.

Heat began to creep up the back of Kate's neck and she struggled to keep any color from appearing on her cheeks. "Maybe," she admitted quietly, shrugging.

It was not a definitive answer but it was enough to please him greatly. "Then, _if_ you have indeed missed me, what do you plan to do to remedy the situation?" he asked her, curious as to what she would say.

Kate looked at him. "Well," she bit her lip, pondering over whether she should ask him what she'd come down her to ask him or not. "Since I can't sleep, I'd really like someone to talk to, to help pass the time."

"And we are not doing so now?" he asked her, frowning.

Kate shrugged. "We are, but a late night conversation such as the one I'm proposing is better done in some other place then inside the infirmary."

Todd felt his temperature skyrocket; could she possibly be suggesting? "Where would you have us go?" he questioned.

Kate swallowed and summoned up all of her courage. "My room?"

Todd let out the breath he'd been holding. "Is that wise?" he asked and while he was very much pleased that she had suggested it, he was not so sure that being alone with her and away from the prying eyes of others was such a good idea. His self control where Katherine was concerned was weak enough, he did not need for it to be tested.

Kate looked at him. "John's not here to yell at you and I trust that you won't do anything terrible to me," she smiled at him. "Besides, you've already told me you'd never eat me."

Consuming her, at least in that manner, was not what Todd was afraid of, but her smile and her eyes convinced him that the risk was worth it; he would simply have to keep a tight hold over his reactions and actions while in so intimate a setting with so desirable a female as she. "Very well," he relented.

Kate smiled brilliantly. "Great," she turned on her heel and started to walk off making it all the way to the doorway before she heard Todd start to follow her. "You need a break anyway," she told him as he caught up with her and matched his steps to hers.

Todd grunted. "I was not aware you cared for me so much."

Kate eyed him out of the corner of her vision. "Todd," she said slowly and with just a touch of patronization, "We've been over this."

The wraith grinned. "So we have," he agreed and they made the rest of the journey in silence. Upon reaching her quarters, Todd allowed her to enter first before following her and accepting an offered chair. "Now that we are here," he began, "What do you wish to discuss?"

Kate shrugged and plopped down on her bed. "I don't know," she looked at him. "Tell me something you've never told me before."

Todd considered what to say. "There are many things I've not discussed with you," he regarded her. "What facet of wraith life are you interested in learning of this eve?"

Kate rolled over and retrieved the latest of his command logs that he had given her about a week ago and flipped through the pages until she found the picture she was looking for. "Here," she turned it so that he could see the drawing she was referring to. "Where is that?"

Todd eyed the sketch he had made and felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "That is Vallan," he told her and saw the realization light her face. He did so like that expression on her and it brought him joy whenever it was he that caused it.

"The city where you were born?" Kate asked confirmation, looking back down at the hand drawn image and smiling ever so gently at the architecture that had been captured by his own hand.

"And where I lived for the majority of my life," Todd confirmed, pleased that she wished to know of his favored home. "What about it do you wish to know?"

Kate smiled shyly at him. "Everything?"

The wraith chuckled. "I doubt I have time to tell you everything, but," he glanced at her. "I will tell you enough to sate your appetite for now. Perhaps one day I shall allow you to accompany me and you may see what is left of the city for yourself."

Kate tilted her head to one side. "You still go there?"

Todd nodded. "Occasionally. The city is in ruin but I sometimes travel there simply to see it and remember that it is still there, crumbling though it may be, just as I am."

Kate looked down. "You're not crumbling," she commented.

Todd hissed. "I am not as I once was and am, in many ways, diminished. The centuries have not been kind."

Kate sat up and scooted to the edge of her bed so that she could look at him better. "Oh really?" she questioned him, not believing for a second that he was any different now than he had been all those many centuries before. "Like how?"

Todd eyed her. "You do not believe me?" he asked, secretly pleased with her faith in him; Katherine probably believed in him more faithfully than anyone else with the possible exception of Caavin.

Kate shook her head. "No, I don't."

Todd smiled. "That is nice to know."

Kate laid back on her bed. "Glad you think so," she propped her head up on her hands and stared at him. "So, tell me about Vallan."

With great happiness, Todd began speaking. It was perhaps an hour later that he trailed off with the realization that Katherine was asleep. He contemplated whether he should leave, or perhaps stay and wait out the night in her company even though she would probably neither notice nor care. In the end, the wraith decided to stay and simply watch her slumber, her chest slowly rising and falling with each breath and her eyelids fluttering gently as she dreamed.

He foolishly hoped that he was in those dreams as she was always, and would always be in his.

~xXx~

"You look rested."

Kate looked up from her breakfast and smiled dreamily up at Laura Cadman. "I feel great," she said lazily, stretching just a little as her friend sat down across from her at her table. "I slept really, really well last night."

Cadman raised an eyebrow. "You did, did you?" she shook her head and scowled at the contented and utterly relaxed look on Kate's face. "Any particular reason why?" she asked. "You get a new mattress or something?"

Kate shook her head and shot her fellow marine a shit eating grin. "Todd."

Laura blinked at her. "Todd?" she repeated. "How'd he help you sleep? What'd he do, spend the night?"

Kate smirked and felt herself blush. "Something like that."

Cadman dropped her fork and sat bolt upright in her chair. "He what!" she screeched, totally and completely baffled. Kate grinned at her and Laura looked around and noticed that several people were now eyeing her strangely, she shook the startled expression off her face and leaned in towards her friend.

"Did he really?" she asked, hoping beyond hope that it was true.

Kate nodded enthusiastically and then, at the expectant look on Laura's face, shook her head once in either direction. "Not like that," she admonished her friend. "Get your mind out of the gutter. Just friends remember?"

Cadman snorted. "Yeah, 'cause that's really going to hold up well. Need I remind you that exactly a week after reaching that decision Todd went all wacko and tried to make you his mate."

Kate scowled at her. "Barring getting infected with weird alien viruses, nothing is ever going to happen between me and Todd, but," and here she paused and offered the woman sitting across from her a coy smile, "I did manage to talk him into leaving the infirmary last night and coming back to my room with me. We talked or rather, he talked and I fell asleep listening to him. Instead of leaving, Todd stayed; he was gone when I woke up."

"If he was gone when you woke up then how do you know he stayed if you were asleep?" Cadman questioned, curious as to how her friend would know that.

Kate struggled for something to say that would make sense. "I don't, not for sure anyway, but last night while I was sleeping there was just something…comforting about everything. It was like there was this presence there with me, keeping the nightmares away and constantly soothing me," she trailed off and looked at Laura Cadman's incredulous face. "It was nice."

Cadman shook her head before shooting Kate a quelling look. "Now, just imagine how it would feel if he slept with you and I don't mean sex," she added when she saw Kate about to protest. "I don't care how many times you swear you'll never be more then friends, we've already established that you, missy, are way in over your head and would like nothing more than to marry him."

Kate snorted with laughter which progressed rapidly into giggles. "I don't want to marry Todd," she chortled to her friend who maintained an expression on her face that clearly told Kate she didn't believe her. "Well," she finally broke down, "Not yet anyways."

Laura Cadman grinned triumphantly. "See, you are in love with him!"

Kate looked down at her plate. "I am not," she countered.

Laura gave her a look. "You are too and you know it, you just don't want to admit it."

Kate rolled her eyes. "I am not," she protested strongly. "At least, not totally."

"AHA!" Laura screamed, very nearly doing a little dance of victory right then and there. "I'm right."

"You're half right," Kate shot back at her, but honestly couldn't shake the almost giddy feeling she had right now at having more or less admitted to being very nearly in love with Todd the let's-just-be-friends wraith. Suddenly remembering that fact, she came down off her high partially, but not completely.

Laura shrugged. "Still, half right is better than dead wrong and I'm really all right it's just that you're not ready to accept that yet, so I'm willing to let it slide for now."

Kate smirked, "Oh you are, are you?" she snickered. "Well, so glad you've decided to let me get away with continuing to lie to myself for just a little while longer," Kate stood up.

Cadman looked at her. "Running away are you?" she teased.

Kate looked down on her. "I'm going down to the infirmary."

"To confess your love and kiss him passionately while the whole of the infirmary staff looks on and applauds?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Laura," she warned, her friend was taking things just a little too far now.

Cadman held up her hands. "Alright, alright, I'll stop. Tell Lorne and Jennifer I said hi."

Kate promised her she would and then went to dispose of her tray before heading down to the medical ward. Stopping first to ask a nurse in an attempt to locate her specific group of people, she made her way down another level to the infirmary testing labs and found Evan and Jennifer sipping their morning coffee while sitting at one of the lab's many tables. What's up guys?" she hailed them. "What's happening?"

Lorne snickered. "Oh, not much," he nodded towards the glassed off room in which stood Todd. Travers was currently hooking various monitors and sensors up to him while the Todd waited impatiently for him to finish. The wraith was shirtless and was standing on a treadmill looking not at all happy about what he was getting ready to do. "So far we've seen him do numerous jumping jacks and more pushups then I'm sure even you could do," he looked at her. "How are you?"

Kate sat down on one of the lab stools and swiveled it toward her two friends. "Fine, I slept well last night."

Jennifer nodded toward her. "No nightmares?"

Kate shook her head. "Nope, not a one."

"Well that's good," Jennifer acknowledged before returning her attention to the doctor and the wraith. "I wonder what the point of this exercise is?"

Lorne shrugged. "Probably has something to do with endurance," the major guessed.

Jennifer frowned. "But he's already done like nine endurance tests already," she argued. "Does he really need one more?"

Lorne eyed her. "I thought your doctor could do no wrong? What's the matter, finally ready to admit that he can be really overzealous and annoying?"

Jennifer shook her head. "Stop it Evan, he's not my doctor and I'm just saying, how many endurance tests does he really need to do?"

Kate propped her head up on her hand after putting her elbow on the table. "Maybe he just wants to be as thorough as possible," she suggested.

Lorne scowled. "Well, there's a fine line between overkill and being meticulous. I say Travers crossed it about six tests ago."

Jennifer scowled at him and opened her mouth to defend Dr. Travers' intentions when she caught sight of Kate's face and stopped. "Kate?" she questioned, "Is there something -"

"What's the doctor's name?" she asked suddenly, coming out of her state of shock and foreboding to round on Jennifer.

Jennifer frowned. "Travers, Dr. Todd -"

"Travers, yeah, wonderful," Kate muttered, cutting off her friend and turning toward the testing lab just in time to see the man she probably hated more than anyone else turn so that she could see his face in profile. _Yep_, she thought viciously, _It's definitely him_.

Lorne and Jennifer looked at each other in confusion before the former turned to Kate. "Kate," Lorne started, "What's -"

"I've gotta go," Kate announced tersely, her lips pressed into a ultra thin line of pure disdain. Without offering up any farther explanation she turned on her heel and marched out of the infirmary leaving a very confused Jennifer Helen McKay and Evan Vincent Isaac Lorne behind her.

Kate fumed, she was so mad she could barely see straight and it was a miracle she made it to her destination at all. Walking into Mr. Woolsey's office without even announcing her presence or pausing at the doorway, Kate strode up to the balding bureaucrat's desk, put her palms down flat on top of it and leaned in toward the man who looked up at her, clearly startled to find her hovering over him so threateningly

"Major Sheppard," Woolsey greeted her, slightly put off by the look she had on her face. It was obvious that she was very unhappy about something. "What can I do for -"

"You're an asshole, you know that," Kate snapped at him before he could even finish asking her what she was doing here.

Woolsey blinked and stared back at her, both shocked by her behavior and worried by the expression of pure malice that was currently twisting her face into something that scared him quite a lot. "I beg your pardon?" he prompted her, leaning back and away from her just to keep himself from doing something unseemly like squeaking in terror which he thought he might do if she kept this up much longer. Major Kate Sheppard was an absolute horror when she was angry and Richard Woolsey had tried very hard since she'd gotten stationed here not to be the one that made her that way.

Apparently he'd failed, miserably.

"I have to ask -" he started again when she didn't immediately explain herself only to be cut off by a growl from the woman that would've probably made even Todd just a bit uneasy.

"I was having a good day," Kate explained to him, the fury on her features not lessening even the tiniest amount as she continued to bare down on the man that, for the moment, she had forgotten was her boss. "In fact, I was having a great day, and then what do I find when I walk down to the infirmary? Why, I find the person that I hate most out of everyone I've ever met in my entire life and do you know who that person is?"

Woolsey shook his head. "No, but I assure you -"

"Dr. Todd Andrew Travers," Kate hissed, her hands now gripping at the sides of Woolsey's desk with such force that her fingernails had begun to gouge into the wood.

Woolsey swallowed hard. "I take it you're familiar with the good doctor?" he managed to stammer without his voice shaking too much. Personally, given the nature of the woman towering over him, he was rather proud of himself for not having run screaming from the room yet.

Kate snorted. "Good?" she stood straight and began to pace wildly in front of Woolsey's desk. "Todd Travers has never been 'good', he's a slimy, egotistical, chauvinistic jackass that thinks women are his God given right and that, regardless of any prior commitments he might have already made, it is his solemn duty to fuck anything that has the appropriate parts and holds still long enough!"

Woolsey gulped and made to say something but was belayed by another angry outburst from the furious woman standing in front of him.

"Do you have any idea what that…that…asshole put me through?" she demanded, halting her pacing and turning toward the bespectacled director of Atlantis. "You should, because it's in my file and, as we all know, you read everyone's file so that you can know every last little detail about their lives and use it all in your favor! Are you punishing me for something! What did I ever do to you that I've come to deserve this!"

Her rant, it would seem was at an end and some of the fire seemed to leave her as she turned honest, hurt filled eyes towards him and locked them onto his face. Woolsey wasn't the most astute man in the world, and it was fair to say that he was better at reading between the lines of written reports then he was in reading people. But, everything aside, a blind man could see that the woman in front of him wasn't as angry as she appeared to be and that her anger was, in fact, a shield that she was using to hide behind. The young woman now waiting for his reply was not so much angered as she was hurt and scared although exactly of what, he didn't know.

He tried to reassure her. "Major Sheppard," he began, his voice its usual diplomatic self until he stopped and really looked at her. Sighing, he started again, stepping out of his comfort zone in order to comfort her. "Kate," she looked at him and he could see the water shining at the edges of her eyes. "Please," he beseeched her, "Sit down."

Kate sat heavily in one of the two chairs that graced the office and looked down at her hands. "Mr. Woolsey," she began, sitting straight up, her back rigid, and turning the full brunt of her questioning gaze to him. "Please tell me, what did I do to make you hate me so much?"

Richard Woolsey felt his heart very nearly break. She literally was as tough as nails, physically stronger than anyone else on the base, was capable of killing a wraith without so much as blinking, and had the magical ability to keep Todd the scheming wraith from getting too out of line. Yet the former IOA representative had to remind himself that she was very young and not as strong emotionally as she was in other areas. Getting up from behind his desk, he walked over to her and took the chair that sat opposite hers. Leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees, he reached out and took one of her hands in his.

Kate jolted at his touch and looked into his eyes questionably. Before she could say anything however, Woolsey began to speak.

"Kate," he looked at her, letting his hand drop from hers and interlacing his fingers together before continuing. "While it is true that I try and make it a habit to read through all new expedition members personnel files, I can say that I've never read yours."

Kate stared at him. "But Sir," she started, "You must have -"

Woolsey shook his head slowly so as not to appear angry, seeing the woman so vulnerable made any wish he might have had for retribution stemming from how she'd come at him disappear with only one look at her face. "Kate," he called out to her, "Look at me. I've never read your file."

Horror began to leach through Kate as she realized that she just called her boss an asshole and yelled at him for doing something that he hadn't done. "Oh no," she whispered, terrified of what her punishment would be. "Mr. Woolsey, please forgive me, I -"

He interrupted her. "I'm not mad at you, major," he looked at her and continued only after he was certain she understood that she was not going to be punished for her outburst. "And I don't hate you," he added, thinking back and remembering that she thought he did.

Kate looked at him. "I'm still sorry," she mumbled, sounding very much like a child in the doing. "I shouldn't have yelled, it's just that seeing him really -"

"What, exactly, did Dr. Travers do to you?"

Kate dropped her eyes and considered what to say, how best to explain her history with the man now running tests on Todd down in infirmary lab four. "He…we, he and I…" she looked up. "It's in my file," she offered meekly.

Woolsey shook his head. "It may be," he said gently, reaching out once more and retaking her hand, giving it a gentle but firm squeeze. "But I want to hear it from you."

Kate swallowed, her memories of she and Travers all rushing back to her at the same time and threatening to choke her. Tears threatened at the back of her eyes and Kate honestly didn't know if she would be able to hold them back for much longer. "We…."

This was hard for her, Woolsey knew it was, because the woman was exactly like her brother and John Sheppard did _not_ talk about his personal life or his feelings unless somebody threatened him. The director of Atlantis wasn't about to call in a marine and order him to hold a gun to her head in order to get her to confess, but he was not above trying other ways of getting her to talk.

"Major Sheppard," he began, moving his head just a little so that he could look her in the eye. "I can't help you if I don't know what's going on. If Dr. Travers really is what you say then I can order him out of the city but I have to know what he did to you."

Kate gulped and slowly nodded her head. "We were engaged," she confessed quietly.

Woolsey felt both his eyebrows go up. "I take it didn't end well?" he asked already certain that whatever this man had done, it had hurt her very, very badly.

Kate slowly shook her head. "No."

Woolsey implored her again, gently prompting her to continue. "What happened?"

Kate sighed and took a deep breath, waiting a few moments before she finally answered. "He first took an interest in me when I was fifteen, he's twelve years older than I am but I didn't care. He was John's best friend and I was…flattered that somebody older was paying attention to me."

Woolsey frowned deeply, he had a bad feeling about where this story was going. "He didn't…" he looked at her, silently praying to whomever would listen that the man hadn't taken advantage of her. "Did he?"

"No," Kate replied, equally as relieved as Woolsey appeared to be that Travers had never been _that _brave. "But he did give me presents, expensive presents at my birthdays and Christmas and convince me that he was in love with me by the time I was sixteen," she broke eye contact and looked away, embarrassed by her past foolishness. "And I believed him."

Woolsey looked at her with the utmost sympathy. "You can't blame yourself for something that happened when you were that young. Obviously Dr. Travers mislead you."

Kate snorted and shook her head, looking back up at the director. "That's the thing, he didn't. Not really."

Woolsey made a face that was awash with uncertainty. "What do you mean?"

Kate sighed, realizing that she was going to have to explain a little about the kind of world in which she grew up for the explanation to make any proper sense. "The Sheppard family is one of the richest families in the United States and is fairly wealthy in comparison with some of the riches families worldwide," she looked at him, already able to see that he was beginning to understand. "I was never supposed to be a soldier, I was supposed to grow up and marry a rich man and have babies. I was raised to be a trophy wife: beautiful and wonderful and completely brainless, I was supposed to just sit there and be a good wife and be faithful while my husband got to screw whoever he damn well pleased and not raise a fuss about it."

White hot anger was beginning to pool in the pit of Woolsey's stomach. Unfortunately for him, he knew all too well the kind of family she'd just described having been raised in one himself. His brother had married a witless wife just like Kate had been expected to be and he knew for a fact that his brother had never been faithful to her. He could only imagine what Kate must have felt when she'd found out that the man that had captured her heart when she'd been so very young turned out not to be quite the prince he pretended to be. "I'm sorry," he offered her, wholeheartedly meaning it from the bottom of his heart.

Kate could no longer help it and her tears started to flow soundlessly and slowly down her cheeks. "I was almost disowned when the rest of my family found out that I'd become a marine. Of course, by the time I got out of basic I'd been genetically altered and so I had to have a cover, someone I pretended to be so that nobody could find out who I really was."

"NC Twenty-Six Seventy-four," Woolsey supplied for her, knowing that the woman who was now being so honest with him had never been, and could never have been, that brainless twit that her family had wanted her to be. No, Kate Sheppard had always been strong and he could well picture her as a child rebelling against those that would have her lay down and die just so that they could look good.

Kate tearfully nodded. "My father told me that the only thing I had going for me, my only saving grace, was that Todd Travers was still willing to marry me."

"So you played along," he concluded, "Became two people."

Again, Kate nodded. "I did, and for a while it seemed like I could handle it until I wised up and, together with all my observational training and black op skills, began to figure out what kind of man it was that I was agreeing to marry. He never believed me when I told him where I was going or what I did because he didn't believe that women from so called "good families" were capable of being anything other than wives and mothers. Other women could be soldiers or spies but me, I was too stupid to do anything other then what I was told to do."

Woolsey looked at her and seriously began to picture what it was that she must have gone through. "And he told you this?" he asked, already knowing what the answer would be but feeling the need to ask the question anyway. "He told you that you weren't capable of doing the things you said you were?"

Kate smiled ruefully. "I couldn't tell him all that I did for obvious reasons, but he knew that I was black ops and, every time I got back, he'd yell at me for not being there when he needed me to look pretty on his arm for some gala or other or in another way. I once asked him if he'd ever cheated on me and he avoided answering by turning it around on me an insinuating that when I told him I was going somewhere to do my job I was really meeting up with one of my numerous lovers," she trailed off and took the tissue Woolsey offered her, using it to wipe the tears from her face and eyes.

"Did he ever hurt you?" Woolsey asked, fearful of what the answer might be. "Physically?"

Kate shook her head. "No," she answered shakily before looking back up into his face. "But he did call me a whore."

Staring back into her eyes, Atlantis' director could see the torment there and, in the wake of it, he fell silent and reflected on all that he had been entrusted with. She'd told him more about her past in nearly twenty minutes then he was sure she'd ever told anybody else, other than her brother, in her entire life. He felt honored by that and realized that, knowing what he did now, he respected both her and the colonel ever more for being the type of people they were after having been raised in such a corrupt world.

Just like the one he'd been reared in.

Richard had never been what you'd call charismatic, but his brother and father had been, and he'd watched the two of them charm their ways into more skirts then he could count all while his mother turned a blind eye and said nothing. He's asked her once why it was she put up with his father's infidelity and she'd told him that it wasn't something she could help. She had gone on to explain that she wasn't as young as she'd once been and couldn't fulfill his father in that way anymore, therefore he was forced to go out and find women that could and that it wasn't her place to say anything. Armed with that knowledge, Richard Woolsey could see Travers attempting to explain away his unfaithfulness to Kate by either putting the blame on her and saying that he was only unfaithful because of her actions, or by trying to say that if she wasn't around to fulfill his needs then it was his right to go and find somebody that could. Yes, Richard Woolsey reflected with a frown, he knew exactly what kind of man Dr. Todd Travers was and he despised him for it. The emotional pain he must have caused Kate would have hurt her more than anything else and, being so young, Woolsey was sure that she had many, many scars as a result of it.

"I am sorry," he told her, wanting her to know that he understood and that he wasn't just pretending to in order to make her feel better. He made sure he had her eyes when he continued. "My father and older brother are very much the same."

Kate didn't know what to make of that confession and felt humbled by the fact that Richard Woolsey had just told her such a personal thing. "Thank you," she said honestly.

Woolsey inclined his head and sat back in his chair. "Unfortunately I can't have him removed from the city. I could if he'd physically hurt you, but he didn't," he looked at her steadily. "That's not making light of the emotion damage I'm sure he caused you. I know from personal experience that emotion torment can sometimes be worse than physical pain but unfortunately the IOA and Stargate Command wouldn't see it that way."

Kate nodded slowly and, like Woolsey, sat back in her chair. "I understand," she said softly, thinking that Travers could have been kicked out of the city had been a long shot but, really, she was glad that somebody had been around for her to talk to. She'd need it and was simply surprised that the person she'd ended up confiding in was Richard Woolsey. John probably wouldn't believe her when she told him about it after he got back.

Woolsey crossed his ankle over his knee and regarded her. "What I can do, though, is send you and your team on a mission away from the city so that by the time you get back Dr. Travers will be gone."

Kate shot him a grateful smile. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yes," he sighed. "Atlantis Eight recently got back from a standard survey mission and reported that they'd found some interesting ruins. I'd like you and your team to go check them out, see if we can get any use out of them."

Kate was absolutely thrilled. "That we can do," she promised Woolsey.

He sighed. "Yes, well, I also think I'll have Todd go with you. I do believe that, having read through all of D. Travers findings, he's run enough tests on Todd. I'm afraid that if he does anymore our wraith friend might just forgo the drone we promised him and kill him out of spite."

Kate snickered. "That's very possible."

Woolsey stood. "Yes it is," he looked down on her as she too rose and stood facing him at parade rest. "Go and get geared up Major, I'll go and inform Major Lorne and Todd of my decision."

Kate nodded once and then snapped to a salute because, although he wasn't military, Mr. Woolsey had just shown her a kindness that she was fairly certain he'd probably never shown anyone else. Lowering her hand and returning it to her side, she stood at attention for a moment longer before turning and walking away.

Woolsey sighed and watched her go before following her out, informing Chuck the gate technician of where he was going and then headed toward the infirmary and a conversation that he was not looking forward to having with one Dr. Todd Travers.

~xXx~

Unfortunately for Mr. Woolsey, Todd Travers proved to be a better advisory then the former IOA representative had anticipated he'd be and, as a result, he somehow got talked into allowing the doctor to accompany Lorne, his team, and Todd off world so that he could do one last behavioral observation test on Todd the wraith. Needless to say, Woolsey now hated man possibly more than he had when he'd marched down to the infirmary to talk to him and, as he looked down at the team readying itself to go through the gate from the control room, he had the feeling that this was all going to end very, very badly.

"You wanted to see me?"

Woolsey turned and looked at Major Sheppard whom he'd radioed to come to the control room rather than the gate room so that he could talk to her. "Yes," he replied and stepped toward her, leading her away from the control room technician so that they could talk in semi-privacy. "We have a problem," he told her bluntly, not one to beat around the bush on a subject matter this important.

Kate sighed. "Let me guess, Travers talked his way into going with us?"

Woolsey nodded and looked contritely at her. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely and then leaned a little bit closer to her. "You don't have to go if you'd rather not. I can tell Major Lorne -"

Kate shook her head. "No," she interrupted him. "No, I think it's time he saw what I really am capable of."

Woolsey eyed her. "You're sure?" he questioned, worried that her pride might be getting in the way of her better judgment. "If you need -"

"I'm ready for this," Kate assured him, setting her face in determination. "Really. I ran away from him once, I refuse to do it again."

Woolsey bowed his head in consent. He knew that she was right, she was ready and, on some level, she needed to do it. "Very well," he said to her, "Good luck."

Kate nodded to him and turned to go but was called back at the last moment.

"Oh, Major."

She turned to look at Woolsey. "Yes?"

Woolsey locked his eyes to hers and held them. "If he causes you any trouble while you're gone, I'm sure I can find a reason why it was absolutely necessary that you shoot him in order to maintain order."

Kate smiled and started again toward the gate room. She paused on the steps just before going down, surveying the scene she was about to walk in on. Todd and Lorne were eyeing Travers darkly while Cadman stood a little ways away and casually flirted with him. Kate snorted, Travers' always had been a charmer.

"Who are we waiting on?" Travers asked the strawberry blonde he'd been talking to after a couple of minutes had passed. Normally the military didn't hold up operations like this one for this long.

Before Cadman could answer, she heard Kate's voice call out over the gate room.

"Me."

Travers' spine stiffened and his heart clenched as a voice form his past came floating through the air toward him. The gate activated behind him as he turned on the spot and looked up into the storm grey eyes of Katie Sheppard, only this Katie Sheppard was dressed for war rather than in a wedding dress as she had been the last time he'd seen her. "Katie?" he questioned in awe, not quite sure that it was her but one sweep of his eyes up and down her form confirmed it. He was looking at Katherine Elizabeth Sheppard.

Kate scowled at him and walked down the steps into the gate room, stopping just short of the man that had almost become her husband. "Hello Todd," she greeted him coldly, careful to keep her voice hushed so that nobody but the man standing in front of her could hear her.

Travers blinked at her and once again looked at her up and down. He gulped, she looked menacing and a tiny little voice in the back of his mind began to scream that she _had_ been telling him the truth all those times she'd told him she was off on some secret mission. It was not a part of his mind that he wanted to listen to, because that would mean that he'd have to admit to being wrong about her, and Todd Travers didn't like to admit that he had been wrong.

"You, ah," he stammered, trying to find something to say to her that wouldn't be too conspicuous given their location and who else was around them. "Look good."

Kate smiled sweetly at him in the same way she had when she'd been a child and had thought herself in love with him. She watched and waited for him to begin to smile back before she wiped the innocent look from her face and replaced it with one of malice and contempt. "And you look like you always have," she spit out at him. "Like a pig."

Travers' eyes narrowed. "Still have your vipers tongue I see," he bit back at her, his voice just as full of spite as hers had been even if it was muted so that they wouldn't be overheard. "Pity someone hasn't removed it yet."

Kate smirked. "There are other things that I'm surprised someone hasn't removed from you right now," she said, flashing her eyes downwards briefly before smiling inwardly at the look of horror that crossed his face.

Allowing a small portion of that smile to creep onto her lips, Kate stepped around him and marched through the open wormhole, turning to wait for everyone else on the other side. Once she'd been joined by the rest of her team, Todd, and Travers, Kate stood back and let Lorne get everyone moving in the right direction before she took up the rear of the column, hanging slightly behind so that she didn't have to be any closer to Travers then she had to be. Todd came and found her, easily matching his steps to hers and falling into pace with her. He didn't say anything for a few minutes but then, just as a respectable amount of distance opened up between her and her ex-fiancé, the wraith opened his mouth to speak.

"You are acquainted with Dr. Travers," he opened bluntly and Kate had to thank him for that, even though the other male really wasn't a topic she wanted to cover with Todd.

She nodded. "You could say that."

The wraith eyed her as they walked, slower than the others because - and it was only a suspicion, he had not actual fact - Katherine wished to avoid the doctor whom she had confronted in the gate room before leaving Atlantis. Todd had not heard what had been said but he did not think it have been any words of welcome or joy. Whatever their history, it was clear that they were not fond of one another. "Do you wish to discuss it?"

Kate inhaled sharply. "No, not with you."

Todd felt the sting of her words keenly and was surprised at how much the confession stung him. "Why not with me?" he asked, careful to keep the hurt from his voice. "Is there something in it that you do not wish me to know?"

Kate stopped walking and rounded on him. "There's not a rule written somewhere that I have to tell you everything," she snapped harshly. "Lord knows you don't tell me every, single detail about your past love life so what make you think you have any right to demand answers about mine?"

Todd raised an eyebrow, his mind narrowing in on the terminology she had used to describe her past with the odious human. "You and he have…known one another?"

Kate threw up her hands. "Yes, we did, in fact he was my first and it was not a pleasant experience, not the first time and not any of the times after that." She didn't know why she'd just told him that and, after realizing what she'd said, Kate let out an exasperated cry and then turned and left, catching up to Cadman who had begun lagging behind when she realized that Kate and Todd has stopped walking.

"So," she began once Kate had caught up to her and Todd had, after a moment's pause, started walking again wearing pensive expression on his face. "You and Todd have a nice chat?"

Kate scowled. "Laura, please," she begged. "Don't. Just don't."

"Okay," Cadman replied, able to tell that whatever it was that was bugging Kate, was bad and that trying to pry it out of her would only make things worse. "We won't talk about it."

The two women took a few steps, following the others, when Kate turned to Cadman. "Thanks," she muttered, meaning it.

Cadman nodded and draped her arm around Kate's shoulders. "No problem," she said. "But when all of this is over -"

Kate snickered. "Yeah, yeah I know, I'll tell you everything."

Cadman grinned. "That's right," she pulled her arm back. "See, you're learning."

Shaking her head and repressing rueful laugh, Kate and Cadman fell silent as they tramped through the jungle toward their destination. When they got there, both women had to stop and look around before going to join Lorne who had, apparently, dived right in.

"This place is impressive," Cadman said as she surveyed the ruins. The crumbling city looked a lot like several Ancient settlements that they'd already found throughout the Pegasus, and while the disintegrating buildings were made of stone rather instead of the metal that had constructed Atlantis, it was still very obviously Lantean architecture.

Lorne looked up from rummaging through his pack in the attempt to find his camera. "Yeah, it is," he found it and pulled it out, turning it on and looking through the viewer so that he could focus it properly. "Todd's happy."

Both women looked behind them at the wraith who had already found a crystal console in a wall, opened it and was tinkering away at it. "He always finds things first," Cadman observed, frowning.

Kate snorted. "Well, that's probably because he knows where to look."

Lorne nodded. "Yeah, probably. Hey doc!" he called out, directing his voice at Travers who had started to wander over towards the wraith curiously. "I'd leave him alone if I were you!"

Travers looked back at the major, frowned, but stopped his approach on Todd and choose to sit on a rock and watch him from a good distance away. Lorne turned to his girls.

"Alrighty," he stood up, camera in hand and looked at them both. "First thing we've got to do is take boo-coo pictures of the place and then catalog everything that we happen to find," he frowned. "Sound like fun?"

Cadman scowled. "Yeah, loads," she sighed and fished her cataloguing book out of her pack. "Well, let's get this over with."

The three marines all headed off in different directions, Lorne to the East, Cadman to the West and Kate to the South. It didn't take long for Kate to find something worth taking a picture of and, after taking a quick shot of the outside of the still mostly intact building, she stepped inside and started looking around. It took about five minutes for her to figure out that this had once been somebody's house, the tip-off being all those strange kitchen things that matched the items in Rodney and Jennifer's room that nobody knew how to use. Still, exploring a house that had once belonged to an Ancient wasn't so bad and, after taking several pictures of the ground floor, she turned to make her way up the stairs only to very nearly run face first into Todd the transporting wraith.

"Todd," she gasped, startled. "Don't do that."

He cocked his head to one side and took a step back, giving her ample space. "My apologies."

He sounded stiff and Kate realized that he was probably still hung up on what she'd said to him earlier. "Look," she started, "I'm sorry I snapped at you, it's just that Travers isn't really something I want to talk about."

"With me," Todd quipped, echoing her pervious sentiments.

Kate sighed. "With anyone," she replied.

The wraith wasn't so sure that was completely true, something in the way she had snapped at him earlier told him that she had a stronger aversion to him learning of her past with the human then she had of anyone else becoming aware of it. "But more so with me," he countered her, not willing to let the matter go until Katherine admitted at least that much.

She gave up, Todd was in one of his moods and she didn't have the energy to fight him on it. "Yes, more so with you," she confirmed tiredly.

Todd tilted his head to one side and eyed her thoughtfully. "Why?" he asked eventually.

She glared at him. "What part of 'I don't want to talk about it' don't you understand?" she questioned loudly, startling one or two native birds that had made nests inside the abandoned homestead. "And what did I say about you not having the right to demand answers from me?"

Todd took a step closer to her and watched Katherine back away, clearly agitated. He wasn't entirely certain as to why her history with the human mattered so much to him, but it did, more so since he had learned that they had, at one point in time, been lovers. Katherine had said that he had been her first and the fact that her first time, and the times after that had been unpleasant and dissatisfying for her, angered him. Enough to risk her ire to find out why she had stayed with one who obviously did not consider her to be the treasure that she was.

"He hurt you," Todd observed, deducing the obvious from her stance and the flare of her body temperature.

Kate made a noise, not sure of how to respond before finally deciding that while she had told Woolsey that she'd never run away from Travers again, she didn't have the same qualms about running away from Todd. Sidestepping him, she retreated out of the house and back into the ruins, turning at random intervals in an attempt to lose him. It didn't work, she rounded a corner and almost ran into him again only this time, when she tried to run, Todd grabbed her and held her fast.

"Let go," she hissed at him, her composure slipping. Her history with Travers proved how stupid and naive she had once been and she didn't want Todd to know how easily she had been tricked into handing over her heart. It was a part of her life that she hated and despised.

Todd's grip tightened. "What did he do to you?" he questioned, worried and angry that the human had hurt her more profoundly then he had first been able to construe. Katherine hid her pain well, but the wraith was able to see it reflected back at him through her eyes. He wanted to heal it, to soothe it and make the sting of it disappear but he could not do that unless he understood what had been done to cause it. He could not help her until she told him what had been done to her.

Kate struggled, trying desperately to get away, but Todd held her fast and gripped her tighter the more she tried to pry herself out of his grip. "Please," she begged him. "Don't ask me, I-I already told Woolsey, I can't say it all again."

"Woolsey?" the wraith echoed, surprised and genuinely hurt that she would talk to that particular being but not him. "You will tell him what troubles you but you will not tell me?"

Kate shook her head and made one last stab at getting free before letting go the attempts and allowing her body to relax. Todd's grip lightened but not enough as to allow her to make a brake for it.

Todd knew that he had won her compliance and so he tried once more to get her to speak to him. "Katherine," he called to her, willing her to lift her eyes to his and, once she had, he continued. "What did he do to you?"

Kate swallowed before answering brokenly. "He broke my heart."

Todd hissed and took a sharp breath inwards. So, that is what the human had done, he had taken her heart and the crushed it, destroying her innocence with it and, knowing this now, Todd very much wanted to make the human suffer for it. He could not, however, carry out that desire and so he pushed it away and sought to make Katherine smile once more. Seeing her so miserable, nearly broken with the weight of a past pain, made his heart ache.

"Katherine," he growled softly, "Look at me," she looked up and he released her arm and brought his feeding hand up to her face, touching it gently. "He cannot hurt you now."

Kate snorted. "Just being around him again is killing me."

Todd snarled. "Then I will keep you with me and not allow Travers to -"

"Telling the alien lies are we Katie?"

Both Todd and Kate turned their heads rapidly at the sound of the condescending and reproachful voice of Dr. Todd Travers. He was standing perhaps three feet away wearing a scowl and a look of distain on his face as he studied Katie.

She hissed at him. "I haven't told him anything other than the truth," she spat, turning away from Todd and rounding on Travers. "And you did break my heart, you just did it slowly taking it apart little by little every time you lied or were unfaithful to me!"

Travers scoffed and took an angry step toward the woman who was nothing like the girl she had been, the girl he'd wanted to make his wife. "What did you expect Katie?" he demanded of her, honestly wanting to know what she had expected him to do. "You were always gone, trotting around the world doing God only knows what and with whom for months at a time. I had to find something to -"

"If you'd loved me like you said you did you wouldn't have cheated on me every time I got sent on a mission!" she screamed. "Every single time I was gone whether it was for a month or a day you'd go out and find some stupid, voluptuous blonde and screw her until I got back! I was out risking my life for my country and my government and you were -"

"Don't pull that crap with me Katie Beth, I didn't believe you then and I don't believe you now!"

Kate snarled at him. "Don't call me 'Katie Beth' and what do you mean you don't believe me?" she gestured down at herself. "What, you think I get dressed up like this for fun? I'm a government engineered super soldier, I could kill you eight different ways with a paper clip."

"But you're not supposed to!" Travers yelled back at her. "You were never supposed to be this," he waved his hand over her.

Kate crossed her arms and set her jaw. "And what, pray tell, was I supposed to be?"

"My wife!" he screeched at her. "You walked out on me on what was supposed to be our wedding day, you left me standing at the altar so that you could go run off and play G.I. Jane. You turned your back on your life, your family and the only good thing that you had going for you after joining up, putting on that beret, and throwing away everything else!"

Kate glared at him, vaguely aware that by this time not only was Todd hovering irritably in the background but that Lorne and Cadman had joined them as well. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the faces of her two teammates and could also see them fingering their P-90's threateningly. They wanted to shoot the doctor, Todd wanted to kill him and she really, really wanted to rack him. She held off though because what they were shouting at each other needed to be let out, she'd bottled it all up for too long and now she was going to let him have it.

"I didn't," Kate said, taking a step toward Travers who held his ground as she came up to him, "…throw everything away. I gained a life the day I left you because you and the rest of my so called "family" were always trying to make me into something I wasn't. I've never been the perfect society girl that I pretended to be, I've always wanted out and on that day, what would have been our wedding day, I found a legitimate reason to leave."

"Ah Kate," Lorne called from somewhere off to her right but Kate ignored him.

Travers glared at her. "And what reason was that?" he demanded. "I know that your brother showed you something and it made you run, made you turn your back on every -"

"He brought me candid, picture proof of your infidelity because, you see, the reason why John stopped talking to you and you lost the best friend you ever had is because my brother loved me more then he loved all the perks he got from being a spoiled little rich boy. He'd seen what you'd done to other girls and he didn't want that to happen to me so he changed, he grew up and got away from it all. I was too young to follow right away but that day, when he showed up in his dress blues with more metals and ribbons than half the joint chiefs and showed me what he had on you, what he'd been collecting for over a year so that he could get me out, I took that information and I never looked back. Face it Travers, you're the one who lost that day, not me, and it's killing you to know what you could've had if you'd just been a better person."

Todd Travers stared at her because, in the back of his mind and in places that he didn't want to admit he had, he knew she was right. Katherine Elizabeth Sheppard had been out of his reach when she'd been fifteen and she was out of his reach now. He'd never had her, not completely like he'd thought he had and now, standing her in front of her he felt his hatred for her slide away. His pride, however, wouldn't let his resentment or indignation go the same way and he clung to that as he held his green eyes to her grey ones.

"How touching."

The strange new voice broke through the movement and both Travers and Kate stepped apart and looked around only to find Major Lorne, Cadman, and Todd standing a short distance away with their hands up, disarmed, while perhaps a dozen armed and dangerous looking men held their own confiscated weapons on them. Kate recognized the additional weaponry as Genii, though the men before her were not in uniform.

She looked at Lorne. "Nice warning," she told him.

Lorne shrugged. "Hey, I tried," he defended. "Twice, you ignored me."

Kate looked apologetic. "Sorry."

The leader turned to her. "Are you done?" he asked her mockingly.

Kate shrugged. "Yeah, I'm done."

The man leered down at her. "Good," he pronounced before nodding to a group of his men to come forward and relieve her of all of her weapons.

It took a while, and Kate received some small pleasure from watching Travers' eyes get bigger and bigger as she was searched and all of her various munitions were taken away. When she was clean, the men stepped back and nodded to their leader who then ordered them to move and, silently, the group of them, Travers, and Todd the wraith were marched out of the ruins and down a path that stretched Westwards.

~xXx~

"I thought you said you were a super solider?"

Kate glared at Travers who was sitting in the corner opposite her. They'd been marched three miles West, away from the gate, and then escorted to an underground bunker of some kind that looked hauntingly like the ones they'd found Ford in. After being left in their cell, the captured humans and Todd the wraith had taken to sitting opposite corners although, in Todd's case, he'd taken up vigil three inched to Kate's left and stayed, turning his yellow eyes hatefully towards Travers and pinning him with a death glare.

"I am," she replied tersely, not in the mood to get into another argument with him when the first one had led to their current predicament.

Travers scoffed. "Which is why you didn't hear these guys coming right?" he berated her.

Kate scowled. "In case you weren't aware of it at the time, I was busy," she snapped.

Travers nodded mockingly. "Oh right, I forgot, you were busy telling me how wrong I was about you," he looked at her. "Well, you might have been telling the truth about where you were always running off to, but I seriously don't think you're as powerful as you say you are."

Kate opened her mouth but was cut off by Todd who growled.

"Katherine is a formidable warrior, she can best even me," his eyes narrowed in the human's direction. "You would be wise not to doubt her."

Travers rolled his eyes. "Oh, look at that," he told her scathingly, "You've got your own knight in black leather. Tell me, does your brother know what you've been doing with your life since you left me?" he eyed the wraith and scrutinized the narrow distance that separated he and Kate. "I don't think he'd approve of your activities if he did, what with him being so protective of you and all."

Kate hissed at him. "John knows exactly what I do and is proud of me for it."

"Yeah, right, like captain screw up would even have the security clearance to know anything about what you do on a daily -"

"The Genii may have taken all my weapons away," Lorne interrupted the doctor whom he was really beginning to hate, "But I will beat you senseless if you continue to talk about my commanding officer like that."

Cadman nodded. "Me too, I'll help."

Travers's face lost a significant amount of its color at the threat of two marines jumping him before he shook his head and got his arrogance back. "Your commanding officer?" he asked. "I wasn't talking about your commanding -"

"Colonel John Sheppard has been the commanding military officer in Atlantis for the past seven years," Lorne talked over him, watching as the man's mouth dropped open in shock. "I suggest you shut up before we do something drastic."

Travers glared at him. "Oh yeah," he countered. "Like what?"

It was Todd that answered. "While we have not always seen I to eye nor agreed, John Sheppard has proven to be a proficient ally and, at times, something more significant," he looked pointedly at the human. "Crease your speech of his inadequacies or I shall gladly relieve you of several years of our life."

Travers gulped and shut up. His silence last for all of ten minutes.

"So," he started again, ignoring the groans that went up from the others he was trapped with. "Who are these guys again?"

Kate sighed. "They are called the Genii," she told him. "Although, given the fact that they're not wearing uniforms I think it'd be safe to say that they're not here under Ladon's command."

"And you would be correct, Miss Sheppard."

Todd froze, his blood running cold as the voice of the human whose family had captured him and used him as a weapon, had starved him for many centuries and had eventually introduced him to Sheppard came wafting towards him. Looking around him, he saw that the humans had all stood and so he did as well, hovering protectively behind Katherine whom his former captive had addressed by name; his anger with the human trumped only by the need to protect Katherine.

The man stepped from the shadows and walked toward their cell, looking around at them all before settling his flinty eyes on the black haired woman that did, indeed, bare some resemblance to the colonel. "It is," he began, eyeing her steadily, "A pleasure to meet the sister of Colonel Sheppard," he flicked his eyes away from her to the creature that stood rigidly at her back. "And to see you again."

Todd hissed dangerously but made no move.

Kate glared at him. "I'm sorry," she said, frowning; she swore he looked familiar like she should know him from somewhere. "You know my name by I'm afraid I don't know yours."

The man opened his mouth to speak.

"His name's Koyla," Lorne answered before the former Genii military leader could. "and he's supposed to be dead."

Acastus Koyla grinned and nodded to the major. "Yes, about that," he smiled secretively. "Sheppard wasn't the only one using Ancient technology that day. The man he killed wasn't me, he only looked like me. Did you really think I would have put myself into a situation where I wasn't sure of the outcome when there was another way?"

Lorne shrugged. " Right now I'm kinda wishing you had."

Koyla smirked. "Yes, of course you are," he turned his attention back to the wraith. "I have to admit that I'm surprised. I wouldn't have thought that your alliance with Sheppard would've lasted this long."

Todd growled. "Meaning you did not think I would keep my word," he surmised.

"Like I said," Koyla replied, "I'm surprised."

Kate took a step forward. "What do you want with us?" she asked, tired of playing games with this man whom she knew she couldn't afford to underestimate.

He looked at her. "It's simple. I've been in hiding for a long time and my resources are getting harder and harder to come by."

She raised an eyebrow. "So what?" she asked. "You want to trade us for weapons and medical supplies?"

He nodded, pleased with her level of intelligence. "Yes, very good, you do think like your brother."

Kate glared at him. "I'll tell him you said that, he'll be so pleased."

Koyla smiled and took another step toward the bars of the cell that separated him from his captives. "I'm afraid you won't," he told her. "See, you and the wraith are valuable to me so I'll be keeping the both of you and trading the others."

Lorne growled. "Like hell you will!" he snapped at the confidant Genii. "We won't leave without Kate."

Koyla looked at him. "I'm afraid you won't have a choice," he said with mock sadness, turning to give his men a signal. "Take the woman and the wraith," he said before turning to look at the one who was called Travers. "And this one."

Travers' eyes widened. "What? Me?" he demanded. "Why me?"

Koyla looked him over. "I can't have the wraith feeding off of Sheppard's sister now can I? He's going to get hungry soon and I doubt, based on what my men told me about your past with Miss Sheppard, that the colonel will miss you much."

The color drained from Travers' face and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "You can't do that!" he argued as the cell door was opened and he, Kate and Todd were taken by the arms and led from the cell. "You can't _do_ that!"

Koyla instructed the cell to be relocked and the three of them to be taken to another part of the compound. "I think you'll find that I can," he called out to the still protesting Dr. Travers, ordering guards to watch over the remaining prisoners before following his men to the interrogation room. When he got there, the wraith had already been chained in place and both the man and the woman had been forced into chairs so that he could talk to them.

"Well," he opened, sitting down across from the two of them and glancing up once just to make sure that the wraith was secure. "This is more comfortable isn't it?"

Kate glared at him. Her hands were bound behind her back with metal restraints that were then chained to the ground behind her. She couldn't move, at least not for the time being, and so she decided to play Koyla's game while she tried to get her hands free. "What do you want?" she repeated her question from the cell.

He looked at her and sat back in his chair, watching her face carefully. "I already told you," he said. "you and the wraith are valuable to me. If I threaten your life by allowing him to feed on you, I'm sure that Sheppard will give me anything I want."

Todd snarled. "There is an error in your judgment, human," he informed the man.

Koyla looked up at him. "Oh? And what is that?"

Todd hissed and tested his restraints. He could break them and possibly escape, but he knew that Katherine's hands were bound more tightly then his and he would not leave her behind; he didn't care about Travers. "You can threaten all you like, starve me if it suits you," Todd turned the full brunt of his golden eyes onto the human and pinned him in place. "But I will never feed from Katherine."

Koyla chuckled. "I'm sure you believe that now but, after a while, you will eventually grow hungry enough that whatever loyalty you have to Sheppard will break and disappear in the wake of your need to survive."

Todd shook his head. "You assume that I would refrain out of loyalty to Sheppard," he hissed. "That is where you are wrong."

Koyla sat up and folded his hands on the table, leaning forward. "You mean to tell me that this girl is more important to you then her brother?" he shook his head. "I find that very hard to believe."

While the gesture meant a lot to her, Kate knew that Todd could only hold out so long before he died of starvation. "Todd," she twisted around in her chair and looked up at him. "It's okay, if you need to, I can survive a partial feed -"

"I cannot consume you Katherine, I am incapable of it," Todd interrupted her.

Koyla's eyes widened a small fraction. "You're incapable of it?" he repeated. "What do you mean?"

Todd looked at him. "I have given Katherine the give of life, however small, and can, as a result no longer draw sustenance from her even if I were to try," he tilted his head to the side. "Nor can I feed from Sheppard."

This was news to Koyla and it appeared to be of equal surprise to the others. "Really?" Kate asked, having not known this. "But if you can't eat me, then you'll die."

Todd hissed and then chuckled softly. "Even if I could, Katherine, I would not. My life would end before I could ever bring myself to rob from you yours."

Travers sniffed. "Oh, look at that," he said having finally figured out what was going on here. "You're important to him," he fixed his ex with a look. "He likes you."

Kate glared at him and Koyla, who had heard rumors of a women that was important to the wraith, suddenly wondered if there wasn't some truth to those stories after all. "I see," he said, drawing back the attention of all three captives. "How interesting."

Todd growled, already able to see that the human would not be above using Katherine against him if it got the human what he wanted. "I swear to you, if you harm her -"

Koyla stood from his table and decided to put his newly acquired information to the test. "You'll do what?" he asked the wraith who, in response, bared his teeth and lashed out only to be held back by the chains that bound him. "You're not in a position to do anything to me, I am however in a position to do whatever I so please to you."

Turning, he motioned for his guards to come into the room and remove the girl. She thrashed and kicked but stopped when one of his men grew tired of her struggles and hit her in the head with the butt end of his rifle. This proved to be a mistake and Koyla had very little time to regret it as the wraith pulled free from his restraints and lunged at the soldier who had hit the woman, colliding with the men and throwing them against the back wall.

As Koyla turned to stun the woman himself, she kicked him hard, sending him stumbling back and onto the table. He landed hard, striking his head and losing consciousness. It was all over in a matter of seconds.

"You killed him," Travers yelped as he looked at the man now laying on the table in front of him. He looked back up at Kate, "I mean you actually -"

"He's not dead, just unconscious," she interrupted him, reaching into Koyla's pockets and fishing around for the key to her handcuffs. Unlocking them and then going to let Travers out of his, the both of them turned toward Todd to find him standing in the center of three bodies that now looked more like mummies then people. "Feel better?" she quipped, raising one eyebrow.

Todd nodded. "I do," he hissed slowly.

Kate glanced at Koyla and then back up to Todd. "So," she began, "What do you want to do about -"

The sounds of wailing klaxons interrupted her and both she and Todd looked around the room to see who sounded the alarms and found one of the guards that Todd had not drained dry sitting up and desperately clinging to the emergency switch. He looked about ready to keel over any moment now and so, Kate decided to leave him and Koyla in favor of escaping while they still could.

Apparently, Todd reached the same conclusion so that when Kate rushed towards the door after muttering a hurried "Let's go," the wraith followed her without a word.

Travers didn't. At least not immediately. Looking around the room at all the people either dead or not dead, Travers swallowed and ran to catch up with Todd and Kate. They made it back to the other cell quickly and released Lorne and Cadman after Kate and Todd both snapped one guard's neck each. Reclaiming their weapons, they even armed Travers before rushing out of the cell block and towards an exit as quickly as they could, the still screaming klaxons providing ample enough incentive to run.

"Where's Koyla?" Lorne asked as they climbed out of the bunker through a hatch that opened up in the middle of the dense forest. Hauling himself out and then reaching down to help Cadman pull herself up, he turned and looked at Kate.

Kate looked up at the sinking sun and easily discerned the direction they needed to take in order to get back to the gate. "I knocked him out," she called back over her shoulder. "We need to go before he can wake up."

Cadman frowned. "Should we really be leaving him behind?" she asked. "Wouldn't it be better to, I don't know, take him with us?"

Kate faltered because Cadman was right, it would be better for them if they could capture Koyla but there were other things to consider at the moment. "We've got him," she jerked her head at Travers who made possibly the best scapegoat in the world.

The doctor puffed himself up indignantly. "Hey," he said irritably. "Need I remind you that I went to the Air Force Academy same as your numbskull of a brother and I am perfectly capable of -"

"What did we say about insulting our Colonel?" Lorne cut him off, glowering at him before seeing what Kate was getting at. "And besides, we've all had black ops training while you, on the other hand, probably never got past hand-to-hand level two."

Travers fell silent and fumed in indignation while Kate looked around at everyone. Leaving Koyla behind wasn't a good idea but with Travers with them, she didn't trust him not to screw up any attempt the rest of them might make at trying to do the advantageous thing which was take the enemy leader with them and then fork him over to Ladon as soon as they got back to Atlantis. In fact, if they were to try something like that, Travers would probably get them all killed and, like the Atlantis Handbook said, it was always better to run away and live to fight another day then it was to try something, fail, and possibly get shot.

The muted sirens still screeching in the complex below them reminded them all that they were just standing there and that'd it'd probably be a good idea to leave.

"The gate's this way," Kate announced and started off, trusting the others to follow her.

Nobody argued with her, not even Travers, and they all took off running through the woods. They almost made it, Kate could see the gate through the trees when gunfire sounded behind them and they were all forced to take cover. Ducking behind trees and rocks, Kate turned to Lorne.

"How many?" she called out.

Lorne, who was above her just slightly and so have a better view point, poked his head out from behind the rock he was using as a shield and quickly counted the number of people that were shooting at them. "Six!"

Six, that they could handle. Kate called out again, "And Koyla?"

Lorne peaked, scanning the trees and finding no trace of the Genii rogue. "No!"

Kate cursed, the man really was a coward. "Okay," she said loudly, speaking over the sound of gunfire. "This is what we -"

"We could make a break for it?" Travers suggested. "The gate's right there," he pointed through the trees.

Kate glared at him. "Are you bullet proof and didn't tell me because you'll be dead if you're not before you can reach it."

Travers growled. "Well, that's what you're for."

Kate's eyes widened. "Me? What have I got to do with -"

"You're a super solider remember or at least you keep telling me you are, so aren't you fire proof?"

Kate scowled. "To a degree, but not -"

"Grenades!" Cadman shouted, already low-crawling to better cover. "Everyone down!"

An explosion and then another and another went off as half the Genii stopped firing at them and began to lob mortars towards their position. As dirt rained down all around him along with twigs and other bits of plant matter, Travers panicked. What Katie had said was true, he'd never had any black ops training and while he'd actually gotten all the way to hand-to-hand level three, he'd never been stuck behind a rock in a forest on another planet while the enemy threw hand bombs at him.

Looking around him, all Travers could hear was the defining roar of war screaming out from all round him and in that moment, MD, PhD Doctor Todd Andrew Travers completely lost his head. Terror and fear for his life raced through him, jumping up his body's production of adrenalin and forcing him to no longer be able to just sit there like a target. Surging to his feet, he looked around for something, anything that he could use to defend himself and, remembering what Katie had said about being bullet proof earlier, he grabbed her and pulled her up, holding her between him and the gun and mortar fire as he scrambled towards the gate.

"TRAVERS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Lorne yelled as he saw the doctor break cover and then pull Kate up with him, positioning her so that she was a literal human shield. "STOP -"

It happened quickly. Kate and Travers were easy targets and the world seemed to slow down and almost stop as Cadman yelled for the two of them to drop. Travers did and released Kate in order to hit the ground and cover his head but Kate wasn't so lucky. The first bullet hit her in the shoulder and, too stunned to immediately react, the second and third bullets hit her simultaneously in the thigh and in the side before the fourth and last shot rang out and buried itself into her stomach.

"KATE!"

Kate blinked blindly though the pain that was radiating our through her limbs and that seemed to be concentrated in her core. Swaying numbly, she looked down and saw blood gushing like a great spring out of a tiny, innocuous hole just above her belly button. Reaching down and touching it, she lifted up her hand and saw nothing but red before her whole world went black.

Having heard the shout and having had time to take cover, Travers rolled over when he heard both Cadman and Lorne scream out Kate's name. He saw her get hit, once, twice and then a third and fourth time each time a bullet hit her his eyes widened fractionally. He saw her look down, saw the way her eyes turned to glass and he stood, pushing past his fear of being hit so that he could catch her as her strength gave out and she fell, limp into his arms.

He collapsed back onto the ground and laid her out, the doctor in him kicked in as he began to apply pressure to the most pressing of the bullet wounds. Pushing down on her stomach he tried to stop the bleeding as he felt her body begin to shudder and convulse.

Lorne tossed his weapon to Todd and ordered the wraith and Cadman to cover him as the major broke from his hiding place and high-crawled over to where his best friend lay bleeding out while the man that was responsible for doing this to her tried to save her life. Lorne realized the irony in this and, when he got to her side, shoved his hatred from the man to the back of his mind and asked the doctor what to do.

"Apply pressure here," Travers instructed, taking his hands away from Kate's abdomen as he started to administer CPR. "Don't let up," he told the major.

Lorne nodded and did as he was told, holding back a cry as his hands almost slipped off of Kate's stomach because it was so slick with her blood. "God," he whispered. "Hold on, Kate, please hold on."

Behind the two men Cadman and Todd mounted an admiral offense and had managed to kill at least two of their enemies bringing the total number of advisories down to four. Lorne felt a bullet whizz by him, narrowly missing his arm but didn't care, all his attention was on Kate who was rapidly losing color in her face and hands. She was dying and all his attempts didn't seem to be helping.

Travers furiously fought to keep her heart beating, praying that the woman he was working on would live. He hadn't wanted this, never this; he'd never wanted her to get hurt or to die and, even as he struggled to save her, he could see that she was dying and it was all his fault. The resentment he had for her, for being stronger than him, faded away as the blood drained from her body and her eyes began to lose their light. Everything he'd ever accused her of being was wrong and she was going to die because he'd been to stupid and too prideful to admit it.

"We're losing her," he whispered tearfully as he continued to pump her heart even though he knew it was a lost cause. "We're losing her; Katie I'm sorry," he choked out brokenly, "I'm so sorry, Katie -"

Kate convulsed and gasped for air, choking on the blood that was blocking her throat. Shaking, her whole body twitching uncontrollably, she looked up and was barely able to make out Evan's face as it hovered over hers, calling out to her and sounding so far away. She wanted to tell him that it'd be alright and that she'd be fine but she couldn't, her body felt warm and she could feel herself slipping away until she stopped fighting it and simply let the darkness take away her pain.

"Kate," Lorne's voice hitched as the woman he loved like a sister looked at him, her eyes locking with his one last time, before going dark and lifeless. He fought the tears and pushed Travers out of the way so that he could take over trying to make her heart beat even when he knew that it had already failed. "Kate, come back, I order you t-to come back. Kate, please!"

There was a pause in the sounds of the gunfire and in that moment both Laura Cadman and Todd turned just in time to see Evan Lorne look up tearfully at them before dropping his head down again and openly and unashamedly crying. Together the woman and the wraith looked down as saw that Kate's head was turned toward them, her face void of color and her eyes dead and turned to stone.

"Kate," Cadman whispered, her hand flying to her mouth in horror at her friend's passing. Turning to see Todd's reaction, she saw the wraith staring straight ahead of him, his eyes locked onto Kate's lifeless face. She called to him, "Todd?"

The wraith was silent for one more long moment, his ancient eyes boring into the face of the female whom he coveted above all else and felt anger, rage and utter fury take hold. The humans couldn't save her but the wraith knew that resurrection was within his power to grant but only if he had ample amounts of life energy to transfer. His rage came spilling out in the form of an earsplitting, deafening roar that left even his own ears ringing painfully. Snarling the wraith stood from his crouch behind a bolder and walked out to meet the humans that he knew hid in the tress. Furry fueled him and sharpened his reflexes, as did the knowledge that he must hurry if he was to acquire what he needed in enough time to bring back Katherine from the abyss. If she lingered too long in that world of nothing then he would be unable to call her back.

Feeling the need to hurry, Todd ducked and weaved through the bullets that came flying toward him and finally broke the lines of the enemy, attacking them without mercy and draining them all of their lives, leaving them empty and hollow before turning his steps back to the grieving humans. Stalking forward he came over them, all of them were now gathered around Katherine, and looked down.

"Move."

Lorne, Cadman and Travers scrambled out of Todd's way, watching in mixtures of fascination and blind hope as the wraith kneeled down besides Kate and lifted her practically into his lap. Placing his feeding hand down on her chest, he gave to her what he had taken from the others and the three of them all watched in awe as the wounds on her body healed and vanished as the color returned to her skin. When he was done, it was obvious that Todd was drained and he sagged slightly, sinking all the way onto the ground while still cradling Kate to him as though afraid to let go lest she disappear.

"Katherine," he whispered, reaching out with his feeding hand to gently touch her face. "Katherine?"

Kate felt the warmth she had previously swam in leave her but rather than cold, she felt another kind of warmth take its place. This kind took her pain and made it vanish and fade, returning her strength to her so that when she heard a voice call her name she had enough will to force her eyes to open. They blurred and focused, revealing the face of Todd the wraith hovering over her wearing an expression of concern such as she had never seen on him before.

"Todd," she whispered, pulling herself up, "What -" she was cut off by the wraith pulling her forward and holding her tightly to his chest, wrapping her in his arms and holding her tightly.

"Oh thank you God," Lorne murmured, crossing himself as he watched Todd the wraith cling desperately to his friend as though afraid that she might leave him if he let go.

Besides the major, Travers too watched the two of them and thanked whoever happened to be listening at the moment for the gift that had been given back to them in having Kate Sheppard brought back to life.

~xXx~

Travers left Atlantis and hour after he, Lorne, Cadman, Todd, and the still very weak Kate had come back through the gate. A medical team had been waiting for them and Kate had been taken away while the others had stayed behind and explained to Mr. Woolsey what had happened. The director of Atlantis had very nearly punched Dr. Travers in the face, but had refrained and instead sent him packing, before ordering that Colonel Sheppard be recalled and that Travers be gone by the time he got there. Thus it was that the bureaucrat, the wraith and Major Evan Lorne were waiting in his office for the returning colonel who, as soon as he stepped through the gate, was told to report to Mr. Woolsey's office.

The man walked though Woolsey's door with a peculiar expression on his face. "You wanted to see me?" he asked, looking around at Todd and Lorne before realizing what his major was covered in. "Is-is that…blood?"

Woolsey nodded. "Yes, colonel, it is," he confirmed and then waited for the question that he knew was coming.

John frowned. "Who died?" he asked, only half serious.

Lorne answered him anyway. "Major Sheppard did, Sir, briefly," he informed his commanding officer and then braced himself.

It took about a minute for the words to work themselves out in his head but when they did, John Sheppard exploded. "WHAT!" he screeched. "When did…how did…what do you mean briefly?"

Lorne nodded toward Todd. "He brought her back to life, Sir, with the gift."

John rounded on him. "So, my sister…Katie Beth…she was really -"

"Dead, yes," Woolsey finished for him when it looked like Colonel Sheppard wouldn't be able to complete his sentence. "For about five minutes."

Emotions such as he'd never felt before were currently swirling around John Sheppard's mind the main one being anger. "How'd that happen!" he demanded, looking accusingly at his second in command.

Woolsey folded his hands on his desk and cleared his throat, the colonel looked at him. "I believe you're familiar with a man by the name of Todd Travers."

John's eyebrows went so far up they threatened to disappear into his hairline. "I know him. I named him," he nodded at Todd, "…after him."

The wraith wasn't at all happy about this new information. "What?" he demanded.

John turned to him. "Yeah, you're both manipulative and sneaky and -"

"I am nothing like that human!" Todd snarled angrily.

John shrugged. "You're a little bit like -"

"I would never put Katherine at such a risk that her life was lost because of it!"

John paled. "Travers is the reason my sister got…" he rounded on Woolsey. "Why'd you even let him in the damned city!"

Woolsey sighed. "As I told Kate when she first made me aware of -"

"She's got a restraining order against him!" John yelled over the man. "I know because I filed it. It's in her file -"

"I've never read her file nor do I plan to," Woolsey interrupted him.

John blinked at him. "Why the hell not?" the irate colonel demanded.

Woolsey sighed. "Correct me if I'm wrong Colonel, but your sister never has been the girl she pretended to be, the one whose life is recorded in her personnel file. Reading it wouldn't help me understand her as you and I both know that in all actuality, Katie Sheppard has never existed."

John stared at him, not quite sure he'd heard right; that certainly hadn't been the explanation he'd expected even if every word of it was true.

"Now," Woolsey began again, standing. "your sister is recovering - I believe that Jennifer is even letting her do it in her room. I suggest you go and see her and then, afterwards, you and I can start the paperwork."

John frowned. "Paperwork?"

Woolsey nodded. "I will be taking legal and formal action against the doctor for putting one of my people at risk."

John was surprised but let it go, turning to go but stopping before he could get all the way to the door. He turned back and looked at Todd. "Did you really, you know, bring her back from the dead?"

Todd nodded. "Yes."

What John did next not even the colonel himself could fully explain when he was asked about it later. He was just so relieved that his sister was safe that everything else kind of melted away. Stepping forwards, John Sheppard hugged Todd the very surprised wraith whose back went completely stiff as soon as he realized what the man was about to do. Shell-shocked and feeling very, very awkward, the wraith glanced towards Major Lorne and Woolsey to make sure that he wasn't simply imagining this and found that, they too, looked like they'd both been slapped.

It was over as soon as it'd happened and Sheppard was gone very quickly after he'd stepped away from Todd, leaving the wraith and the other two humans alone to ponder over whether or not they'd really just seen what they had thought they'd seen.

Todd rounded on the both of them. "That is never to be mentioned," he snarled darkly before turning on his heel and walking away, his back still painfully stiff.

Woolsey and Lorne looked at each other. "Oh, it may come up in the mission report," the balding man said. "For leverage."

Lorne snickered. "Or at the next Christmas party."

Woolsey nodded and the two men both looked at one another before bursting out into uncontrollable snickers.

~xXx~

The walk to Todd's destination was short and by the time he got there he felt only slightly normal again after having been embraced by John Sheppard. He had been planning on leaving but, after learning that his human name had been given to him because of similarities between himself and Dr. Travers, Todd felt that there was one more task he must accomplish before he took his leave of Atlantis and her people. Wordlessly coming up to Katherine's door, he knocked and waited for her to answer.

She didn't and when the door did open it was Jennifer that Todd found himself looking at. "Doctor," he greeted her.

Jennifer wasn't honestly surprised to see him. "I suppose you'd like to say goodbye?" she asked and, when the wraith nodded, she stepped aside and let him enter. "I'll wait outside," she told him and then left.

Todd looked around the room and found Katherine sitting on her bed, looking out of her windows across the city and to the ocean that surrounded it.

"Katherine," he called, stepping toward her and stopping just short of her bed.

She turned to him and smiled. "Hey Todd."

The wraith snarled. "Todd," he repeated, coming closer to her and allowing himself to sink down onto the foot of her bed so that he might look her in the eye. "Your brother has informed me that I was named that after Dr. Travers."

Kate winced. "Yeah," she offered, feeling sorry for him. "It's a bit late to change it now though."

Todd nodded. "It is," he looked at her, sincerity and trust pouring forth from his gaze into hers. "But there is something else I would have you know me by rather than a name which is so…tainted."

Kate looked back at him, realizing the seriousness of whatever was about to happen but not knowing why she felt that way. "Like what?" she asked curiously.

Todd had three seconds to consider taking back this decision he had made before he reminded himself that he wanted to hear her say it, had wanted to hear her say it for some time now and that the whole situation with Travers had only increased that desire. "My name," he told her.

Kate's eyes widened. "Your…but a wraith's name is sacred to them," she looked at him. "I don't deserve -"

"Our names are ours to give to whom we choose and I have deemed you worthy enough to know mine," he replied solemnly. "Besides," he added, his gaze softening, "…I have long wished to hear you say it."

Kate's breath caught in her throat as the magnitude of what he was about to give her came rushing up to her. "And," she began slowly, trying very hard not to appear as excited as she really was, "What is -"

"Valloran," he supplied for her. "It means never-ending, endurance and strength. It is what I am, Katherine and I would have you know that."

Kate gulped and tried it out on her tongue. "Valloran," she repeated, feeling a shudder run down her spin as she said it.

Todd hissed and fought to control his reaction to having her say it for the first time. It would seem as though her calling him by name did more for him than anything else and Todd felt all of his blood in his entire body, flood downwards. He steadied himself, as much as he wanted to stay and speak with her more, ensure himself that she was alright, he knew he needed to go because if she said it many times more, he would lose what little self control he still had and recant his promise not to touch her.

Kate watched him stand and looked up at him, tilting her head backwards so that she could maintain eye contact. "Goodbye then, Valloran," she said softly.

Todd had to clench his fists very tightly to prevent himself from reaching out to touch her, caress her or kiss her as he so desperately wanted to. He wanted to hear her scream his name in pleasure but knew that it was not an option, wordlessly he turned and left her quarters leaving Katherine alone but assuredly alive.

Kate watched him go and smiled to herself, knowing now what she could cry out in her dreams.

* * *

**A/N:** If it wouldn't trouble ya'll too much, you can hope on over to theassassinnox's page and check out her story which is full of wraithy goodness and mischief for those of you who like that sort of thing. I normally don't endorse other people's work like this but, it's just that she helped me out so very much with this last chapter that I thought I could, perhaps, make an exception just this once. But, before ya'll go, please, please push the button. Reviews are candy and I do so like candy very, very much. ;)


	20. The Mine

**A/N: **Here you go my lovelies, episode number twenty. I can't believe we're almost there, season 7 is almost over - only five more episodes to go - and then it's on to season 8. Yes, there is another complete season in the works for your every enjoyment; just thought that ya'll would like to know. Anyway, this chapter is a bit rough so I apologize before hand for any mistakes. I've had to work on it in bits as Real Life has been interfering lately rather a lot. I finished it just now and, rather than wait a few more days and clean it up all nice and shiny like, I thought you all might appreciate me posting it up anyway; I can always go back and clean it up later. So, that's that and I hope you all enjoy it. Remember to read, review and enjoy. Cheers!

* * *

**Episode XX: The Mine**

"You think he's nervous?"

"Oh yeah, definitely."

"It's not like him."

"Well, you gotta admit, the last two times she's seen him she's tied him up and beat him."

"True."

Cadman walked up to Kate and Lorne. "What's up guys?" she asked, shoving her way in between both majors and turning her gaze downwards into the gate room. "Larrin here yet?"

Lorne shook his head. "Nope, not yet."

Cadman snickered as she watched Colonel Sheppard shift his weight to his other foot. "He looks nervous."

Lorne looked over Cadman's head at Kate and grinned. "Told you."

Kate waved away the remark casually. "Yeah, yeah. Shut up and watch, I wish we had a camera. It's not every day my macho brother gets all hot and bothered by a girl."

Cadman giggled. "A really, really, hot alien girl who can kick his ass."

Kate nodded. "Exactly."

"You forgot space pirate," Lorne reminded them all as the gate activated and the wormhole stabilized. "There's gotta be extra points for that."

Both ladies nodded in agreement.

Below them, in the gate room, John gulped and tried to keep his cool as Larrin walked through the gate and came to a stop in front of him. Even though he'd known she was coming for about a day now, seeing her still got to him and he felt wave after wave of nerves wash over him without mercy. "Larrin."

The Traveler woman smiled a smile at the man before her that was half smirk half all-knowing grin. "Sheppard," she greeted back, looking him over once and silently admiring him before turning her attention away from him and calling out to the woman that was coming towards them. "Kate!"

John was literally shoved to one side as Larrin moved past him and embraced his sister who, likewise, embraced her. Staring at the scene in front of him, the confused colonel shook his head and mumbled, "That's not fair" before crossing his arms and waiting for them to pull apart. Once they had done so he approached the both of them. "So," he said, looking at first Larrin and then Kate, "How come you're happy to see her and not me?"

Larrin turned to him, still leaning against Kate, her arm around the younger woman's shoulders. "Why would I be happy to see you?" she asked.

John sputtered. "Why would…you like me!"

Larrin made a face and shrugged. "Eh, maybe a little."

Kate snickered; John's face lit up. "A little is better than nothing," he said cheerfully, starting to walk towards the briefing room. "Come on," he called out over his shoulder, "Woolsey's waiting for us."

Larrin and Kate looked at each other and followed after John. As soon as they were all seated in the briefing room and all due 'hello's' and 'how are you's' had been made, Larrin explained why she was here.

"As you know, my people aren't farmers but some of us are excellent craftsmen. We rely on trade of our goods in order to support us."

Woolsey frowned. "What has that got to do with anything?"

"Most of our wears are made out of a particular kind of metal called tallsium," Larrin continued, tapping the table with her finger absentmindedly. "In liquid form it makes up the power source for our blasters, in solid form we use it in everything from pots and pans to the casings for our weapons."

"And where, exactly, does this metal come from?" John asked, curiously.

Larrin looked at him. "We mine it. That's why I'm here."

"Oh," John nodded a couple of times before shaking his head. "That doesn't explain why you called -"

Larrin talked over him. "Recently, our most prosperous mine has had a number of attacks, raids, by the wraith."

Woolsey eyed her dubiously. "Why would the wraith be interested in your mine?" he asked.

Larrin sighed. "Because tallsium is as important to them as it is to us. The wraith use it to construct their hyperdrives and the mineral is also a key element related to hive growth. The last three times they've come, they've taken the raw ore that we've extracted from the earth but left the mine and the miners intact."

Woolsey understood. "So they're using you to mine the metal rather than to do it themselves."

Larrin inclined her head. "The problem is that we've lost three shipments of tallsium which means that we may not be able to trade for enough food to feed all of our people in the coming months."

John frowned worriedly. "So, what are you going to do?" he looked over her. "How can we help?"

Larrin took a deep breath and ploughed on. "We think there's a spy operating somewhere in our mine that's tipping the wraith off."

"Telling them when the next shipment is ready," John concluded.

"Yes," Larrin confirmed, looking round the table at both Sheppard and Woolsey. "I came here to ask you if I could barrow Kate to help me find the guy since, you know, interrogation is what she does best."

Woolsey considered this, his decision made almost as soon as Larrin had made her request. "Very well," he said, folding his hands in front of him on the table. "But take Major Lorne with you as well, he has some experience in the field and I don't want Major Sheppard going in alone."

Larrin nodded. "I can do that," she looked at Sheppard. "You okay with that?"

John made a face. "Oh yeah, I'm fine with it. So long as you two don't end up involved in some sort of wraith plot that nearly gets you both killed, you're good to go."

Larrin glared at him. "That wasn't my fault, Sheppard. Kate -"

John waved her silent. "Yeah, yeah just…be careful."

Larrin smirked. "Aren't I always?"

John eyed her. "Do you really want me to answer that question for you?"

Larrin shot him a look and stalked past him, heading towards the gate room and the patently waiting Lorne and Kate.

John smiled and watched her go. _Oh yeah,_ he thought, _I got her._

~xXx~

The great and mighty warrior Valloran was a myth or, at least, that is what Caavin's second had thought before he had been introduced to his commander's sire several thousand years ago. Since his first introduction to the mythical warrior - and the realization that he and the almost equally legendary Eldest were one and the same - the much younger wraith had always looked forwards to meetings with the warrior with utmost apprehension and caution; the Eldest's temper was almost as infamous as the wraith himself. Thus it was that, at present, Caavin's second was shifting nervously from foot to foot while standing besides his commander as they awaited the arrival of his sire. The second was not looking forwards to the visit at all.

"Be still," Caavin reprimanded his second in command who, for some reason, never believed him when he told him that his sire really was not as bad as his reputation claimed him to be. "I promise that I shall not allow him to feed from you."

The second snorted in nervous humor and shifted his weight yet again. "Yes commander," he said, his tone betraying the fact that he did not sound convinced at all.

Caavin eyed him, one brow ridge raised. "Has he ever transgressed against you before?" he inquired already knowing that the answer would be no. When his second shook his head he added, "Then rest assured that he will not do so this time."

The second nodded and forced himself to still. His commander after all was the Eldest's son and so, therefore, not one whom you should cross if you wanted to keep your life, your limbs and anything else that was precious to you.

A shuttle flew past the open dart bay doors and then circled around to come in for a landing. The two wraith stood silent as the craft entered their dart bay and set down not three meters from where they both stood, the back hatch lowering a few moments later to revel the Eldest, his second in command and another battle wizened looking wraith whose persona scared the already anxious second positively mindless. It was hard to distinguish whom was more worrisome, the eldest or this as of yet un-introduced wraith.

The second decided on the Eldest.

Caavin stepped forwards and bowed at his wait towards the wraith who had begot him. "Sire."

Todd sniffed and let out a pleased sounding hiss. "Eldest."

Caavin straightened and smirked, remembering the first time his second had heard his sire call him that. The greeting had confused the younger wraith greatly, which had led to an explanation that explained certain bloodlines and the fact that Caavin himself was the Eldest's firstborn and therefore his sire often called him 'eldest' for he was the eldest of his offspring. Caavin turned to the other wraith, inclining his head to his sire's second and then offering a similar bow to Romulus. The aged wraith nodded his head and Caavin returned his attention to his sire.

"Follow me."

The party of wraith was lead through the corridors of the grounded hive to a more comfortable room in which sat a long hivegrown table and a plethora of non-hivegrown chairs. Caavin sat at the one at the head of the table whilst his sire took the one at its foot, the others arranging themselves evenly along the table's length save for Romulus who took the seat immediately to his sire's right. Caavin began to speak.

"Our progress goes well, Sire," he informed the wraith sitting opposite him. "Both in our repairs and in our other endeavor."

Todd growled softly in pleasure at hearing this and steadily eyed Caavin, very pleased indeed that things were going so well. Weeks ago, his son's hive had been in a great battle with one of their rivals and, as a result had had to land in order to make repairs. They had chosen this planet because it hosted a tallsium mine run and operated by a group of humans who, very recently, had begun to have their latest shipments of the precious mineral stolen from them by one of the less powerful factions that rivaled Todd's own. Caavin had volunteered to run surveillance and gather information on the mine while he made repairs to his hive; Todd was sure that this was an instance where Sheppard's odd idiom about killing birds with rocks was applicable. To hear that Caavin was making progress in this arena as well as in the restoration of his hive was great news to the elder wraith whom longed to have both matters settled as quickly as possible.

"Congratulations are I order then," Romulus inclined his head towards Caavin who shook his head from side to side and promptly waved away the praise.

"Unfortunately not," he replied, drumming his fingers on the polished surface of his conference table absentmindedly. "We infiltrated the mine easily enough but have since learned that, as of now, two more of the humans shipments have been stolen. My spy is unable to tell me who their informant is and so cannot stop them. It would seem that our rivals have more resources then we thought if they can employ a spy so talented as to avoid detection from mine."

Todd grunted, not at all happy to hear this bit of news. "And is your spy certain that his rival is not a fellow worshiper?"

Caavin shook his head. "He is. He has, covertly of course, checked all of the mine's workers for worshiper brands; he has found none."

"So a contracted spy then," Romulus summarized, frowning. "This will complicate things."

Todd nodded."Yes, it will. It is unfortunate," he looked at his son. "Have the humans not realized that they are being spied upon?"

Caavin snorted. "Given the limited intelligence of humans in general, it is a wonder they are able to mine such quantities that our rivals would find them worthwhile to steal at all," he scowled and looked down at the table. "Their mining techniques are quite advanced."

Caavin's second and Kenny both nodded their heads in agreement while Todd and Romulus did not. Caavin's arrogance hit a nerve with his sire who had been growing steadily more aware of just how conceded the wraith had become since having had that long ago discussion with Katherine in which she had compared his race to that of the Lanteans. Romulus did not agree because he and Valloran had discussed such matters and the elder wraith did not like to, generally speaking, pass judgments unduly.

Caavin noticed his sire's silence and eyed him curiously. "Sire?"

Todd lifted his eyes to those of his son's. "A word, Caavin."

Caavin nodded and stood, mentally commanding his second to go back to work overseeing the repairs and to allow both his sire's second and Romulus to assist the crew if they so wished. Stepping around the table, he followed his sire from the council chamber and through the corridors of his ship all the way to the outside. They had walked almost a quarter mile before Caavin's curiosity got the better of him and he softly questioned, "Sire?"

Todd did not immediately reply and instead kept walking until they stood at the crest of the bowel that had once been a lake, in which now rested Caavin's ship. Looking out over the landscape now visible to them, Todd turned his eyes in the direction of the mine and sighed.

"You have gotten arrogant."

Caavin blinked, confused. "Sire?"

Todd turned to him. "You are not the only one, the wraith in general have became overly confident in our own superiority," he rested his eyes on his son's face. "We are not nearly as omnipresent as we would like to consider ourselves."

Caavin was confused. "But we are superior, to the humans of this galaxy at least -"

Todd interrupted him. "We are not. There are many human cultures thriving amongst our starts that have as much potential for greatness as do we."

"Having the potential to do something and having already accomplished it are two different things, sire," Caavin rebuked.

Todd smirked, a smile drawing at the corners of his mouth. "Ah, but it is. I point to the humans of Atlantis as an example.'

Caavin scowled, he disliked the majority of them on principal; humans were not meant to think they were greater than the wraith. "Speaking of your human pets," he ground out tersely. "How do your affairs with them bode? Well I hope?"

A sobering aura settled over Todd at the direct mention of the Atlantians as he remembered what had befallen one of them when last he had seen them. Katherine had died; he had had consistent nightterrors every sleep cycle for the past week revolving around a version of events where he had not been able to save her.

Caavin caught the expression of his sire's face. "Sire?" he queried, concerned for his sire looked quite upset about something. "Are you well?"

The questioned drew Todd form this thoughts and he roughly pushed them to the back of his mind. "I am," he assured his first born. "Your motem and I have spoken recently."

Caavin decided to ignore his sire's blatant subject change. "And?" he inquired.

Todd let out a huff of repressed irritation. "She has expressed the desire that I convey a message to your from her."

This form of communication, of using his sire as a go between, was not new to Caavin who had rarely spoken to his motem in person since the end of the Great War. He suspected that the lack of personal time with the female that had birthed him was a direct result of his sire's interference as it was no small secret that his parents hated each other with a passion that could not be rivaled. Of course, his sire could not outright prohibit Caavin from speaking to his motem and so had long ago taken to limiting their correspondences as much as possible. It was both endearing and irritating at the same time.

"And this message is?" Caavin prompted, angling himself towards his sire just a bit more as he waited for complete disclosure.

Todd ground his teeth together because he did not truly want to enlighten Caavin as to his Illyria's most recent request. But, as the infuriating female had pointed out, he owed her a concession after her interference had spared Katherine's life. He was duty bound to give it to her, he was not duty bound to be happy about it.

"She would like to see you, face to face," Todd hissed, scowling. "She has asked that you send her a communiqué detailing a time and location that is acceptable to you."

Caavin blinked. "You are allowing this?" he queried, surprised.

Todd turned to him. "I cannot deny her."

The way he said it made Caavin think that his sire was only doing this out of some sense of obligation and it made him wonder what his motem had done in order to win such a hefty dispensation out of him that when she requested to see him eye to eye his sire could not refuse her. He opened his mouth to inquire about it but thought better of it; his motem was not a subject that his sire liked to dwell on any longer then was absolutely necessary.

Several moments of silence that edged on awkwardness but did not quite meet it passed before Todd grew tired of it and turned to look at his son. His eldest's face, which would have been unreadable to anyone else, was a open book to his sire and Todd felt in the inward stirrings of guilt start to rise up within him along with a heavy dose of anger that was entirely directed at Caavin's other parent. "I am sorry," he lamented, causing Caavin's head to jerk upwards to his own, a flush of confusion quickly spreading over his unmarked face. "I have always found it…difficult to keep my particular feelings towards your motem out of my discussions of her with you. For that you have my apologies."

Caavin cast his head towards the ground. "You need offer me not sentiments of regret, sire," he said forlornly, "It is I that should be apologizing to you."

Todd frowned. "What for?"

Caavin looked at him. "I connect you to her in a manner I know you detest."

Todd hissed and growled softly, indignation on his son's behalf coloring his tone. "You did not ask to be born, Caavin, no fault can be attributed to you."

The explanation did not dispel the lingering feeling of responsibility that Caavin had of being the primary reason that his sire hated his motem. She had, after all, only conceived him in order to try and trap his sire into binding her. When he has been born and she had realized that Valloran had not, in fact, fallen prey to her manipulation, she had given up her claim to her newborn son and abandoned him, leaving him entirely in the care of his sire who - being extremely young at the time - was unprepared for the sudden duty that came with being a parent. Caavin was sure that had he not been born, had not been fostered upon his sire who had clearly not wanted a child at that particular time in his life, Illyria and Valloran would most likely not hate each other with a passion that was legendary in and of its self.

"As you say, Sire," Caavin responded despondently.

Obviously Caavin had not believed him when Todd had said that he placed no blame on him for their existing situation. "Caavin, eldest, look at me," his son met his eyes and Todd tried to convey the affection he felt for the oldest of his offspring with his gaze. "Do not attempt to place blame on yourself for something that has never been within your ability to control."

The younger wraith was not yet convinced to forgive himself. "You did not want me," he said observationally. "I created problems for you when I -"

"I have never not wanted you," Todd interrupted him, appalled that Caavin would have thought this of himself for so many centuries. "You were a gift. One that I was not prepared for, granted, but one which I will never regret having been given. You are precious to me."

Caavin stared at him. This was the most affectionate his sire had ever been to him or anyone one else of this Caavin was sure. Apparently the overly emotional humans of Atlantis had had more of an effect on his sire then his sire was aware of. Still, as surprising as it was to hear, Caavin was not unreceptive to it. In fact, to hear his sire call him 'precious' made Caavin feel a pleasure that he had never known before.

A smile spread over his face. "I thank you, Sire," he tipped his head.

Todd harrumphed. "Yes, well, do not ever expect to hear such a confession from me again. It was long overdue but will not be repeated."

To that, Caavin smirked. "Indeed," he replied, a teasing tone to his voice. "Very well then, I shall have to contain my desire to hear you once more refer to me as 'precious'."

"Yes, indeed you shall," he eyed his grinning progeny, pleased to see him in a better mood then he had been in previously. "However, to perhaps make up for the fact that you shall never again hear me express my care for you so elegantly, I was wondering if you would like enter into an activity with me."

Caavin grinned, completely knowledgeable of what activity his sire was referring to. "Perhaps I shall beat you," he replied, giving his consent in an offhanded manner.

Todd snickered. "I think not," he responded in challenge. "You have beaten me in exactly six of the many hundred or so sparring matches we have participated in and, at the moment, " he looked his son up and down, "…you appear to be rather physically lacking."

Caavin shot him a mock glare of deepest derision. "Are you implying that I have gotten lax in the maintenance of my physical person?"

Todd smirked. "Perhaps I am."

Caavin stepped closer to his sire and offered him a look that was approximately half in jest and half in seriousness. "Then allow me to prove you wrong."

Todd smiled, truly, and gestured for Caavin to lead the way back to his hive. "Be my guest," he said and followed his son back to his ship.

~xXx~

"You guys need an elevator or a transporter or something," Lorne wheezed as he sat down on the last stair of about nine hundred and fifty that he, Kate and Larrin had just walked down. "I mean…seriously!"

Larrin snickered even though, while not being as tired as major Lorne, she _was_ winded and her legs _did_ hurt. "I'll think about it," she said absentmindedly.

Lorne nodded and collapsed backwards, breathing heavily and trying to regain the feeling in his lower extremities.

Kate, meanwhile, looked around. The almost endless stairs that they had just descended brought them to what Larrin said was the top of the mine. "The actual mining is done much farther down," she'd told them on the way down. "But the offices, dining hall and living quarters for the miners are all on this level." As Kate looked around and then looked up at the high, vaulted ceiling soaring approximately a hundred feet above her head she was struck with an overwhelming sense of familiarity.

"Hey Lorne?" she called, looking over her shoulder at the still slightly out of breath major. "What does this place remind you of? Anything in particular?"

Lorne sat up and looked around, squinting. "Huh," he said after a while. "Is it just me or are you getting a definite Lord of the Rings vibe here too?"

Kate nodded. "I'm thinking Moria," she answered.

Lorne agreed. "Yeah, that's what I got top."

Larrin eyed them both. "Is Lord of the Rings that movie with the little people with hairy feet - what are they called? - bobbits?"

"Hobbits," Kate corrected her and nodded. "Yeah." She looked at the woman. "I didn't know you've seen those movies."

Larrin shrugged. "Not all of them, but Sheppard made me watch part of one once; I forget which one."

Kate snorted. "I seriously doubt my brother _made_ you do anything."

Larrin glared at her.

Lorne stood up, once more able to feel his toes. "Movies about dragons and midgets with furry feet aside, can we go now?" he asked. "I want this over with so that we can go back to Atlantis. They've got transporters."

Both women looked at each other and snickered before Larrin took the lead and begun the walk down the long, impressively expansive hallway towards the actual mines. Once they got there, Lorne was introduced to Larrin's first officer who would be acting as Lorne's foreman on the mining crew he was going to be assigned to. The major sniffed loudly in objection and looked at Kate.

"What's she going to do?" he demanded.

Larrin smirked. "She is going to be parading around pretending to be my second in command."

Lorne yelped. "How come she gets the plushy job and I have to play the fucking miner?"

Kate looked at him. "You didn't just die."

Lorne deflated. "Yeah," he admitted, "Alright, I forgot about that."

Kate huffed. "Lucky you."

Larrin looked between the both of them. "What's this now?" she asked, "Who died?"

Kate turned to her as the first officer and Lorne walked off, descending yet more stairs to bring them down to the mining floor. "I did," she explained.

Larrin eyed her. "You're so going to explain yourself missy," she said authoritatively . "But first we've got to get you into some more appropriate clothes."

Kate grinned, she did so love getting clothes from Larrin. She happened to like the practical fashions of the Pegasus galaxy a hell of a lot more than she did the pointless, non-functioning ones indicative of her own native Milky Way. Following obediently behind Larrin, Kate ended up in Larrin's quarters and was handed articles of clothing straight out of Larrin's closet. Wordlessly she started to put them on.

"Your scars are gone."

Kate looked up. "Huh?"

Larrin walked over to her and pushed her backwards so that she could look into Larrin's floor length mirror, a luxury that she got only because of her position as a Ship Commander and sister to the High Chancellor. Her brother liked to spoil her almost as much as he liked to spoil his wife.

Kate looked over her shoulder to see what Larrin was talking about and noticed that the flurry of crisscrossing, raised tracks that had covered her back as a result of her whipping at the hands of the wraith were now nothing more than faint, silvery lines. She frowned, she hadn't noticed before now. She examined herself; all of her older scars were completely gone. Expect for the barely there lines on her back and the bite mark that was still on her shoulder, her skin was completely flawless.

"This wouldn't have to do with you dying would it?" Larrin speculated, lifting one perfectly shaped and elegant eyebrow. She sat down on her bed and leaned back on her palms. "Out with it: what happened?"

Kate sighed and resumed dressing. "Well, I died…"

Larrin nodded. "Yes, we've established that," she looked Kate up and down. "And yet here you stand. How does that work?"

Kate pulled on the black leather pants that she had been given and laced them closed. "Todd."

Larrin crossed her legs and leaned forwards, resting her elbows on her knees. "Oh, do tell," she said eagerly. "He gave you the gift of life then?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah," she answered, eying her back in the mirror again. "Apparently he went a bit overboard though."

Larrin raised an eyebrow. "I see the bite mark is still there," she commented. "Wonder why he healed everything else but not that?"

Kate shrugged and pulled her borrowed shirt over her head. "No idea, ask him."

Larrin snickered. "Maybe I will," she looked at Kate who was now dressed and stood up, motioning for her friend to follow her. "Come on," she called back. "We've got places to go, people to see, spies to catch…"

Kate smiled and followed after her.

Catching spied as it turned out, was harder then it looked and on day three, Lorne, Larrin and Kate still had nothing. Dejectedly the three of them picked at their dinner up at the high table in the dining hall where all of the officers and foremen ate. The food wasn't bad and was actually quite, but none of the three of them noticed. They were busy speculating as to why they hadn't gotten and leads yet.

"Maybe this guy is just that damned good," Lorne complained, frowning down at his goota beans. "I mean, I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary since I got here."

Kate sighed. "Well, we've only been at it three days, maybe -"

"It still blows," Lorne interrupted, tossing down his fork and giving up eating all together.

Kate and Larrin looked at each other. Yes, it did blow and they were getting discouraged. Kate was about to retire when she looked up and noticed something.

"What?" Larrin asked, turning to see what Kate was looking at so intently.

Kate shook her head. "I don't know," she replied, getting up and squinting as the man looked around again before heading out of the dining hall. "But I'm going to go find out."

Larrin nodded and told her to be careful. Kate promised she would and then took off, keeping to the shadows as she followed the strangely acting man. When he didn't head for the dormitories or the showers, Kate felt certain that she was truly onto something. By the time he got to the bottom of the stairs, she decided it was time to stop him.

"Going somewhere?"

The man froze, his right foot poised to start climbing and turned around to look at her. He sneered. "What do you want?" he asked.

Kate shrugged and sauntered over to him. "I wanna know where you're going," she explained snidely, eyeing him speculatively. "Because it looks to me like you're running off to go and report back to somebody. You know, like a spy."

The man hissed. "Now they notice," he muttered under his breath so that the woman couldn't hear.

She did anyways. "Now we notice what?" she asked, curious.

The man looked at her. He was about to tell her to go fuck off and make a run for it when he stopped, his eyes narrowing in on the silver mark directly over her sternum. He stared. "You're a…"

Kate frowned and looked down, curious as to what had him so mesmerized. When she saw it, her eyes narrowed and she looked up at him. "I am not a wraith worshiper!" she spat out heatedly.

Such was the force of her denial that the man believed her but found it odd that, if she was not a worshipper, she would bare such a mark as that. 'That how do you come by it?" he asked.

Kate scowled. "Why should I tell you?" she asked. "You're the one sneaking off to stars only knows where."

The man blinked at her. "You swear like the old ones," he commented.

Kate looked at him. "The old ones?" she questioned then, suddenly, felt her face take a downwards turn. "You mean the wraith?"

The man nodded and stepped towards her, showing her his own mark. Kate's head reared back. "You're the -"

"I am not a worshiper either," he said contemptuously.

Kate made a face. "I was going to say spy but," she shrugged and looked at him. "Not going to try and run are you?"

The man shook his head. While his mandate had been to maintain his cover at all costs, the woman before him was like him in a way and so, knowing now what he did about the miner's awareness's, he decided to take a gamble. "I am a spy," he confirmed, coming towards her. "But not the one you are looking for. There is another informant other than me that dwells here, feeding information to those he serves who then come and strip this mine of it's treasures. I am no danger to you."

Kate frowned. "Then why are you here?" she asked. "Who are you carrying information back to?"

He sighed. "Someone who does not want so much tallsium to fall into the hands of those that would give it to their queens."

A thought struck Kate upon hearing the man in front of her refer to the queens as a threat. She knew that the majority of elder wraith hated the queens and that the majority of them all served in Todd's alliance. "You serve an elder?" she inquired.

The man blinked but nodded. "I do," he replied. "How do you -"

"Can you take me to him?" Kate asked, a plan formulating inside of her mind of how best to exploit this. If Todd had one of his commanders watching the mine then there was a good possibility that she could convince whoever it was to pool their resources since they both had the same goal. She looked at them man.

He stared at her. "Why would -"

"Just answer the question," Kate interrupted him. "Yes or no?"

The man thought about it and then nodded. "I can," he replied.

Kate smiled. "Good," she said. "Wait here while I go tell Lorne and Larrin where I'm going then, you're going to take me to your leader." She laughed inwardly at her own joke.

The man wordlessly agreed and sat down on the bottom most step to await her return. He was not sure how his master would take this but he did know that this woman seemed to know a great deal more about the wraith then she should. Perhaps they could work together to achieve the goal he had been set? When she returned, he nodded to her before, together, they started the climb.

~xXx~

Valloran and Caavin were evenly matched but then, it was to be expected considering their relationship to one another. While Romulus knew that, at least at the beginning, Valloran had had no idea of how to raise a child the once high commander had adapted quickly and combat was the one area of expertise that he'd not needed help with in teaching his young son. Caavin had started taking lessons from his sire in how to fight almost as soon as he could walk. By the time he had been old enough train formally with younglings his own age his skill had surpassed that of most of his instructors. Watching them now, the two of them, paring back and forth with one another across the sparring floor, Romulus could not help but smile at the sight.

Besides him, both the wraith he had heard the humans call Kenny and Caavin's own second in command were frozen is silent, rapt awe.

"Commanders."

Romulus tore his gaze away from both Valloran and the young wraith he had had a partial hand in rearing and looked toward the sub-commander who had come to them. "Yes?"

The young officer bowed low to the elder, straitening, he offered his report. "Our spy has returned and has requested to speak to the Commander."

Caavin's second, upon hearing this, turned form his observation of his superior officer and twisted round in his seat in order to observe the sub-commander. "I shall interrupt -"

"You will not do any such thing," Romulus reprimanded him, standing. "I will see to this."

The second frowned. "Would not it be better for me to hear our spy's report given the fact that I am this hive's Second and he will not know -"

Romulus pinned the younger wraith with a look that dared him to keep speaking. "You are questioning me?"

The second snapped his mouth shut and shook his head, turning back around to focus intently if somewhat forcefully on his commander and his sire. Romulus snorted in both amusement and contentment before mentally compelling the sub-commander to take him to the awaiting human. He did, and upon his arrival in the anti-chamber, Romulus stepped towards the kneeling human and ordered him to rise.

The spy stood and allowed his eyes to travel up the length of the wraith before him. "You are not my Commander," he said, stopping his gaze from rising above the wraith's nose.

Romulus sniffed. "Quite obviously I am not; your Commander is busy. You will deliver your report to me."

The spy knew better then to argue. "It would seem as if the humans that operate the mine were not as clueless in concerns to knowing that they are being spied upon as I had first believed."

Romulus nodded. Despite Caavin and his second's testament to human intelligence, the elder wraith had every reason to believe that, given his recent understanding of humans via Valloran, they were most likely aware and simply biding their time, waiting for ample proof to present itself before taking action. "Continue."

The spy did. "One of the humans leaders has come to the mine, bringing with her two individuals that have begun to search out any possible informants."

"Ah," Romulus understood. "They are looking for possible spies," he eyed Caavin's informant. "You have managed to avoid detection I take it?"

The spy shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. I was confronted by the female investigator and, after her revelation to me of several facts, none of which she should know of, I was persuaded to at least explain to her that I was not the informant that she was looking for but an informant nonetheless."

Romulus frowned. "And why did you feel that you should reveal this information to her?"

The spy opened his mouth.

"Because I wouldn't have taken no for an answer."

Romulus' eyes winded and he looked past the subservient hive human to the one that had just entered the chamber from the doorway opposite the one he had used. He blinked, knowing her immediately. "Katherine."

Kate nodded. "Hi."

Romulus casually dismissed the informant who backed out of the room after bowing respectfully to him and moved towards the female. "I did not expect to see you," he looked at her. "You, however, do not seem overly surprised to see me."

Kate shrugged. "Yeah, well, from what I was able to get from spy-guy, I had a twelve in fifteen chance of his master being an elder which is like a ten in eleven percent chance of belonging to Todd's alliance. Since I already know that you're the wraith version of his best friend, I guess you could say I'm really not that surprised to have run into you."

Romulus snorted, her logic astounding him not for the first time in how very wraith-like it was. "Indeed," he replied and considered his options. He knew that Valloran would be pleased to see her and so he said, "If you will wait here a moment I shall fetch your…Todd," he forced himself not to smirk at the ridiculous name that Valloran allowed himself to be called, "…so that you may speak to him."

Kate's face lit up. "He's here?" she asked, somewhat more eagerly then she would have liked. She scolded herself.

Romulus was amused, apparently she was as eager to once more see Valloran as he knew his companion was to always see her. "He is," he responded, already beginning his retreat. "Remain here, I shall not be gone long."

The female nodded and Romulus left, retracing his steps to the sparing chamber and, upon his arrival, found that the match was over and that both sire and son were now resting while a worshiper put away their weapons.

Both looked up when he entered. "My informant has returned?" Caavin asked, wiping the perspiration from his face and body with a bit of cloth. "He has given you his report?"

Romulus nodded and turned to Valloran. "The matter he brings to us is one which I believe you shall want to handle personally," he said cryptically.

Todd frowned. "Should not Caavin -"

Romulus gave him a look that impeded his ability to continue speaking. "Trust me, you shall want to be the one to deal with her."

Todd's left eye ridge went up. "Her?" he asked confusedly.

Romulus inclined his head. "It would appear as though the miners are aware of what is going on and that they are being spied upon. They have begun investigating and one of those investigators, a female, is now awaiting you specifically in the anti-chamber just off the bridge."

Todd's frown deepened. Behind him, he could sense his son's confusion. "Why me?" he asked Romulus.

The older wraith snorted. "Because I rather think she wants to see you again."

The word 'again' caused the gears in Todd's brain to click into place as comprehension dawned on him. _Katherine is here?_ He mentally inquired of Romulus who, likewise, responded to him without words.

_Yes,_ his friend informed him, _And, as I said, she seemed most happy with the prospect of once more being near you. _

Elation swam through Todd upon hearing this and, without production, the eldest of wraith grabbed for his clothing, slipping into his under-robe and battle-coat before he had even taken four steps. His bracers followed and Todd left the room at a quickened pace still fastening the clasps to his garments.

He was presentable by the time he reached her. "Katherine," he murmured to her, his heartbeat pounding out a tattoo in his ears in response to the smile she greeted him with as soon as he walked into the meeting chamber.

Kate felt her heart literally leap to her throat as she looked at him. "Hello Valloran," she said softly, tipping her head forwards just a bit in salutation.

Todd felt his temperature increase, his body becoming quite warm in reaction to hearing her call him by name. His thoughts began to wander and, quite sternly, he called them back forcing himself to concentrate. He stepped towards her. "What are you doing here?"

Kate's expression faltered. "You're not happy to see me?" she asked, feeling slightly hurt by the demand in his tone.

Todd frowned and advanced towards her until he was standing directly before her. "I am," he looked at her. "Why would think I would not be?"

Kate rolled her shoulders. "Well, it's just that you immediately jumped right into business is all."

Todd understood, realizing that his effort to control the want he had for her that had arisen from hearing her call him Valloran had come across to her as sounding like he was unhappy to see her. "I am sorry, Katherine, if I implied that I was less then pleased to see you once more."

Kate blushed gently. "Oh, it's alright."

Todd smiled, glad that she had forgiven him. "Now that you are no longer angry with me," he teased her and the color that tinted her cheeks became more prominent, "I must ask, why are you here?"

Kate looked at him. "Well," she started. "Your spy and I are looking for the same thing; we want to know who is telling the wraith when and where to steal Larrin's shipments of tallsium."

Todd frowned. "Larrin? I was not aware that she was in ownership of the mine."

"It's not really hers per say but it is a Traveler mine," Kate explained. "Larrin came to Atlantis yesterday and asked for our help in weeding out whoever it is that's selling them out. She requested me; Lorne's here too."

Todd's eye ridges went up. "Your bother is not present?"

Kate shook her head. "Nope, not this time."

Todd's face broke out into a grin, truly glad that Sheppard was not involved in this. It meant that he would not have to censor his interactions with Katherine. "Hmmnnn," he breathed, eyeing her. "And the reason why you have come here?"

Kate smiled at him. "Well, I figured it might be more productive if we worked together. You know, us having the same goal and all."

Todd inclined his head. "That can be arranged, I can -"

"Katherine?"

Kate's eyes widened as she looked past Todd, who had stepped back, at the person that had called her name. "You," she whispered upon seeing the wraith standing there, an equal expression of surprise on his face as the one that she was sure was plastered onto hers.

Caavin stared. After having watched his sire leave rather hurriedly and in such a flurry, Caavin had gotten curious and despite Romulus' suggestion that he leave his sire alone, he had followed. He had heard her voice before he had seen her and, upon entering the chamber, Caavin had felt his eyes widen as they had settled upon the face of the absolute last female human he had ever thought to see again. Calling out her name, she had turned towards him, her eyes recognizing him. Soundlessly, he felt himself being drawn towards her until he was standing almost intimately close to her. Her head was tipped back and her eyes searched his; questioning.

"I had not thought to ever see you again," he found himself whispering, his awareness of everything else narrowing so that all he cared about was the female standing in front of him. She was as striking as he remembered and she did not seem opposed to seeing him again; hope fluttered within him.

Todd, who had backed up and out of the way as Caavin had entered and walked towards Katherine as if in a trance, felt his eyes widen at his son's announcement. Again? To his knowledge his eldest and Katherine had never met. His eyes narrowed, he did _not _like the way that they, more specifically Caavin, were looking at one another. Now quite anxious to know what was going on and, if possible, stop his son from continuously gazing upon Katherine with such an intensity, Todd said loudly, "You are both acquainted with one another?"

The spell broke and Kate and her wraith both blinked and looked up her eyes immediately locking onto Todd's. Instinct told her that telling him that she had once been companion to the wraith standing next to her would be a bad idea and so Kate answered simply. "We've met."

Beside her, Caavin found himself thankful for you ambiguity. The taking of companions was forbidden among those hives within his sire's alliance. His sire would not be happy if he found out that Caavin had disobeyed him.

Particularly in this.

Todd had a most peculiar feeling that they had more than simply met before; something had happened and neither one of them wished for him to know what it was. He would let it go for now. "I see," he replied, eyeing the both of them before forcing a neutral expression onto his face as he explained to Caavin why Katherine was here. When he was done, before he could address Katherine personally, his son had turned to her and once more commanded her attention onto himself.

Todd decided that he did not like the undivided attention she paid his eldest, no not at all. His eyes narrowed to slits.

"I realize that you must communicate with your companions concerning what we have discussed between us but, perhaps, it would be agreeable for you to agree to remain here? We have a great deal of information concerning this situation gathered. You could study on it while your friends continue to hunt for the spy."

Kate thought about it. Quite honestly, she felt more at home on a hive - any hive - then she did almost anywhere else other then Atlantis. "Sure," she agreed. "I just need to tell Lorne and Larrin what's going on -"

"I have a communication station that is capable of penetrating into the mine," Caavin informed her. "It is the usual way my informant relays information he gathers to me. You may use it to contact your companions."

Kate nodded and held out her hand. "Lead the way."

Caavin inclined his head and gestured for her to follow him, the both of them exiting the chamber and turning their steps towards the bridge.

Todd watched them go, his insides awash with a most peculiar feeling that the elder wraith decided he detested more than he did anything else. He was unsure as to what exactly it was but, whatever it might be, it felt terrible.

~xXx~

The wraith, Kate had learned, never did anything by half and after setting up an effective way to communicate with Lorne and Larrin back at the mine, Kate had been led to a data terminal deep within the hive and left to read through all the information that the good spy had managed to gather. It was a lot and, after more than an hour of shifting through page after page of wraith script, Kate's eyes had begun to sting. She was hungry too, her stomach growled loudly as she rubbed her hands over her face in an attempt to lessen the pain in her eyeballs.

"You require sustenance."

Kate jumped a good foot into the air and looked up, her eyes landing on her former wraith standing less than four feet in front of her. The expression on his face was one of both amusement and gentle worry. It was endearing in a way. "Yeah, she answered, looking back down at the screen and the characters that covered it. "Food might be good."

Caavin approached her, coming forwards until he was directly in front of her. "In order to nourish yourself you must first step away from the terminal," he told her lightly, attempting humor.

Kate looked up and gave him a look. "Are you teasing me?" she asked, surprised.

Caavin shrugged as he had seen his sire do on numerous occasions. "Perhaps."

Kate snickered. "Well stop it; it's not nice to tease."

Caavin grinned. "I am not attempting to be 'nice' as you say, now come," he reached for her and grasped her by the wrist, pulling her out from behind the data station. "I shall acquire food for you to consume."

Kate really had no choice but to follow him and so, she allowed herself to be steered through several hallways and corridors, up three levels and then past the bridge, realizing only about a minute before they got there where he was leading her to. She started to walk slower which caused the wraith to come up short in his leading of her.

He stopped and turned towards her. "Something is the matter?" he questioned, one brow ridge raised in inquiry.

Kate looked at him. "You said you'd get me food," she accused. "Why, then, are we going to your room?"

Caavin looked down on her, comprehension dawning on him as to why she was reluctant to continue with him now that she knew their eventual destination. "I thought perhaps you might like a quite place to consume your meal," he explained, turning towards her fully and waiting for her reaction.

Kate hesitated, remembering what had happened the last time she had dined in his command quarters. "I don't -"

Caavin dropped her wrist and stepped towards her, reaching out in order to gently tilt her chin up towards his face. "You are afraid of me?" he asked, desperately hoping that she was not. Fear from her directed towards him would complicate his plan.

Kate shook her head as she gazed upwards at him. "No, I'm not," she said candidly. "But considering what happened the last time I was here -"

"I understand your apprehension," he replied to her, dropping his hand from her face back down to his side. "But know that I will force nothing on you that you do not wish to receive, my Katherine."

Kate's entire body went stiff. "I'm not _your_ anything," she sputtered indignantly.

Caavin smiled gently down on her. "You are not, not now," he looked at her meaningfully. "But I would like you to be."

Kate stared at him. "What?"

Her expression conveyed her surprise at his confession and Caavin found his smile widening as he reached for her wrist again. "Come with me," he beseeched her and led her the rest of the way to his quarters, opening the door and directing her to a seat at his table upon which the promised meal for her sat. "Sit."

Kate sat, too stunned to do anything else. He wanted…if not for the fact that she was starving and the plate in front of her smelt so good she might have just sat there forever and blinked at him. As it was, however, her stomach reminded her that it was there and that it was her job to put something in it so she ate _and_ continued to stare at him. He looked rather smug, she decided, looking in that moment more like Todd then he ever had before.

Caavin studied her, taking the seat across from her and leaning back to observe and gage her mood before he explained himself. It was no secret that had she not been Atlantian Caavin would have kept her as his companion regardless of the consequences. He knew it, his second knew it and so did every wraith on his hive. Letting her go had been extremely difficult and, for the briefest of seconds while they had been on that planet together after defeating the replicators, he had considered keeping her anyway. Now that she was in his company again, ever since his eyes had seen her for the first time hours previously, Caavin had been thinking of ways to keep her; although not in the literal sense.

He had decided to continue onwards with his original plan, the one he had come up with while she had been his companion. Katherine was of a caliber so high that she could not be thought of in the same manner that he thought of other female humans. She was too wraith-like, too strong both in the mental sense and the physical one. She deserved to be courted, wooed by one who wanted her affections which in this case happened to be him. Caavin had given himself completely over to this idea as being the course of action that he wanted to take because, quite frankly, he wanted her in a much greater capacity then simply a body to warm his bed.

He wanted her as his mate.

A permanent, long term relationship with Katherine that culminated in shared intimacy between both he and she was his eventual goal and in that he would not be dissuaded. Caavin had never before considered the possibility of taking a mate until he had met Katherine who, to him, personified his idea of almost the perfect female. He wanted her and he wanted her to want him. It would please him to no end to accomplish this and have Katherine be truly his and no one else's for the remainder of her years, possibly beyond them. He could keep her alive indefinitely if she would allow him.

As soon as Kate was done eating, she swallowed her last bite, drank a bit and then turned the full brunt of her gaze onto the wraith sitting across from her. "Now," she started. "Care to explain what the hell you meant by 'you want me too'?"

Caavin felt a smile tug the corners of his mouth upwards. "It is simple," he explained to her. "I desire you and would like to court you."

Kate blinked, her mouth falling open in the process. "You…" she managed after a while only to trail off. "Really?"

Caavin nodded. "I do. You would make an exceptional mate."

Kate felt the color leave her face at his use of the word 'mate'. She knew from conversations with Todd that, roughly translated, wanting to make someone your mate meant basically that they wanted to marry you. That her former wraith was sitting here, calmly telling her that he'd like that to happen with them made Kate utterly speechless.

Caavin found her confusion and reflection oddly attractive and extremely pleasing. He found most things she did pleasing. "You are surprised?"

Kate nodded dumbly.

Caavin smirked. "You should not be. You are physically stimulating, your strength in both mind and body is admirable and I find your company amiable. Will you accept my suit?"

Kate sputtered non-coherently, still shocked by the bluntness of it all. He wanted…he thought…it was all a great deal to take in.

While he watched a plethora of emotions flitter across Katherine's face, Caavin allowed himself the pleasure of letting his eyes roam her body. She truly was remarkable, his eyes stopped and narrowed as they caught sight of a mark, barely visible, marring the smoothness of her neck. He frowned, "Katherine," he queried, nodding towards the imperfection that had not been there when last he had seen her. "What, is that?"

Kate looked at him. "What is what?"

Caavin stood and came to her side, reaching out to move aside the neckline of her blouse so that he could see it more clearly. Almost as soon as it was clear where his hand was traveling to, Katherine's eyes widened and her hand shot out to grasp his wrist and stay him. She was too late, Caavin was able to brush aside the fabric so as to see what lay hidden beneath. His eyes narrowed to slits, anger flooding him as he beheld the mark that had destroyed her perfect skin.

"You have been bitten."

Kate stood and looked up at him. His hand still rested at the juncture of her neck and shoulder and her hand still curled around his wrist. "It's nothing," she tried to pull away, to hide it once more. "I -"

"That bite was made by a wraith," Caavin interrupted her, jealousy and worry coursing through him with equal strength. "Who -"

"Am I interrupting?"

The scathing question pierced the air and broke the spell that held Kate bound to her wraith. Dropping her eyes from the brightly glowing gaze of the wraith whose wrist her fingers clung to, Kate backed away so that his hand fell and turned, looking up into the stone cold eyes of Todd the very obviously unhappy wraith. Her breath caught in her throat as his hardened eyes penetrated her and held her in her place, silently asking questions that she wasn't sure she could answer without disclosing her history with the wraith in whose quarters she now stood. The intensity of Todd's gaze bored into her and she felt something that she thought might be guilt began to well up inside of her. Dropping her eyes, Kate looked away.

Caavin did not. Dangerously, he held his sire's steely gaze and haughtily replied, "As a matter of fact, you are. Please leave."

Having relayed a message to the rest of his commanders and then inserting himself into the repairs being done on Caavin's hive, Todd grown agitated very quickly; the memory of what should have been Caavin and Katherine's first meeting but wasn't replaying itself over and over in his mind unrelentingly. Soon, even the task of upgrades and repairs could not keep him distracted and so he had abandoned his erstwhile pursuits in order to seek out his son and question him. He had not expected to find Katherine and Caavin together and he had most certainly not expected to find them in such a position, standing so intimately close to one another, alone in Caavin's command quarters.

Todd had no intention of complying with his son's request, none whatsoever. "No."

With a soft snarl, Caavin turned from Katherine who was looking rather determinedly at the floor. The wraith found this rather odd given her normal character but, at the moment, it was not Katherine who demanded his attention. His sire's response had not been what he had expected and in fact, besides drawing confusion from him, made him inexcusably angry for a reason that, as of yet, Caavin could not explain. "Why not?"

Todd shot his eldest a look of disdain before turning his eyes to the downturned face of Katherine, taking solace in the fact that she looked rather embarrassed and did not seem to be angry or upset that she and Caavin had been interrupted. "Katherine," he called to her although she did not look up. "It would be best, I think, if you were to leave now." There was no anger in his voice but he made certain that she understood that it was not suggestion but rather a request; he knew that she would comply.

The request registered in her mind as one that she must abide by and so Kate felt her feet move as she turned them towards the door. She'd made it three steps before something caught her arms and held her back, turning her about so that when she looked up she was again gazing into the face of her former wraith.

Behind her, Todd's eyes narrowed to slits.

"Katherine," Caavin murmured, careful to keep his voice low. He did not know why, saw no logical reason for it, but almost instinctually he knew that what he had to say to her must not be heard by his sire. "Will you allow me my desire?"

Kate stared back at him feeling very much like a bug caught between two panes of glass. Behind her was Todd whose anger, concern, worry and curiosity she could feel like a physical being pressing into her back. Before her was yet another wraith who, like Todd, was arresting in person and bearing and therefore not someone she could easily deny. However, there were other things to reflect upon as she considered whether or not to accept her former wraith's offer of courtship. The wraith behind her, while desiring her, would never act on that desire; the wraith in front of her, obviously, didn't have the same scruples. Given time, she knew that, if her initial impression of his character all those many months ago had been correct, he _could_ make her happy.

Her decision was made. "Yes."

Caavin felt a great wave of triumph wash through him and, again, he did not entirely know why. Releasing her, he allowed her to take a step back from him before he bowed gently towards her and whispered a farewell, telling her that he would come to her again soon, before watching through hooded eyes as she retreated, leaving him alone in his quarters with his rather irate Sire; the reason and source for his anger a yet unknown to Caavin.

Todd was livid. He had no idea what his son had said to Katherine upon her departure for even his hearing could not pick up on the words that Caavin so carefully whispered to her and that, more than the position he had found them in when first he had entered this room, made him irrefutably angry. "What did you say to her?" he demanded, his voice betraying more than some of his ire.

Caavin scowled. "That is between Katherine and I," he replied curtly, irritated. He took a step towards his sire. "Now that you have chased away my company, I trust that there was a reason as to your presence here?"

Todd glared at him and set his jaw, damning himself for rearing his son to be just as stubborn as he was. "I came to inquire about how it is that you managed to make Katherine's acquaintance," he peered at Caavin dangerously. "Your meeting today was not your first."

Caavin smirked, the action causing his sire noticeable discomfort. "No," he replied, "It was not."

Todd's fist involuntarily clenched still tighter, his fingernails now digging into the flesh of his palms. "How, then," he queried, "Did you and she meet?"

The younger wraith considered his options. He could lie to his sire, give him some fabricated answer that would only serve to create more questions. He could tell him the truth and then accept the consequences thereof. Or, he could settle for a combination of both fiction and truth that would assuage all his sire's major inquiries while leaving some of the minor details to speculation.

Caavin decided on the latter. "She was a guest upon my hive for a time," he informed his sire, smoothly omitting how this circumstance had come to be.

The answer was severely lacking in substance and it occurred to Todd that his son was lying to him by omission rather than flat out dishonesty. It was not a pleasant thought as, to his knowledge, Caavin had never lied to him before in any sense. He had disobeyed him before, yes, several times, but he had always told his sire of his misdeeds when questioned after the fact and for this reason was usually always forgiven. The deceit made Todd consider the possible reasons why Caavin felt such exclusion of facts to be necessary, he was certain that his eldest would not lie to him in any way other then out of pure necessity.

Caavin was obviously waiting for a reply, waiting to know whether or not his lie had been believed or not, when a memory came floating to the surface of Todd's conscious. Katherine's voice came to his ears as his mind recalled a conversation he and she had had while trapped together on Romulus' prison world. _"He was an elder, like you. He only let me go after he found out that I was from Atlantis; makes me think he was a part of your alliance,"_ she had said and, now, standing here, Todd had the most sickening feeling that he now knew who that wraith was. Since the taking of companions was prohibited within his alliance, it would make absolute sense for Caavin to lie to him about having taken one; the revelation brought bile to the back of Todd's throat.

When his sire did not immediately give a response nor comment on his reply, Caavin frowned. "Sire?" he questioned, quirking a brow ridge upwards towards his confused looking progenitor. "Have you nothing to say?"

Todd's pensiveness ended abruptly and he turned to his son with cold, harsh eyes. "She was your companion," the eldest of wraith hissed angrily as he took a step towards his wayward scion. "Of all the things you could have disobeyed me in you choose this!"

Caavin blinked at him and then allowed a deep scowl to settle upon his features. "And you have come to this remarkable conclusion how?" he pondered.

Todd growled at him. "Ignorance does not become you, Caavin, I suggest you cease at once else I shall make you."

The younger wraith was not perturbed as anyone else would have been mostly because he had long ago lost all fear he had for the one that had begot him. He still revered him yes, honored him and respected him, but he no longer cowered in his presence as he had once done when he had been a youngling. "Shall you?" he mocked the Eldest. "And how shall you do that?"

Todd hissed and resisted the urge he had to hit his son. He had never before done such a thing and he refused to do so now despite his belief that, given the circumstances, Caavin deserved it. "You have lost your fear of me," he remarked instead, coming still closer until he was toe to toe with his first born. "I suggest you locate it."

Caavin matched his gaze and refused to waver. "Again," he began, choosing to forgo his sire's last statement, "How is it that you have concluded that I had, at one point, Katherine in my company as my companion?"

"I am not ignorant, that is how," Todd bit back sharply, now furious beyond all reckoning. "Katherine has told me of her previous encounter as a companion to a wraith and told me that, in many ways, the wraith that held her reminded her of me. The fact that you are lying to me about how it is that you came to know her makes it very easy for me to make a connection between the both."

Far from being worried that he had now been caught, Caavin's mind had latched onto quite another concept altogether. "What do you mean 'her previous encounter as a companion'," He asked, his eyes narrowing considerably. "You imply that she has been a companion since I -"

"So you admit it," Todd interrupted him, stepping back and crossing his arms over his chest imposingly; proud of himself for wresting the truth from his entirely-too-much-like-his-own-self son.

Caavin scowled. "Yes, I admit it, she was mine. Now," he glared at his sire, "what do you mean -"

"That is none of your concern," Todd interrupted him again, the pleasure at having gotten the truth out of Caavin gone at hearing Katherine being referred to as 'mine' by someone other than him. It prompted him to think of an appropriate way to punish Caavin for what he had done. "Your punishment for this act of disobedience, however, is," he looked over the one standing before him. "I suggest you focus on that."

Caavin was livid. "I care not for whatever punishment you can drum up for me!" he growled dangerously at his sire and commander. "Do to me whatever you like, but you will tell me of Katherine and what your meaning is!"

A jolt of realization shot through Todd as Caavin yelled at him, one that shook him most violently. "You care for her," he whispered slowly, his eyes taking in the expression on his eldest's face; it was not unlike the expression he wore when he expressed concern for the same female.

Caavin nodded. "I do," he said simply.

Todd stared at him trying hard to grasp this concept. He was no stranger to the fact that he was not the only one that Katherine inspired lust or desire in, that attraction he could handle. But finding that another - another whose happiness and contentment was a major priority of his own - cared for her with strength enough to risk whatever punishment might be leveled against them in order to be with her, that Todd was not prepared for. The steadiness of his gaze told him that Caavin was willing to risk much in order to have the opportunity to establish an intimate report with Katherine and that any punishment Todd levied against him would not deter him. Knowing this, Todd was at a loss and he did not like it at all.

It was a very peculiar feeling to be envious of one's own child and Todd was; painfully so.

"What do you plan to do?" he asked, suddenly very tired.

Caavin's anger bled away as he looked back at his sire, able to see from his eyes that he would not be punished for his transgression. "I have asked her if I may court her."

Todd's blood ran cold, his heartbeat slowing as he held onto his breath. "And her answer?" he questioned, hopeful that Caavin was not able to detect the misery in his tone nor its underlying sorrow. He desperately willed Katherine's answer to have been no.

While Caavin did not note the complete almost tangible despair in his sire's tone, he did catch at least part of its melancholy. He took it, however, as a sign of his sire's displeasure at his chosen course of action rather than having to do with _whom_ he had chosen to proceed with. "Katherine is an admirable female with whom I believe even you might have found exception in," he informed his sire. "She will make a more then acceptable mate."

The conversation seemed to be over and, even though Caavin had not given Todd a direct response, his question had been nonetheless answered. Katherine had granted her permission for his son to curry her favor. Caavin did not stay and swept past his sire to go, presumably, in search of Katherine and Todd, having nothing more to do, remained where he was; his thoughts a swirling mass of confusion, jealousy, resentfulness and hate.

In that moment, for the first time in his life, Todd felt hatred for one of his children take root within him; tightening it's stone cold grip around his heart and squeezing hard until Todd felt that he could barely breathe. Caavin was free, free of the responsibilities, the limitations, and the circumstance that kept Todd from making Katherine _his_ mate. Realistically, Todd knew that she would one day find a mate and that he would have to accept her choice but he had not ever thought that her choice would be another wraith nor that that wraith would in turn be someone so close to him. He could hate another wraith, could plot his death and could always hope that Katherine would leave them but Caavin, Caavin who he cared for more than any other being in his life save for Katherine herself, _his_ happiness Todd could not bring himself to wish for, hope for or plot to end. He could hate him for he had learned long ago that one could both hate and love at the same time, but he could never wish him ill as he could another nameless male.

In a burst of frustration, hopelessness and pure, unadulterated anguish, Todd pivoted on his right foot and brought his left hand, fisted so that his fingernails drew blood from his palm, slamming into the wall. The move was not his brightest nor the most well thought out and, as he removed his now bleeding appendage from the splintered organic material of the once smooth wall, Todd sighed and flexed it. Pain shot up his arm and he realized that in some places his flesh had been stripped from his tendons right down to the bone.

Sighing, he calmed himself and turned his steps towards the medical bay, resignation now sweeping through him; pounding away his anger and spreading a deep, penetrating feeling of loss through him to every particle of his being. If Katherine chose to become Caavin's mate, then he would do nothing to stop it. He would allow them both to be happy and in turn, would remain in a constant state of misery for all time; lamenting that his son could have openly what he could not.

~xXx~

"I vote we set a trap."

Kate blinked at Lorne whose image looked really weird plastered across the organic wraith communications screen. One of the veins that crisscrossed the membrane-like surface looked like it was going into his nose and coming out his left ear. Kate forced herself to not laugh, succeeding only barely before concentrating on what her commanding officer had said.

"And how do you wanna do that?" she asked.

Lorne shrugged. "It's simple, me and Larrin have been talking about it. Obviously the bad spy isn't a wraith worshiper or Todd's spy would've caught him already so the only way to oust him is to get him to reveal himself."

Kate nodded. "So," she said slowly, looking between the both of them who were crammed into the secret cubby that the good spy had stashed his wraith communication equipment in. "What you want to do is…what do you want to do exactly?"

Larrin grinned. "We're going to fake a shipment. We're going to use the little bit of tallsium that we've mined since the last raid and say that we're going to ship it out in smaller doses to try and avoid getting hit."

"When really you'll be monitoring the whole thing and watching and waiting for our guy to show up," Kate concluded. "It could work."

Lorne sighed. "Well, it's got to because we're really running out of idea's here."

Kate inclined her head. "Yeah, I hear you," she crossed her arms. "So, listen. Call me back when you've got all the details worked out and I'll pass them along to Todd and the other wraith. Till then, keep your eyes -"

"Open," Lorne interrupted her. "Yes mother."

Kate grinned.

Larrin shoved Lorne out of the way and peered at Kate from the other side of the screen. "Hey," she called out. "You be careful, alright? I don't like the thought of you alone on a hive with a bunch of wraith even if you swear up, down and sideways that they're all 'nice'."

Kate snickered. "You know me," she said. "I'll be fine."

Larrin gave her a look as if to say 'yeah right' but didn't say anything and the screen went blank. Sighing, Kate turned off her own portal and decided to go back to shifting through the mountains of mostly useless but interesting data that the wraith had managed to pile together about this whole thing. When she reached the room the terminal was in, she found Todd hunched over it lost in thought.

"I've already been through those sections, you know," she called to him, walking into the mist filled room and stopping a few feet away from him.

The wraith looked up. "Katherine," he whispered, able to keep most but not all of his misery out of his voice. He hoped she wouldn't notice.

Todd should've known better. Kate frowned and came closer, coming to a stop directly across from him so that the only thing that separated them was the data terminal itself. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Todd hissed and bit back the answer that he wanted to give her and instead answered her with a reply that was both ambiguous and safe. "I am fine," he assured her, lying through his teeth. "My mind has simply been…occupied as of late."

"Oh," Kate mumbled and dropped her eyes, looking intently at her own hands where they rested on the terminal. She frowned, catching something out of the corner of her eyes that, when she looked at it, made her gasp.

Todd heard her and looked up, his eyes searching her face until he saw her eyes and followed them. When he found what it was she was looking at, he scolded himself for being careless and quickly removed his hand from its resting place, hiding it behind his back. Looking at Katherine he tried to reassure her. "It is nothing -"

"Nothing?" Kate yelped, coming around the terminal and stepping up to Todd who backed up and away from her. "I saw bone. Let me see your hand."

Todd hesitated. "Katherine. I am -"

"What have I told you about being stubborn?" she chided him, holding out her own hand towards him and curling her fingers expectantly. His eyes dropped from her face to the ground and she let out an exasperated sigh. "Valloran," she said, "Please let me -"

His name was his undoing and, as he complied with her demand of him and held out his injured hand for her to examine, Todd realized that when she called him Valloran there really was very little he could deny her. The realization struck him almost painfully hard.

Kate gently took his battered and bleeding left hand in both of her own and held it, her eyes softening and glassing over in worry. She looked up at him, the injures looked self inflicted, like he's punched a wall. "Did you do this to yourself?" she implored, honestly concerned for him.

Todd tried to deny it for all of exactly six seconds. "Katherine, I -" the expression in her eyes, the true and complete concern she was showing for him stopped him. He let out a long and low breathe of surrender. "I did."

Kate's grip on him tightened and she looked down once before looking back up at him. "Why?"

As his heart rate and body temperature had both skyrocketed the movement she had touched him and she had now been touching him for several minutes, Todd pulled his hand away from her before the sensation of feeling her flesh caress his in however an innocent way made him do something stupid. _She is not yours, _his consciousness reminded itself harshly, _If she is anyone's, she is Caavin's. You cannot betray your eldest by touching that which is his. _Forcibly, he made himself go back to pouring over the endless streams of data.

Kate got the distinct impression that he didn't want her there any longer and she wondered if he'd ever wanted her there in the first place. Feeling hurt, she looked at him a while longer during which time he did not look up at her once before she sighed and turned away, leaving the room altogether and going in search of her wraith.

Behind her, Todd watched her go and resisted the urge to slam his other fist into the terminal he was so desperately clinging to.

~xXx~

"This had better work."

"Shhh," Kate scolded Lorne as he, herself and Larrin sat, crouched, behind a large rock, their eyes trained on the fake shipment of tallsium that they'd set out in order to catch their spy. So far, the guy was taking a painfully long time to get here.

Lorne grumbled something and crossed his arms, shifting so as to relieve some of the tension in his back. It was as he was moving around and making noise that they heard people approaching them. Peering out from around the sides of the boulder, they looked around.

"I don't see anything," Larrin commented.

"That is because we are behind you," a smooth, multi toned voice answered her snidely.

All three of them whipped around. A man and eight wraith stood there holding weapons trained at their heads. "Your plan has failed," the lead wraith said triumphantly as the humans rose, all three of their hands held out, palms upwards in surrender. "And now we can collect the prize."

Larrin grit her teeth together. "Go ahead," she bit out harshly, jerking her head towards the bricks of raw tallsium that were behind them. "Take it."

The wraith sneered. "Oh," he said mockingly. "We no longer had interest in the mineral," he informed her. "Our spy has brought to our attention something that is of much greater value to our queen then tallsium."

Lorne, Larrin and Kate looked at each other. "What?" Lorne asked, almost dreading the answer. Somehow, he knew that this was all going to end in tears.

The wraith smirked and turned his yellow eyes onto the raven haired human female. "Her."

Kate blinked. "Me?"

The wraith hissed. "You are Katherine of Atlantis are you not?" he asked, beginning to circle her. "Our spy recognized you. Our queen and her sisters will pay dearly to see you brought to your knees for your transgressions against them."

Kate laughed shakily. "Hey look," she joked. "I'm famous."

The wraith snarled and reached for her, Kate reacted but was apparently still weakened from her encounter with death because, even though she fought bravely and Lorne and Larrin helped, in the end she still got captured.

The wraith got away, leaving the precious mineral behind after they'd gotten what they'd come for. Lorne and Larrin had managed to thin the number of wraith down from eight to six but it hadn't been enough. Kate was gone, the spy was unconscious and now they had to go back to Todd's hive and tell him what had happened.

"He's going to be angry instead he?" Larrin asked as she and Lorne bound and gagged the spy and loaded him onto the one jumper that Atlantis had given to the Travelers.

Lorne didn't need her to specify. "Yep."

Larrin sighed. "He's going to kill us isn't he?"

Lorne sat down heavily in the pilot's seat and switched the engines on, closing the back hatch. "Probably."

Larrin sat down next to him. "Let's get this over with, then," she said forlornly.

Lorne nodded and took off, steering the ship towards the hive Kate had told them was parked about two miles away. Todd was going to hurt somebody when they told him where Kate was; Lorne silently prayed that it was the spy.

~xXx~

The humans were overdue which, admittedly, was not uncommon for them but, for some reason that he could not shake, Todd felt and odd sense of certainty that there was something wrong.

"Will you cease, Valloran?" Romulus asked his friend who had taken to pacing the width of the dart bay landing platform for the past several minutes. "Your excessive movement is begging to grate on my nerves."

Todd ignored the complaint but did stop, turning to look out of the yawning dart bay doors to the darkening sky beyond. "Something is wrong."

Kenny eyed his commander in a mixture of thoughtfulness and dubiousness. "And, you are aware of this how, Commander?"

Todd rounded on him. "I am -"

He was interrupted by the sounds of an approaching ship. Moments later, one of the Lantean gate ships had flown into the bay and landed, revealing the humans Lorne and Larrin. Todd frowned, he did not see Katherine.

"Where is -"

"There was a complication," Lorne interrupted him, wincing at the look of fury that transformed Todd's face, the major prepared for the wraith's outburst. "She got captured."

Todd was silent for about three seconds during which both Kenny and Romulus eyes him worriedly. Both knew what had happened to Katherine at their last encounter, both knew that following her resurrection Todd would be very likely to go insane if told that something else had happened to her.

Kenny decided to inquire after the Eldest's state of mind. "Commander -"

Todd cut him off. "You," he began, his voice deadly in its stillness and quite, somber timbre, "…allowed Katherine to be captured?"

Larrin frowned, resenting the accusation. "Hey," she said defensively, "We didn't allow her to be anything. The plan just went south is -"

A loud, resounding growl cut her off and made Larrin swallow hard; it was the most terrifying sound she'd ever heard before.

Lorne gulped and tried to calm Todd down. "Look, Todd," he started forwards, wavering just slightly as the wraith turned to him and leveled his eyes - which were normally golden but were now a dark, almost black amber - on the well meaning major. "Kate'll be -"

"Need I remind you of what befell her the last time she was in harm's way!" Todd snarled, effectively silencing everyone one at once. Nobody moved. "How could you allow -"

"We didn't!" Larrin insisted. " It's not our fault that the spy recognized her as Katherine of Atlantis and told his wraith that she was…" she trailed off, suddenly realizing that telling Todd that part of what had happened had been a bad idea. "I mean…" she swallowed hard, "Shit."

Beside her, Lorne nodded slowly; Todd looked like he was going to explode.

Eyeing both humans, Todd forced himself to think rationally. "What happened?" he demanded, his voice as calm as he could make it.

Lorne gulped and started to explain. "Well, apparently Kate's just as well known as the colonel because the wraith really, really wanted to capture her. The spy told them that she was here and they came to ah…get her. They, ah, left the tallsium behind. Apparently Kate's more valuable to them then it is."

Todd tried very hard to not yell; he failed. Screaming in fury, he spun on his heel and sought a release for his anger. He found it and promptly made another hole in a wall of his son's hive. Breathing heavily, his fists both clenching and unclenching, he stood there and fumed.

Romulus shook his head. "You really must stop doing that," he scolded Valloran. "You have now damaged both your hands and for what?"

Todd glared at him. Everyone else on the other hand, looked down; Caavin, his second, Kenny, Lorne and Larrin all noticing the almost identical injuries to both his hands at the same time. All five of them made faces that displayed their concern and confusion.

Caavin eyed his sire. "So, you are the one that is responsible for the hole in the wall of my command quarters."

Todd rounded on him and snarled. "Now is not the time for reprimands."

Caavin sniffed. "No, indeed it is not," he turned to the humans. "We must conceive of a way to retrieve Katherine before harm is done to her."

Todd hisses and made an odd half growl half snarling noise. "So glad you have reached such a decision," he bit out scathingly.

Caavin glared at him and opened his mouth both retort. Larrin interrupted.

"If it helps," she called out, causing both wraith to stop glaring at each other heatedly and turn and look at her. She almost regretted it but pushed on, the wraith that sort of looked like Todd was right; they needed to get Kate back. "We did manage to capture the spy. He might be able to tell us where -"

Upon hearing this, Todd marched past both humans and towards the jumper. Coming around the side of the ship he espied the hapless human informant and started towards him, grabbing him by the arm and hauling him out the back hatch. Removing the gag about his mouth, Todd released the man who promptly stumbled to the ground. Now laying prone at Todd's feet, the angry wraith bore down on the one responsible for Katherine's capture. "Tell me," he hissed dangerously, "To which hive do you report?"

The man looked defiantly up at the predator above him and bit his bottom lip. "I will tell you nothing," he spat.

It was a mistake.

Growling, Todd reached downwards and grabbed the human by the throat, lifting him upwards until he was standing upright. "I will ask again," he began, "Tell me -"

Todd's eyes widened as a searing pain suddenly ripped through him, it's epicenter emanating from the spot on his chest directly over his sternum. Hissing in agony, he dropped the human and stumbled backwards, eventually sinking down into a crouch and closing his eyes tightly, waiting for the pain to pass. It did and, as it faded and was replaced with an almost euphoric sensation, Todd realized with a sickening jolt what had happened.

"No."

While the spy lay crumpled on the ground Lorne, Larrin and the other wraith all watched as Todd suddenly doubled over in pain and then sank to the floor, his injured hands balling into fists in an attempt to staunch whatever pain he was feeling. Confused, worried, and completely baffled, they all looked at one another. When the spasm passed and Todd let out a whispered and anguished sounding 'no', it was Caavin you started forwards to inquire after what had happened.

"Sire?"

Todd ignored him and stood, the pleasurable feeling of euphoria now fading from his system. It was but an echo of the real sensation as the pain before it, he realized, was also nothing but a shadow. He looked up. "Katherine."

Lorne frowned. "What about Kate?"

Todd took one step forwards. "She is being tortured; fed upon."

Larrin's eyes widened. "How the hell do you know that?" she demanded.

Caavin was also curious and not in an inquisitive way. To be able to feel the pain of another which is what he was sure had just happened to his sire, spoke of a deep connection between persons. The revelation that Katherine must share such a bond with his sire made him very, very envious. It was an odd felling, he decided, being jealous of one's own sire.

"Yes," he bit out darkly. "How exactly are you aware of -"

"When the gift of life is given, a connection forms between the giver and the receiver," Todd explained, in no mood to go into detail. "The strength of the connection is dependent upon the potency of the gift and how much life-force was given."

Lorne's eyebrows shot up and threatened to disappear into his hair. "So," he started. "Because you gave Kate the gift of life you can feel what's happening to her? Can you do that with the colonel?"

Todd nodded. "I can, but not so strongly. The connection between he and I is not so powerful. I have restored his life but once, I have given Katherine the gift twice now."

Caavin's eyes damn near bugged out of his head upon hearing this bit of news. Twice? It was unheard of.

Romulus had not known this either nor, it seemed, had Kenny. "Twice?" they both echoed confusedly.

Todd nodded. "Yes. First while we were being held captive by a human named Ford and then -"

"When Kate died," Lorne finished for the wraith, a curious expression on his face. "I don't suppose the fact that you technically brought her both to life after she'd already died has anything to do with how strong yours and her…connection is does it?"

Todd hissed. "I am sure it plays a factor. There is also the fact that in order to heal Katherine of her wounds I may have…used more than simply the life-force I harvested from the Genii."

Larrin thought she understood what that meant. "You mean you used some of your own?" she asked, trying to imagine a wraith going that far to save a human.

Todd nodded. "Yessss."

The others were silent. Caavin recovered first.

Hearing that Katherine had died, that her life had come to an end and that his sire was responsible for resurrecting her was difficult for him to grasp. That he had given her some of his own life-energy as well in his effort to heal her was simply too much. "Why, sire, would you go that far to save her?" he demanded, that envious feeling now threatening to drown him.

Todd looked at his son. "She is important to me."

Caavin peered at him. "How important?"

Todd snorted. "Does it matter?"

Caavin opened his mouth.

"No," Romulus interrupted, inserting himself between the both of them. "At this point in time it does not. We must focus of retrieving Katherine, the both of you can fight over her affections later."

Sire and son fell silent and looked at the floor.

Romulus turned towards Valloran. "I trust that your connection with Katherine has, for the moment, linked your mind to hers?" when Valloran nodded, he asked, "Do you know, then, where she is?"

Todd nodded.

Romulus turned to the humans. "You both will stay here," he looked at Caavin. "You and I will assist your sire in rescuing Katherine from her captivity. Questions?"

There were none and, sniffing in approval, Romulus gestured for both Valloran and Caavin to board the wraith transport that sat just to the right of the Lantean gate ship. Once inside, Valloran took up the pilot's seat and immediately lifted off, his mind already focused on its mission.

Katherine's location, as it turned out, was not as far away as Romulus would have thought. The enemy had a hive in orbit just above the planet and it was not difficult at all to sneak aboard. The ship was almost completely deserted and they met no one as they moved ghost like through the corridors until they found the bridge. Valloran underwent another painful spasm whilst both Caavin and Romulus pulled up the hive's command logs and learned that the ship was only just barely crewed. The queen of the faction, after learning that Katherine of Atlantis was in her mine, had dispatched a ship to go and collect her with only the bare minimum of hands aboard.

For this Romulus was glad as he and Caavin quickly wrote a subroutine that would overload the ship's hyperdrive, resulting in its destruction. Task complete, they both turned towards Valloran and found him in a corner of the bridge, on his knees, shaking as wave after wave of a pain that was not his own washed through him; breaking against him like waves might against a rock.

Romulus grew worried, for both he and Katherine whose pain he was sharing. "Valloran?"

Banishing the greater portion of the echoing pain he was experiencing now that he was so close to Katherine, Todd stood from his crouch and turned to face both Romulus and Caavin, a grave expression on his face. "We must hurry," he beseeched them, a note of desperateness to his voice that he was sure only Romulus was able to detect.

The elder wraith nodded, the despondency in Valloran's voice alighting him to the severity of the situation and how it was effecting the former high commander. Romulus had seen Valloran this concerned only once before and then, it had been Caavin's life that had been in danger of being terminated. That he would show the same level of concern for Katherine spoke greatly of his overall affinity for her and proved to Romulus more than any other one thing that, in this endeavor, Valloran was no longer leading with his mind and intellect but rather with his heart.

Caavin remained oblivious.

"Do you require assistance?" Romulus questioned, reaching out to assist Valloran should he need it only to be waved away as a snarl of anger heralded another wave of pain that came crashing down upon his greatest companion. Valloran pushed it aside and turned the anguish to anger in a move that was outwardly visible to both wraith who stood aside as the great one stalked past them and began to make the journey to wherever it was that he knew Katherine to be.

Wordlessly, Romulus and Caavin followed, the elder of the two able to sense the younger's ever growing confusion over his sire's actions. Wisely, however, Caavin held his tongue and it was with great speed that the three of them came to find themselves concealed in the shadows outside the throne room, each of them peering inwards cautiously so as not to give away their presences.

What Todd saw made his already volatile temperament very nearly explode, his already simmering blood threatening to boil over. The hive's queen sat in her throne, a smirk of sadistic pleasure tainting her features as she toyed with a strand of her hair, twisting it around her fingers as she silently watched her commander circle the kneeling Katherine who, herself, was wearing a dark grin upon her face that betrayed her amusement at the frustration of the wraith that circled her. Clearly, the commander was angered because his usual method of torture was not succeeding on her as it would have done on any other human; the queen seemed amused by Katherine's willfulness. Todd felt heartened by it for as sure as he could feel her life's strength fading, Katherine's anger and defiance never wavered and instead grew increasingly strong. It gave him hope that she might yet survive this.

The commander stopped his orbit of her and snarled as he came to stand before her, leering down on her in frustration and fury. "Get up!" he ordered her becoming even more incensed when she did not move. Reaching down, he grabbed her by the arm and forced her to rise, hissing at her as he did so while receiving a strong mental wave of pleasure for his actions directed at him from his queen. He hissed again, and tightened his grip on her arm. "You will learn obedience human," he growled to her. "I shall take great pleasure in breaking you of your insufferable willfulness before I end your pathetic existence."

In the shadows, Romulus had to forcefully grasp Valloran's arm to keep him from entering the conflict prematurely. Haste in this would not bode well and he mentally reminded his friend of this feeling inclined to also explain to him that their best chance to extract her lay in waiting until she was alone with the queen as it seemed to him that Valloran's ability to strategize and form reasonable thought had abandoned him. Nothing but hatred and fury fueled him now and Romulus, admittedly, was much a feared of his friend's current state of mind. He had never, in his life, seen Valloran this angry.

Kate stared determinedly back at the wraith that held her in a vice like grip and summoned all that remained of her strength forwards as she snarled first and then spit at her torturer. The wraith blinked and then released her, growling in fury before backhanding her across her face. The force of the blow would not have, on a normal day, knocked her from her feet but, given the circumstance, in her weakened and physically exhausted state, Kate found herself crashing to the ground; only barely able to catch herself with her hands and prevent herself from face planting into the floor of the throne room. A angry hiss sounded above her and Kate pushed herself up and winced, feeling the sting of the blow beginning to throb painfully through her entire being. Bringing a hand up to her mouth, she pressed her the back of her hand into her lip and, when she drew it away and saw the blood that glistened upon her skin, looked up at the wraith towering over her; true fear taking hold in her for the first time since she had been brought here.

"You will pay for that, little human," The commander hissed dangerously, reaching out to capture the now very much weakened female by the throat and haul her upwards. The action was halted however as a stab of pain radiated out from his outstretched feeding hand and, looking down, the wraith saw that a small, black handled dagger was now protruding from his feeding hand; the blade embedded up to the hilt in his now profusely bleeding flesh.

Logic was something that Todd was no longer in possession of and reason, likewise, seemed to take complete leave of him as his eyes fell on the dark red liquid that stained Katherine's hand. A horrible image suddenly sprang to the forefront of his mind of her on the ground, the dirt around her becoming mud as the same blood that now wetted her hand had spilled from her body in large, gushing quantities until finally the flow had stopped and the life had fled from her eyes. The storm grey orbs losing their luster as the void had claimed her, stealing her from him. That memory fueled the all consuming rage that suddenly consumed him and forced what little coherent thought that was left him from his mind.

Romulus seemed to sense the change because he released his hold upon Todd's upper arm and, within seconds, the incensed and completely irrational Todd had drawn a dagger from the folds of his battle-coat, taken aim and let fly the dangerous blade. His aim was dead on and he gained immense satisfaction as the knife buried itself fully into the hand of the wraith that had dared draw blood from _his_ Katherine. Startled and in pain, the wraith turned around towards the throne room's entrance as his queen and the still floor bound female, both looked up. Stepping from the shadows, Todd entered the chamber bringing with him an aura of such utter fury that he could visibly see the terror in the eyes of both the still seated queen and her commander.

"Eldest," the queen hissed, her eyes raking the form of the deadliest of wraith, taking in his stature, his bearing and the pure darkness that was currently being secreted from his person like a poison from which there was no escape. Never in her life had she ever been more terrified then she was in that moment, never had she believed the tales she had heard of this male until now when she saw him standing before her emanating a vehemence such as she had never known before nor thought possible. In that instant in the continuity of time, the Eldest was wrath incarnate.

Todd tilted his head to the side and flexed his fingers for they itched to relieve the commander of his life for daring to hurt who - Todd realized with sudden clarity, apart from Caavin - was most precious to him. "You have something that belongs to me," he whispered maliciously, the tone in his multilayered voice betraying his temperament to all those that heard it. "I want her back."

The queen's eyes widened and her head reared back as she looked from the eldest to the woman that still sat on the floor. The human was currently looking directly at him, an unreadable expression on her face. The queen turned back to the Eldest. Fear him she might, but the one thing that was stronger than her fear of the great wraith was her arrogance and this human female had wronged she and her sisters countless times and deserved to suffer for it. She would not release her until vengeance had been done.

"Want all you wish, Eldest," the queen replied boldly, erasing all traces of fear in her voice as she haughtily stood from her throne and took a calculated step towards the ancient one. "I will not release her to you. Katherine of Atlantis must pay for -"

Her refusal was cut short by the growl that was released from Todd's chest. In an instant, he had take one deadly step towards the queen, threat and intention evident in his eyes, and grabbed the young, foolish queen by the throat. Her commander reacted instinctively and attacked Todd, causing him to release the queen who spilled to the ground. Alerted by the mental call of danger from their queen, several sub-commanders suddenly appeared in the throne room and Romulus and Caavin choose that time to make their presences known, coming quickly forwards to take on the new arrivals while Todd grappled with the commander.

Kate, meanwhile, sought out the queen who was currently trying to reach the button on her throne that would call all drones in the hive to this room. Desperately, Kate searched for the last dregs of her strength that remained and scrambled up, lunging forwards and tackling the queen before she could reach the armrest of her throne. Together, they both fell, disconnecting as they hit the ground and rolled away from the throne. Angered from the attack, the queen rose up and delivered a blow across Kate's face, the finger guards she wore drawing a considerable amount of blood. Grunting and pushing past the pain, Kate lifted herself up to her knees and reached out both hands to the queen's throat. Wrapping her fingers around it, she let her body fall forwards, her own body weight and weariness a valuable asset at the moment as she landed atop the queen and continued to press downwards; squeezing.

Engaged in a battle of his own, the commander fought with everything he had within him as the Eldest's attacks grew more and more dangerous. Truly there was no greater warrior among wraith then this one that now threatened to end his life if he was not careful. As he ducked a blow that was aimed for his head, the commander feinted right and then, suddenly, stopped moving as a terrible, horrible sense of loss came crashing down on his head. Before him, the Eldest, too, paused and the commander used this time to turn, his eyes and his senses desperately scrying out his queen only to find her very near death at the hands of the human female. As he watched, the woman's hands tightened and then, with one last desperate hiss, his queen's body fell limp and her life was ended.

Anger, anger such as he had never known before washed through him and, striding forwards, his eyes red with hatred and lust for her death, the commander pushed past the Eldest and reached out to strangle the life from the human woman that had dared to take his queen away from him. His finger were inches from her frightened face when a complete and total, all encompassing pain pierced him and caused him to stop his advance. Looking forwards, he could see splatters of blood upon the human's face that were not her own and, looking down at himself, the commander's eyes widened in horror at the sight that met him.

A hand, a feeding hand, was protruding from a gaping cavity in the center of his chest, completely reddened with his own thick, crimson blood. As he watched, the hand flexed and then withdrew, causing a similar pain to the one he had first experiences to rush through him as another, more terrible pain accompanied it. In anguish and knowing that he was about it die, the commander turned to face the Eldest only to see that the greatest of all wraith now held his heart, still weakly beating, in his hand. The commander wavered, and pitched forwards but did not fall. The Eldest came towards him, grasping him by the shoulder with his non-bloodied hand and proceeded to shove his stolen organ, now fluttering weakly, down his throat. The commander choked and scratched at his throat desperately as the blood being pumped out of his own heart slid down his esophagus, suffocating him. With one last desperate attempt to receive air, the commander fell to his knees, gasped and gurgled once and then expired, his body falling forwards to lay sprawled at the Eldest's feet.

Breathing heavily, Todd looked down upon the wraith's whose life he had ended more violently then he had any other. He felt no regret for his actions, no sense of wrong for his overwhelming display of sadism. Instead, he felt glad, pleased that he had managed to make this one's end so very terrible. The commander had brought harm onto Katherine, his end was deserved. Lifting his eyes from his kill, Todd looked about the throne room, his gaze seeking out one and only one and, having found her, he stepped over the body at his feet and took himself to her, kneeling before her as soon as he had reached her.

"Katherine."

Kate, who had pressed her back into the throne as the commander had come towards her, stared ahead of her, the carnage she had just bore witness to implanting itself into her brain and refusing to leave. Todd came to crouch in front of her and, silently, Kate looked to him, the unspoken question laid bare in her eyes as she gazed at him; he was covered in blood and looked very much like evil incarnate.

"He hurt you."

Kate felt her breath catch in her throat as understanding washed through her, filling her up and, instead of filling her with horror or terror, made her feel warm. Todd had done what he'd done for her, to avenge her and Kate found herself honored by that rather then horrified as any normal person would have been. Reaching out a shaking hand, the tremors running through her the products of her torture rather than the violence she had just seen, she laid her palm flat against Todd's leather covered chest; directly above his heart. "Thank you, Valloran."

She spoke softly, so that those that stood behind them - Caavin and Romulus - would not hear her speak his name. Todd marveled at her consideration but found that, in all honesty, he hardly cared who heard her call him by his given name. Her knowing it was a sign of their connection, of their amity and of the trust he had in her, he would not have cared, in that moment, if she'd shouted it from atop Atlantis' control spire.

"Can you stand?" he asked her and, when Katherine shook her head and winced in pain, Todd moved forwards and with great ease, lifted her into his arms, hissing in pleasure as her hands instinctively wound around his neck and her head lowered to rest at his shoulder. Turing, he faced his son and oldest friend and found that both of them were watching him with expressions that showed him their concerns. Caavin was worried for the woman he held cradled in his arms and Romulus worried for both of them. Todd ignored both of them and stalked past them, his arms tightening around Katherine as he passed his son and turned his steps towards the dart bay and their transport.

Left behind in the carnage filled throne room, Romulus and Caavin watched Valloran exit, both filled with varying emotions. Caavin was confused, conflicted and worried. His Sire had never done such a thing as he had done here, never been so violent before in all his many years and Caavin wondered why he had chosen to be so statistic in this slaying. Besides his conflict over his sire's actions, Caavin was also worried for Katherine. It was clear that she was in considerable amounts of pain and he found himself concerned over her ability to heal from this. Perhaps he should offer her the gift.

"She would not take it."

Caavin turned to Romulus. "You are reading my thoughts?"

Romulus shook his head. "I do not need to, your intentions are written on your features for all to see," he looked at the young wraith and sighed. "Come, we should leave."

Caavin nodded and followed the elder wraith from the blood soaked room, his mind still wondering over the events that he had just previously seen, trying to understand them and failing miserably.

~xXx~

The humans had been appraised and their worries relieved upon the return to Caavin's hive. Todd had exited the transport and walked past the both of them, still holding Katherine, ignoring their inquires and leaving them to Caavin and Romulus. The explanation had been short, Romulus summarizing the events of the past several hours while sparing them the details. When he was done, he'd offered to have them both roomed only to have the female request a transport back to the mine while the male, Lorne, asked if they might be willing to take him back to Atlantis. Romulus agreed and gave the order despite it being Caavin's hive before showing the major to a more comfortable chamber and leaving him there while he and Caavin traveled through the corridors and hallways to the medical bay.

Upon their arrival, they found that Valloran had ordered all of Caavin's medical officers to leave and had begun to administer Katherine himself. As Caavin had never seen his Sire do this, he stood back in the shadows at the entrance to the medical bay with Romulus and watched. After several minutes, Romulus turned to Caavin and, looking over his face and posture, took the younger wraith by the arm and lead him away, taking him from the immediate view of both his sire and Katherine.

Caavin looked questioningly at his sire's oldest companion. Romulus took a deep breath.

"I feel as though you are owed an explanation."

Caavin frowned. "An explanation to what?"

Romulus gave him a pointed look. "To your Sire and Katherine."

The younger wraith eyed him confusedly. "She is the sister of Colonel John Sheppard with whom my sire has an alliance," he recited, choosing to ignore the information he had come to know concerning his sire's connection to Katherine. He did not want to think about it and clung desperately to the hope that it all meant nothing. "What is there to explain -"

"Do not make the mistake of thinking that you are the only one that cares for Katherine," Romulus interrupted him.

Caavin felt what little hope he had been able to retain leave him. "My Sire cares for her," he whispered, sorrow in his voice; his chances of having her were diminishing rapidly.

Romulus nodded. "A great deal," he paused, his face taking on a look of retrospect. "More, I think, then even he knows."

Caavin looked up. "How do you mean?"

Romulus sighed. "Your Sire, Valloran, has….given part of himself to her and is not yet aware of it. Indeed, he believes himself incapable of such things and so, I believe, it shall be quite a while yet before he realizes what he has done."

Caavin's eyes narrowed in puzzlement. "And what is this…part of himself, that my Sire has given to her?" he asked, curiosity and confusion warring within him. He knew of nothing that his sire could have bequeathed to her other than his amity but Caavin rather thought that Romulus was delusional if he thought his sire was unaware of the fact that he considered Katherine a friend. Therefore, he could think of nothing else that -

"His heart."

Caavin very nearly choked on nothing, the blood in his veins running cold and his heart beat increasing to a near painful rhythm. Blankly, he stared back at Romulus, his eyes wide and unbelieving, confusion, non-comprehension, denial, disbelief and a myriad of other emotions all threatening to drown him. It was impossible, it had to be because if it was not then any chance he might have of courting her was…

"You never had a chance, Caavin," Romulus told him pityingly. "Perhaps if you had met her first, but not now. Valloran and Katherine's fates are bound and there is nothing that can separate them. Would that they could see it."

Caavin, pushing past the pain he was feeling at once more loosing Katherine before he ever really had the chance to have her, returned his attention to Romulus. "What do you mean?"

The elder wraith looked at his fellow elder and offered him a look that spoke greatly of his conflict over this. "Valloran believes that he is protecting her and so has made the decree that nothing but amity can exist between them. The decision will not last, they are too tightly bound, but your sire does not see it. He withholds for different reasons then those he professes."

"Which are?" Caavin asked, now intensely curious. He had known his sire to have many lovers, he had twenty brothers and sisters to prove that fact, but he had never known him to care for any of them. They had been either short lived liaisons or quick releases of built up sexual tension that, when his interest in them was gone for their purpose was served, were discarded. To now hear of his sire becoming emotionally entangled with a female was something of a novelty to Caavin and, therefore, of interest to him regardless of who that female was.

Romulus considered what to tell him. Valloran had told him none of this, choosing to keep all his feelings for Katherine bottled up in the effort to keep them secret but Romulus knew of them because he had known Valloran all his life and could read him better than any other wraith alive. Caavin, while being Valloran's eldest child, was also a confidant for his sire and there was no other alive besides himself and Katherine that cared more for the former high commander of wraith then his first born. Any secret he gave to Caavin, Romulus knew would be kept and so he told Caavin, told him everything.

"Your sire claims to withhold from Katherine in order to protect her," he began, his mind recalling his fury at Valloran when the wraith had told him of his decision; Romulus had wanted to hit him. "He knows that any relationship between them would have to be conducted in secret, behind closed doors and away from the prying eyes of the rest of the Atlantian humans. He has told Katherine that he will not ask this of her and so all they are able to be is friends but…." He trailed off and looked past Caavin to a flaw on the wall behind him. "…this reason, while being a true concern of his, is not the primary motive behind his inaction."

Caavin waited, on baited breath, to hear what idiotic reason his sire had come up with for not claiming Katherine. If he was in his sire's place, nothing short of a act of divine intervention and then probably not even that, would keep him from Katherine's arms and bed if she was willing to have him. "What is?"

Romulus let out a soft growl. "Fear."

Caavin blinked; he had not expected that. "Fear?" he echoed. "My sire fears nothing."

Romulus shook his head once in either direction, fixing Caavin with a pointed look as he continued. "That is not true. Valloran has always, since he was a youngling no older than six hundred, feared one thing. He fears being controlled, of having no power over his own actions and he fears that, if he were to enter into a intimacy with Katherine, then she would seek to control him as every single female he has ever taken to his bed as tried to do to him in the past."

Caavin quirked an eye ridge. "Every one?" he queried. "Surely there has been at least one female whom he has entertained that has not -"

Romulus interrupted him. "You forget that your sire was slated to become the next High Commander of Vallan since his birth. Being the eldest son and first born of the High Queen gave him influence and power beyond that of any other male in the entirety of the city; the lesser matriarchs sought to use him for their own gain and the common born females saw him as a means to raising their stations. Believe me when I say that your sire has mated no one who was not in his bed for some other reason than for pleasure."

Caavin looked at the floor, suddenly realizing why it was that all of his sire's affairs were so short lived. If he had only been propositioned because of the influence he had rather than because of his own talents then none of his liaisons would have lasted long either. Lifting his head again, he took to staring back at Romulus. "But," he began hesitantly, "Surely Katherine would never…"

"You are right," Romulus agreed. "Katherine would never try and manipulate him, use him or try and assert her control over him. He knows this, deep down, he is aware that she would never ask any thing of him that he would not otherwise offer her freely but, nearly eighty thousand years of sexual exploitation and power play have taken their toll I am afraid. Your motem begot you simply to try and force him to bind her and, unfortunately, that is not the worst experience your sire has had with females."

Caavin suddenly hated his motem as much as his sire did. "What can be done?" he asked softly. "If my Sire continues to do nothing -"

"He will lose her," Romulus finished. "While Valloran might be willing to torture himself for all of eternity by forever remaining near to her but never touching her, Katherine will lose patience with it once she realizes that he will never give in. She will leave, go back to her own stars and try to be happy with another, lesser male as her mate. She will never be happy without him but she will try. I fear that, knowing how stubborn your sire is, this is the fate that awaits them. He will do nothing, take no action with her until he realizes that it is too late."

"Then let us hope that my Sire sees sense before such a travesty occurs," Caavin replied grimly.

Romulus nodded but knew that he would not. Valloran would not realize what Katherine was to him before it was too late. It would take either a dramatic event or some sort of intervention from a higher power to stop the events that had already been lain out.

For the first time in his life, the elder wraith considered praying to anyone that would listen, ascended Lanteans included, that someone, somewhere would take pity on both Valloran and Katherine and intervene. Spare them the heartache that was sure to come to them because of Valloran's fears and feelings of inadequacy.

Shaking his head, he and Caavin left their shadowy vantage point and went their separate ways; Caavin to his command quarters and Romulus to see how Valloran was faring with Katherine.

~xXx~

On another plane of existence, the being once known as Morgan Le Fay smiled and inclined her head.

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Reviews are like candy; they're wonderful and they made my day just a little bit brighter. Push the button please!


	21. Nameday

**A/N: ** Okay, let me start off by saying that this chapter came about in a way that has never happened before. I sat down to begin writing it the other day and finished it all in one go. The words just flowed forth nonstop which, as I said, is a new one for me so ya'll will have to tell me how I did. On a side note, the 'Atlantis Handbook' which is quoted in this chapter is not a product of my imagination along. I owe most of my rules in it to the wonderful Cammy who graciously let be use her ideas. There are, however, several amendments/rewordings on her rules to better fit my characters and story line but, the concept was hers so don't yell at me for _stealing_ someone else's work; I asked for permission before I used it and she said yes. Anyway, now that we've got the housekeeping out of the way, the countdown to the last episode is upon us, only four more to go after you read this one. So, that having been said, read, enjoy and please push the little red button (yes I know it's not really red, movie quote, sorry) at the bottom and make my day. Cheers!

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**Episode XXI: Nameday**

"Has she said nothing?"

Lorne and Jennifer eyed each other before turning back to the expectant Teyla, Ronon and Laura Cadman. At the moment the five of them were squirreled away in the infirmary supply closet where they were certain not to be overheard. For the past month and a half they'd been meeting like this in order to plan both the colonel's and Kate's joint birthday party. The celebration itself was going to take place on New Athos and was a bit of a ways off but they'd been subtly asking both John and Kate what they wanted for a couple weeks now and while John had a whole list of things Kate only had one and, unfortunately, neither Lorne nor Jennifer exactly knew how to give it to her.

"Well?"Cadman asked impatiently. "Has Kate said anything yet or not?"

Jennifer sighed. "She said something," the doctor confessed ruefully, grimacing slightly.

Teyla lifted one perfectly shaped eyebrow. "From your expression, I can assume that what she has said is -"

"She wants Todd," Lorne supplied, looking at Teyla. "I asked her who, hypothetically speaking, she'd want at her perfect party and she said -"

"Todd," Ronon finished, frowning.

Teyla took a great breath and considered what she had been told. When the planning had first been begun the celebration had only been meant for John but, after mentioning it at a staff meeting it came out that Kate's nameday fell but a few days after John's and so the planned festivities had grown to encompass both of them. It was at this point that John had informed his team that Kate's birthday had always been overlooked while they'd been growing up and that she'd never actually had a party of her own. She had always been forced to share John's or have none at all. Knowing this, Teyla supposed it would mean a great deal to her to have the one person present that she could claim as her friend and her friend alone.

Cadman sighed dramatically. "Well," she said, "Too bad that's not an option -"

"I would not say that," Teyla interrupted her gently, turning to look around at everyone. "I believe that, given the circumstance, it would not be too impossible to grant Kate this one thing."

Cadman stared. "But…" she trailed off, at a loss of what to say. "He's wraith. Won't your people -"

"I believe that with the proper warning and a bit of…manipulation, they can be readied for the prospect of engaging in a social engagement while a wraith is present."

Ronon grunted. "Whose gonna invite him?"

Lorne sighed. "I guess, seeing as I'm Kate's best friend, I should be the one to do it."

"Maybe it'd be better if more than one person went?" Jennifer suggested before frowning. "How are we gonna get up to his hive anyways? It's not like we can tell the colonel what we're doing."

"We could tell Woolsey," Lorne offered. "He's been really keen on Kate since the whole deal with Travers. Betcha he'd let us barrow a jumper and cover for us for a few hours while we flew on up to Todd's hive to ask him."

Teyla nodded. "Then it is agreed. Todd's participation and presence at the celebration will be our gift to Kate?"

Everyone inclined their heads in conformity; Laura Cadman looked excited, Lorne and Jennifer looked more reserved and Ronon's face remained impassive. Teyla continued, "Then I suggest that we go and inform Mr. Woolsey of our plans so that he can help facilitate our needs."

Together they filed out of the supply closet and, upon exiting, ran right into a smirking Colonel Sheppard.

"Hi guys," he said mischievously, looking at each and every one of them in turn. "Whatcha doing?"

"Nothing," Ronon deadpanned tonelessly.

John eyed the lot of them. With the exception of Lorne - who couldn't lie to save his life - none of them looked in the least bit guilty about anything. The colonel focused in on the major. "Lorne," he started, drawing closer to his second in command and baring down on him. "You wanna tell me -"

"No, Sir, he doesn't," Cadman interrupted him, grabbing the terrified Lorne by the shoulder and steering him out of the infirmary. "Come along Evan, we've got to go talk to Woolsey."

Lorne nodded and let himself be pushed out of the medical ward. He really needed to work on his deception skills.

John turned around to face the remaining three conspirators although, _what_ they were conspiring of he had no idea. "So?" he asked, lifting one eyebrow. "You guys gonna tell me -"

"In time," Teyla belayed his suspicions gently. "For now it is best that such things be kept a secret. It would ruin the surprise if we were to disclose our plans to you."

John's face lit up. "I like surprises," he said gleefully, deciding to let them keep their secrets for now. "So, wanna grab lunch? Teyla? Ronon?" he looked at the blonde haired, blue eyed doctor. "Doc?"

"I have to go meet Rodney," she said and frowned. "Sorry."

John waved the apology away. "Not a problem. Tell your husband I said hi and that he still owes me twenty bucks for that bet we made last week that I won and he lost."

Jennifer smiled. "I will," she began to walk off, "See you later, colonel."

John waved her goodbye and then turned to Teyla and Ronon who, without a word, followed their friend to the mess hall.

~xXx~

Sleep had been increasingly difficult to come by as of late and Todd was, at present, having no luck whatsoever in coaxing his body into slumber. His mind refused to be at rest and constantly plagued him with thoughts and prognoses that he would rather forget for at least a short time, for once he wished fervently for the ability to clear his mind of all thought so that it was blissfully blank. Todd would welcome that as, his overactive consciousness was rather in the need of a break. Sleep had once been the only time when he had allowed himself to dwell on those things he could not afford to languish over during his wakeful hours. Now, however, such things whispered into the back of his mind no matter what time it was and, quite frankly, Todd wished for it all to go away if only for a few hours.

Growling in frustration, the perturbed wraith turned from his left side onto his back and let the bed coverings fall away from his chest to settle somewhere near his waist. Cool air hit his fevered skin and calmed him somewhat, driving away some of the more explicitly carnal thoughts he was having about a particular female. It did not, however, drive away them all and the libidinous wraith snarled as his mind was assaulted with images of Katherine - in her natural state - sharing his bed with him. Quite to Todd's own personal horror, he suddenly felt all of his body's blood rush downwards and pool in his groin causing it to swell. Now extremely aggravated, the wraith flipped over onto his stomach, closed his eyes and tried once more to call sleep to him all while forcing his body to remove itself from its state of arousal.

It worked, more or less, and Todd felt the built-up pressure in his lower regions ease as a sense of calm flowed over him. Just as he was about to achieve his end and drift into slumber, he heard the soft hissing sound of his command quarter doors being opened. He shut his eyes more tightly and hoped that, whoever it was, they would see him in his current situation and go away.

They did not and a moment later Todd heard his second's voice calmly call out, "Commander?"

Todd growled softly and opened one eye, narrowing it and turning it upwards toward the intruding Kenny. "Yes?"

Wisely, Kenny did not travel any farther into his commander's quarters and instead, continued to hover just inside the door. "We have picked up the signal of one of the Atlantian gate ships. They are requesting permission to board."

Sighing heavily, Todd opened his other eye and sat up, reaching for his clothing while making sure to keep his bed clothes bunched about his waist. He had no desire for his second to see certain parts of him in their present configuration and he was sure Kenny had no wish to see such things either. "What do they want?" he asked as he pulled his undershirt on over his head and then reached for his robe, pants and battle-coat.

"I do not know," Kenny replied crisply, as he always did. "I only know that they wish to speak to you."

Todd sighed and sat down in a chair besides his bed so that he could put his boots on. "And they gave no indication as to why they have sought us out?" he asked finding that, even for the Atlantians, this method of contact was strange.

Kenny shook his head. "No Commander, they did not."

Todd hissed and stood, fully dressed, to face his second. "Allow them on board, I will meet them in the conference room."

Kenny bowed respectfully and left leaving his commander alone in his quarters to follow at his leisure.

Todd let loose a sigh as soon as his second was gone and looked wistfully behind him at his bed. He growled and marched angrily from his quarters, the Atlantians had better have a good reason for contacting him in such a way else wise he might ignore their next cry for help out of pure spite. Entering the meeting room he found the humans waiting for him although, they were not the group he would have expected to see.

"Major Lorne, Teyla, runner," he greeted each of them, nodding to them all as a unit as he came to stand before them. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

The three of them shifted nervously and Teyla turned to Lorne and gave him an encouraging smile. The major stepped forwards. "Well, ah, you see," he began nervously, "We came to ask you something."

Todd snarled softly, annoyed. "Yes, so I was informed," he looked between the three of them. "What is it that you have come all this way to ask of me? My assistance in some new endeavor perhaps?"

Lorne shook his head. "Ah, no, nothing quite like that in fact we're more here to ah, invite you to come to something that we'll be doing, ah, here in a few days."

The wraith lifted one brow ridge and crossed his arms, regarding the three individuals in front of him while trying to decide why it was that they all looked so apprehensive. "And this…happening of yours," he questioned them, "Did Sheppard ask you -"

"Sheppard doesn't know we're here," Ronon interrupted him, surprising the wraith.

"Oh?" Todd was now very curious. The humans of Atlantis, particularly these three humans, rarely did anything without the knowledge and approval of the colonel. "Would he not approve he if knew you were?"

Teyla stepped forwards. "Most likely not."

Todd turned to her. "Then be done with it," he snapped, his weariness leaking through his tone. "What is it that you have traveled all this way to inquire of me?"

"We're having a party," Lorne told the wraith whose face immediately darkened. "A birthday party for the colonel and -"

Todd interrupted him. "The last time I participated in the celebration of Sheppard's birth was not an enjoyable experience for me," his eyes swiveled between the three of them in agitation. "What makes you think that I would be so willing to subject myself to such a pointless gathering of so frivolous a nature once more when I -"

"The party's not just for the colonel," Lorne interrupted him.

The wraith frowned. "There is someone else whose birth you will be honoring?" he inquired, interested despite himself.

Lorne nodded. "Yeah, Kate's."

Todd felt his eyes widen, the meaning for their visit becoming more clear. "You wish for me to be present at your celebration of Katherine's birth?" he inquired incredulously, not quite sure that this was indeed the reason for which they had come.

Ronon grunted. "Not really."

Todd turned to him. "Then why ask me?" he demanded, growing more agitated by the minute. If they did not want him to attend then for what reason were they here telling him about the planned celebration? It made absolutely no sense to the exhausted wraith who was not in the mood to try and figure out the human's overly complicated and illogical reasons for doing certain things.

Teyla took over. "Because Kate would like to have you there," she shot him a piercing look. "Your participation would bring her more joy then I think any other single person's."

Todd blinked and tried very hard to not show his shock at having been told that Katherine desired his attendance over all others at such an event. "And she has…expressed this wish to you?" he glanced momentarily at the three of them before turning his attention back to Teyla.

Teyla inclined her head. "She has, to both Major Lorne and to Jennifer who then passed on the wish to me as it is with the Athosians that the festivities will take place."

Todd stared. "And you are willing to have me know the location of your people's planet so that I may go to this…party of yours?" he asked, knowing that the location of New Athos was a secret that Teyla guarded most aggressively. There had been many times when he had been denied the opportunity to accompany the Atlantians somewhere because it might inadvertently revel the gate address to Teyla's people's home.

Teyla nodded stiffly. "We have been asking both John and Kate what is it that they want for their namedays for some time now; your participation is the only thing that Kate has so far voiced. I am willing to allow you the knowledge of my people's location in order to grant that wish to her. It would bring her joy."

Again, the wraith was hit with a veritable wave of shock and startlement and, in knowing how much his being there would mean to her, Todd gave his consent in the form of a slow nod. "I will come."

Lorne smiled. "Great!" he looked at the wraith. "You remember how these things work right? You show up on time, bring a gift and try to at least pretend that you're having a good time?"

Todd scowled. "I am not expected to bring a…bequest for Sheppard, am I?"

Ronon snorted. "I don't think he'll mind if you don't."

Todd hissed. "Very well."

Teyla stepped forwards, holding out a scroll to him. "Here is the address as well as the date and time."

Todd took it and looked it over. "There is not much time to prepare," he commented ruefully. "Your projected time is but three days away."

Lorne shrugged. "Yeah, well, we had to find you first and then we had to sneak off base without the colonel finding out so, eh, take it or leave it."

Todd released a quiet hiss through his teeth but said nothing in reply. Instead he escorted the humans back to the dart bay himself before returning to his command quarters and calling his second to him.

"Commander," Kenny bowed as he was let into his commander's presence.

Todd turned to him. "I have a task for you that must be handled with utmost precedence and speed," he informed the younger wraith, retrieving a list of materials he had complied and holding it out for his second to take. "I require these elements. You will procure them for me."

Kenny took the register and bowed low in reverence before turning and leaving to begin his task.

Todd watched him go and then turned to his bed. Divesting himself of his clothing, he collapsed into it and promptly fell asleep.

~xXx~

"How long does it take to do someone's hair?" John complained loudly, frowning epically.

Lorne snickered and shrugged. "I think they're doing a bit more than just her hair, Sir," he informed his commanding officer. The two of them, Ronon, Halling and Woolsey were currently sitting at one of the many tables that had been erected at the center of the Athosian settlement in preparation for the joint birthday celebration that would kick off as soon as the sun went down.

At the moment, the five of them were resting from the exertion that was hauling stereo equipment from the gate to the village. Well, Ronon, Lorne, John and Halling were. Woolsey hadn't really helped them carry anything other than the cords, mostly he'd just been there in a supervisory capacity which had been fine with the rest of them. Woolsey helping at all with anything was kind of a new thing for the director of Atlantis; he'd been getting steadily more evolved in the doings of the city's personnel since the whole incident with Travers.

John wondered if Woolsey's personality transplant had anything to do with having had his sister yell at him and enlighten him into how much of an asshole he habitually was. In truth, however, Richard Woolsey was involved in this endeavor for no other reason than to see how it all ended. For one thing, receiving a request from two Pegasus natives and Atlantis' military second in command to invite a wraith to a birthday party was - even for them - a bit odd. Learning from their explanation for why they wanted to do this that Colonel Sheppard won't approve of their actions and then being asked to help facilitate the three of them in first finding Todd's hive and then sneaking off base in a jumper without the commanding officer of the base finding out had struck a cord with the former IOA bureaucrat. He'd agreed to it all in part just to see what the outcome would be. Clearly something was going on here that he had yet to be made aware of and Woolsey knew that if he paid careful attention to the actions of the partygoers this evening, he very well might figure out what the hell was going on.

A loud pop followed by a spark and then a string of curse words floated over to them and Woolsey, Lorne, Sheppard, Ronon and Halling as well as everyone else who was in the vicinity, looked up to see what had happened. Rodney, who was setting up all the various stereo equipment that they had hauled with them through the gate, was hopping up and down, holding onto his hand tightly while his wife calmly stood by and asked him to see it. He gave it to her and while the doc examined it, Sheppard called out, "Hey Rodney! You alright?"

The Canadian looked up and glared at the colonel. "No!" he yelled back. "I'm not alright, I've seriously burned my -"

"He's fine, colonel," Jennifer interrupted her spouse. "Just a mild burn."

Rodney looked at her. "It is not mild!" he argued. "I mean it seriously hurts, maybe we should go back to Atlantis so that you can -"

"Rodney!" Jennifer warned, giving her husband a look that silenced him immediately. She released his hand. "You're fine, just be more careful of what you plug into which port," she nodded towards the portable naquadah generator that they'd brought with them from the city to power the party.

The head of Atlantis' science and research department grumbled but did as he was told. Jennifer nodded her head in approval and walked over towards the group of people sitting with the birthday boy. When she got there, Lorne sent her a shit-eating grin.

"Nice putdown doc," the major congratulated her.

Jennifer smiled. "Yes, well, I know how to handle my husband."

John nodded. "Yes you do," he agreed. He looked down at his watch and then around the village, frowning. "Seriously," he complained again. "Where the hell is my sister?"

From above him, Jennifer grinned. This part of the plan had been Cadman's and, while they had all been rightfully hesitant about going along with it given how her last plan concerning Todd and Kate had turned out, after she'd explained it to them they'd all agreed to give it a go. They had nothing to lose and, unlike the 'let's get Todd jealous' plan as they were calling Cadman's last attempt at match-making, the 'let's turn on Todd's sex drive' plan was relatively harmless. All that was involved was getting Kate all dressed up and looking drop dead gorgeous in a way that would turn the wraith's head. That's what was taking so long; Kate had gotten here about four hours ago and Teyla, three Athosian women, Cadman and Atlantis' dermatologist and resident spa lady had immediately taken her and gotten to work. Jennifer could imagine that they were probably almost done and that all that was left to do was get her laced into her dress which, actually, wasn't here yet.

"Hey Sheppard!"

John chocked on the wine he was drinking and spun quickly around while Jennifer and the others merely looked up. Larrin was walking towards them, a small chest like box held out before her. She stopped in front of them and smirked down on the colonel.

"Surprised?" she asked, receiving wicked pleasure from the expression on his face.

John stared at her. "What the hell are you doing here?" he yelped. He hadn't invited her and he desperately wanted to know who had; he'd have to thank them later.

Larrin pretended to look hurt. "What?" she asked, pouting. "Not happy to see me?"

Since this was more or less the exact same question John had asked her a week ago, the colonel blinked at her and opened his mouth once or twice before exclaiming, "That's not fair!"

Larrin shrugged. "Life's not fair," she turned to Jennifer. "So, where's Kate?" she indicated the small chest she was holding. "I've got the…" she glanced at Sheppard who was listening very intently, "…thing."

John looked between the good doctor and Larrin. "What's going on?"

Jennifer smiled. "You'll find out colonel, when everyone else does," she gestured for Larrin to follow her. "Come on, she's over here."

Larrin grinned and started to walk off. All John was able to catch after that was Larrin saying how much trouble she'd had to go through in order to get whatever it was that was in the box. John wanted to know what it was. "What's in the box?" he asked, posting the question to no one in particular.

Lorne took a swing from his goblet. "An idea of Cadman's."

John rounded on him. "What?" he frowned. "What have I told you about listening to idea's that come out of Laura Cadman? They almost never end well!"

Lorne shrugged. "Got nothing to lose," he replied.

John quirked an eyebrow and then looked between his major and Ronon who hadn't said a word but who the colonel instinctively knew knew exactly what was going on. "Guys?" he questioned, leaning in towards Lorne. "What's going on?"

Lorne kept a straight face. "Can't tell you Sir," he said. "You'll find out soon."

John glared at him. "You've been practicing."

Lorne looked pleased with himself.

"Lorne, Ronon."

The major and the runner turned and looked up. Teyla, who looked absolutely beautiful in her festival dress, stood there. "Yeah?" Ronon questioned.

She looked at both men. "It's time," she told them.

Lorne and Ronon got up from the table and walked towards her, the three of them leaving together.

John frowned. "Is everyone in on whatever it is that's going on?" he looked at Halling.

The Athosian elder shook his head. "I do not know."

John turned on Woolsey. "Colonel," the director said, "Since when does anyone confide in me?"

John winced; the balding man had a point. "Guess we're waiting then," he mumbled.

Together the three of them hunkered down to wait.

On the path to the stargate, Teyla, Ronon and Lorne walked silently side by side until they reached the ring. Todd was already there, standing benignly next to the circle of naquadah. They stopped in front of him.

"Right on time," Lorne hailed, speaking first.

Todd eyed the major. "Did you think I would not be?"

Lorne shrugged. "Maybe."

The wraith grunted and turned towards Teyla, the female was wearing a dress he noted. "Shall we?"

Teyla nodded and began to lead him back to the village. When they arrived, the sun had just begun to set and all those that were participating in the celebration were clearly anxious for the nights festivities to begin. The group of four stopped on the edge of the firelight and waited for someone to notice them; it did not take long. Todd's visage had come into the light only seconds before first one and then several more screams pierced the evening air. As one, the entire mass of people, Atlantians and Athosians alike, turned towards them.

It took John exactly two seconds to recognize him. "Todd!" the colonel screeched, angrily striding through the crowd, most of which were frozen in horror, until he was right in front of the intruding alien. "What the hell are you doing here!"

The wraith smirked at him. "I was invited," he explained, extremely pleased with the expression of shock that was currently plastered onto the human's face.

"Invited?" John echoed, twisting around to look behind him. Halling, Kannan and the other Athosian elders had followed him and now stood off to the side glaring at the alien. John turned back to Todd. "Invited by who?"

On cue, Teyla, Lorne and Ronon stepped out from behind Todd and into the flickering firelight. John's mouth dropped open.

"You three?" he squeaked, gesturing between them before pointing at Todd. "Why on Earth -"

"John! Teyla! Lorne!"

John trailed off as he heard his sister's call. Kate, who had just managed to put her shoes on when she'd heard the screams, had taken one look at Larrin and Jennifer before running out of the tent, the both of them following her. Weaving through the darkened tents, she'd headed for the circle of light at the center of the settlement and called out for her brother, best friend and Teyla as soon as she'd gotten within shouting distance. Now on the edge of the crowd, it parted for her as though by an unseen force so that she could make her way through it to the other side. When she got there, her eyes swept the gathered group of people, finding her brother and Teyla before her eyes stilled and settled on someone else.

"Todd."

The wraith blinked at her, his eyed widening and his mouth falling open. An extreme amount of care had gone into Katherine's appearance and presentation this eve and the end result impeded upon Todd's ability to form a coherent thought. From the crown of her head upon which sat a circle of dark metal set with bloodstones to her feet which he only just see peeking out from beneath her crimson skirts, she looked a vision and the eldest of wraith had to concentrate very hard on remembering how to speak. He managed it in the end, and was able to croak out her name without his voice sounding too thick.

"Katherine."

Richard Woolsey, along with pretty much everyone else, stared. There was no mistaking the look on Todd the wraith's face, a blind man could see it, and Woolsey suddenly realized that this had been the plan all along; this was why Teyla, Lorne and Ronon had wanted Todd to come. Major Sheppard had been polished to perfection: her eyes rimmed with blackest kohl, the lids and eyelashes darkened; her lips stained a dark, enticing red; her hair twisted and pinned elegantly on her head in a sweeping up-do that coiled and wrapped around a gunmetal colored circlet set with some kind of gemstone that resembled a ruby; similar jewels set in the same metal hung at her ears and graced her throat and left wrist; the gown she wore was a deep, almost blood red with black embroidery stitched in an almost tribal pattern around the bottom of the skirt which was itself edged in black; the bodice of her gown plummeted almost to her navel. Quite obviously all of this had been done to get some sort of reaction out of Todd and, if the expression on his face was anything to go by, it had worked swimmingly. His eyes had turned amber in naked desire and, Woolsey suspected, quite a good deal of lust.

He was going to have to have a long talk with Teyla and the others when this was all over.

Under the intensity of Todd's gaze, Kate felt her skin grow hot. To distract her form the way in which he was looking at her, she took a step towards him and looked upwards into his eyes becoming startled when she saw how dark they were. "What are you doing here?"

Todd snapped out of his trance the instant she moved and, as she came nearer, he willed himself not to do something he would regret; he desperately wished to claim her in that moment. "You are not happy to see me?" he inquired, thinking that, perhaps, those that had invited him here had been mistaken in interpreting her desire to have him present this night.

Kate stopped when she was maybe four feet in front of him and continued to hold his gaze with her own. Her eyes softened, she could tell that he was worried that maybe he had made the wrong choice by coming here. She smiled. "Always."

John, who had watched the whole exchange with a scowl foul enough to curdle milk fixed onto his face, let out a startled yelp at his sister's answer to Todd's question. It was only one word, but the way she said it made it sound much more…more. He didn't like it.

As Todd and Kate continued to look at one another, their eyes locked, Teyla stepped forwards to explain. "Kate," she called and the young woman's attention turned from the wraith onto her. "Major Lorne, Jennifer, Ronon, Captain Cadman and myself would like to present Todd to you. He is the one person that you wished to be here and, so, he is our gift to you."

Kate felt tears beginning to prickle at the backs of her eyes. They had done this, all of them, for her? "I…" she started, not sure of what to say.

"You don't have to say anything," Lorne stated seriously. "We all know how miserable your past birthdays have been and how you always had to share with the colonel. Todd's the one person that you can claim as your friend and your friend alone. We wanted you to have that tonight."

Kate clasped her hands together and brought them up to her face, resting them against her chin. "Thank you," she whispered, looking at each of them before turning back around to look at Todd. She smiled at him. "Did you bring me something?" she asked him, her voice playful.

Todd nodded. "I did, however you shall have to wait to receive it until you get your other gifts."

Kate smiled brilliantly at him.

John sputtered. "You brought her a present?" he cried, horrified by the very idea.

Todd turned to the angry human and scowled. "It is customary is it not, to bring gifts for those whose birth is being honored?"

John fumed. "Well, then, where's mine?" he wanted to know.

"I have nothing for you."

John glared at him. "Why not?"

Todd hissed. "Because I do not share the same…feelings for you as I do for Katherine."

John wanted to shoot him; that sounded an awful lot like a confession to him. "What kind of -"

"Colonel," Lorne cut him off, a dark expression on his face that dared his commanding officer to keep going with his original train of thought. Besides him, Ronon joined him so that together they blocked off Sheppard from Todd and Kate.

John looked between the two of them. "This is a conspiracy," he announced, waving at the wraith who was now back to staring at his sister with that look on his face that made John extremely uncomfortable. "What, exactly are you trying to accomplish here?"

Lorne sighed. "We're trying to make Kate happy. You're her brother, you should be trying to do the same."

John growled. "It's Todd!"

"So what?" Ronon asked.

"So…" John stared at the former runner. "I figured you of all people would want to shoot him as much as I do right now!"

Ronon shrugged. "It's one night, nothing bad can happen in one night. Let her alone."

John struggled. He hadn't missed the look on his sister's face of pure joy when she'd seen the wraith. "Fine," he relented. "One night. But tomorrow, it's back to me threatening to shoot him if he touches her."

Ronon and Lorne nodded, moving off to go and join Halling and the others who had dispersed as soon as they all realized which wraith was now standing among them. Todd was known to them by reputation if not by sight and, once they'd all heard Sheppard call him by name, their trepidation at there being a wraith present had mostly gone away. They were still somewhat weary but not worried that he was going to eat them all.

"Hey Kate," Lorne called out, turning back and once more pulling her attention away from Todd. "Come on, food's getting cold and we can't start without the birthday girl."

Kate smiled and nodded to her friend before turning back to Todd. "Shall we?"

Todd inclined his head and, before Katherine could begin to walk, held out his arm to her as he had seen human males do under similar circumstances previously. Katherine accepted it although not in the manner in which he would have thought. Instead of linking her arm with his as he knew was customary with humans, she lay her hand atop his fist in much the same way a female wraith would. That she would instinctively know to do this made him extremely happy for some odd and not entirely known reason. He could not explain it and focused instead on the fell of her skin to his as he led her forwards, past several tables filled with chorusing humans who began to whisper amongst themselves as they approached and passed, to the table that was obviously arranged for both those being honored tonight and their closest companions. He could feel the glare that Sheppard was giving him digging into his back as he helped Katherine to sit and then took the seat immediately to her left.

He looked around at the fare that he was about to consume. "Excessive is it not?" he queried.

Kate snorted. "Humans, when we celebrate things, tend to like to evolve food. The more the better."

Todd hissed. "Ahhhh."

Lorne looked over the roasted pig-like thing sitting in the middle of the table at Todd. "Yeah," he said. "Don't you remember Christmas?"

Todd's face took a downwards turn. "I try not to," he said sourly.

"What's the matter?" John asked, thoroughly enjoying Todd's look of unhappiness. "Didn't you like tramping around through the snow to help me pick out a Christmas tree?"

The wraith glared at the human. "You know very well that I did not," he growled darkly, hissing.

Around them, the Athosians and others not used to being around Todd stilled and suddenly worried for Sheppard's sanity that he would be teasing such a one as this so mercilessly. Making fun of a wraith was probably about the worst idea in the long, sad history of bad ideas and everyone held their breaths to see what would happen next.

John dismissed Todd's reply with a way of his hand. "Yeah, yeah, you hate the cold, I know," he took a bite of vegetables and swallowed. "You hate water too. Is that all wraith or just you?"

Todd clenched his fists but reminded himself that this was a social event and, thus, questions such as this, however trying they may be, were to be expected. "My dislike for water stems from a rather regrettable experience I underwent when I was younger," he humored the human.

Lorne frowned. "Were you ever younger?" the major asked good humouredly. "I mean, how old are you again?"

"My approximate age is close to seventy-eight thousand of your years."

Several people at the table, including Woolsey, choked on their food. Lorne blinked at him. "Whoa."

Kate chuckled. "There's a reason the other wraith call him the Eldest," she giggled at the look on everyone's faces and added, turning to Todd, "Isn't the Fortress Commander older then you?"

Todd inclined his head, smirking at the thought of what Romulus would do if he was here and he heard someone, anyone, call him that once more. "He is, by several hundred years although, in development relative to yours, he was perhaps the equivalent of an adolescent youth when I was born."

Cadman frowned. "So, in wraith years, he's like what, five years older then you?"

Todd looked at her. "I would equate our difference in age to be more along the lines of the separation between Katherine and Sheppard."

John opened his mouth to remind Todd that Kate was a Sheppard too but stopped, suddenly confused as to who they were talking about. "Wait," he said. "Who's older then you?"

Kate shot her brother a look. "The fortress commander, you know, the wraith in charge of that prison planet we were on."

John made a face. "Oh, him."

Todd turned to Katherine. "He would not like to hear you refer to him by his former title," he told her. "Any connection to that place usually angers him."

Kate snickered. "Well, unless you think he'd like for me to come up with some three or four letter name to stick him with, I've got nothing else to call him so he can just deal with it."

Todd chuckled. "And what human name would you assign him if you were to choose for him one?"

Kate opened her mouth.

"Hey!" John interrupted her. "I'm the only one that's allowed to name wraith. It says so in the Atlantis handbook."

Kate rolled her eyes. Woolsey frowned. "We have a handbook?"

John looked at his plate; rule number one hundred and twenty was not to tell Woolsey about it and he'd just broken it. "Yeah."

Woolsey looked intrigued. "And I've never seen this rule book because?" he looked around. "Or is one of the rules not to tell me?"

Lorne sputtered. "Well, ah, we…"

"I'm not as stupid as you all seem to think I am," Woolsey informed the table. "I have a general idea of what goes on in my city, I just choose not to let everyone know that I know what's going on."

John winced. "So those meeting we always have after our senior staff meetings, you know about those?"

Woolsey eyed him pointedly. "The ones where you discuss everything that you think I've failed to mention or simply don't find important?"

John gulped. "Yeah, those."

Woolsey smirked. "Has it ever occurred to you that I keep my nose out of the personal doings of my personnel because I'm terrible with people and you, colonel, are not?"

John stared at him, everyone stared at him. "Huh?"

Woolsey sat back on the bench. "I let you and your staff carry on the way you do because I know that you've been doing this longer then I have and are better at it. I deal with rules and regulations, you are much more qualified then I am to handle the more personal matters of the people within the city."

"Well," Kate said, taking a drink from her wine goblet. "That explains a lot."

Woolsey nodded. "Yes, it does," he looked around the table. "Now, about this rule book; what other sots of things are in it?"

Lorne grinned. "Oh, lots of things Sir, like rule number twenty-one: There is a fine line between bravery and stupidity; do not cross it unless all other plans have failed."

"Or rule number, what is it again, oh yeah, twenty-five," she grinned across the table at Kate. "It's Kate's favorite."

"What does it entail?" Todd inquired, curious and amused by the current conversation. That the humans would have made the time to come up with a list of regulations curtailing their doings in these stars was an extremely entertaining thought. Completely pointless, but laughable nonetheless. Todd had a suspicion that it had been done more as a morale booster and source of comic relief then it had been in seriousness.

Kate grinned and then proceed to recite, "The ancients were not omnipotent; even they did stupid things. For a complete list, see me."

The entire table, wraith included, snickered.

"Really," Jennifer said after the laughter had subsided. "There's not much that hasn't made it into the rule book. Even Todd's mentioned once or twice."

The wraith cocked his head to the side. "Am I?"

"He is?" Woolsey asked.

Ronon nodded. "He's got one or two rules that revolve around him. And a couple of amendments."

"Like what?" a curious Jento, who was sitting besides his father, asked. Seeing the Atlantians joke and converse with the wraith had made the rest of them all lose any remaining fear they might have had of him. He was still dangerous, that they all still knew and they had no delusions that he could kill them if he so chose but, they all knew that he would not. Todd the nice wraith would not bring them harm unless they as individuals did something to wrong him.

Several Athosians nodded, also curious. Cadman looked around the table. "Which rule is it that says that we, under no circumstance, are to trust the wraith? I know the amendment clause says 'except for, in extreme cases, Todd' but I can't remember the number."

"Twenty-three," Lorne supplied, loosing at her. "And what do you mean you don't remember the number? You helped write the damned thing!"

Cadman looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, it was a long time ago. Things have happened since then."

Lorne stuck his tongue out at her.

Jennifer looked around the table. "I like the amendment to rule number fourteen, the no one gets left behind rule," she looked at the wraith. "We changed it to include you."

Todd snorted. "How…thoughtful."

Kate nudged him in the shoulder. "Be nice," she scolded him playfully, flicking her eyes up to meet his for a brief moment.

Todd grinned. "I was under the impression that I was being 'nice'," he looked at her. "Or do you have something else in mind?"

Kate blushed, John started to open his mouth and remind the wraith what he'd said about flirting with his sister when Lorne, Ronon, Cadman, Teyla, Jennifer and even Woolsey shot him a look. He closed his mouth abruptly and changed the subject. "Hey look," he called out, nodding towards the other tables, "Looks like most everybody else is done eating."

Lorne grinned. "It's time to start the music," he got up and grabbed Rodney, who was still stuffing things into his mouth. "Come on McKay, help me turn everything on."

Rodney protested. "But I'm not done!"

"Relax, it'll be there all night," Lorne argued and shoved the scientist towards the electronics that had been brought with them from the city. While McKay - grumbling all the while - got the music for the evening qued up, Lorne walked over and flipped the switch that turned on the strings of electric lights that had been stung up all over the place. Suddenly, the Athosians' village was much brighter and the first song that started to play - they were using a compilation of the colonel and Kate's iPods libraries - had a heavy bass beat and was very obviously one of Sheppard's songs, one of his favorite in fact, the Discovery Channel song.

Still seated besides Katherine, Todd frowned when the humans version of music - noise the lot of it - started to assault his ears. He was about to complain when he heard the words; his mouth dropped open and he blinked several times rapidly.

Kate laughed. "You okay?" she asked, eyeing the wraith as she sang along in her head.

Todd looked at her confusedly. "I thought such…subject matter was considered taboo to you and yours?"

Kate giggled. "In polite conversation, yes, sex is usually refrained from being mentioned but, this is a party and there is alcohol involved," she nodded towards the makeshift dance floor that was the center stage and upon which several people were now busting moves. "I see hangovers in the future for the majority of people here."

Todd quirked an eye ridge. "Hangover?"

Kate tried to search for a way to explain it to him before finding herself curious about something. "Have you ever drank to excess?" she asked him, wondering if wraith could even get drunk what with their healing abilities and all.

Todd nodded. "Once or twice throughout my life; certain situations call for such excessive measures."

Kate looked at him. "Do you feel like shit afterwards?"

Todd made a face. "Indeed; the aftereffects of such excess are almost never pleasant."

"Well that's what a hangover it," she explained. "The headache, sensitivity to loud noises and nauseous feeling that you get after having gotten drunk."

Todd eyed her. "Has this happened to you?"

Kate nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yeah, several times," she looked at her brother who was trying to talk Larrin into dancing with him. "John got me drunk for the first time when I was fifteen; I had to go to school the next day with the worst headache I've ever had in my entire life."

Todd frowned. "Is that not rather…irresponsible of him. You were young."

Kate snorted. "Yeah, well, John always let me be a little wild. I was a terror as a teenager."

Todd smirked. "You were rebellious?"

Kate leaned back and rested her elbows on the edge of the table. "You have no idea," she told him. "I did things, skipped school, destroyed things and wore the worst clothes. Anything I could do to drive my parents crazy; they wanted me to be a proper young lady. I was only too happy to disappoint them."

Todd fell silent. He could well imagine Katherine doing those things knowing as he did what her childhood had consisted of; of what the expectations of her had been. His mind flashed to Travers and he growled. He should have killed him.

"Hey Kate!"

Kate looked up and smiled at Lorne who was coming towards her. "Yes?"

He stopped in front of her. "Think you can dance in that dress?"

Kate smirked. "I can try."

Lorne grinned. "Oh good," he grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet, already starting to steer her towards the dance floor, "Because you owe me a dance."

"I _owe_ you?" Kate echoed, smiling. "Since when do I _owe_ you any -"

"You're the birthday girl," Lorne interrupted her as another, rather fast passed song came on, this one from Kate's list. "Now let's go, skirts up; we can't have you tripping."

Kate laughed at Evan's antics and stopped so that she could grab the edge of her skirt and hold it up out of the way. Before she really had time to think about things, Lorne had grabbed her around the waist and started to twirl her around. Apparently they were doing a hybrid version of a tango and a foxtrot and Kate laughed loudly as they danced around and around, everyone else moving out of the way. Very few people knew it, but Evan Lorne had taken ballroom dancing lessons as a child and dancing was one of the few 'proper girl' lessens that Kate had taken to as a young girl.

She loved to dance.

Whistles and several other sounds of encouragement and enthusiasm followed Katherine and her dance partner as they twirled around the dirt floor that the humans were using to revel upon. Todd could not help but smile at the look of excitement on her face even if he felt a twinge of annoyance that it was another male that brought her this joy. He banished it, he had no reason to envy Major Lorne whom he knew cared for Katherine in a way similar to how Sheppard regarded her.

Kate and Lorne shared two more dances before the she tired and insisted on sitting back down again. In truth, there was another reason for her wanting to get away from the dance floor; Todd. The wraith had been left on his own since she'd left mostly because no one else knew how to approach him. Kate explained away her reasons for leaving to Lorne who, as soon as he looked behind her, caught a particular look in his eye and stopped trying to get her to stay, letting her go while himself returning to the dance floor. Grateful, Kate retreated back to her seat and to Todd.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" the wraith inquired, his eyed trailing over the slightly elevated rise and fall of Katherine's chest that bespoke of her exertion as she sat beside him.

Kate nodded and breathed a deep sigh, plopping own in her seat and leaning back against the table. "I did," she answered before sheepishly adding, "But I'm glad to be done."

Todd quirked an eye ridge and glanced sideways at her. "Are you?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

The blush to her cheeks allowed Todd the knowledge that she was just as pleased to have returned to his side as he was to have her once more so near to him. "I am glad you have returned," he said gently, his multi-toned voice rumbling deep within his chest.

Kate's cheeks stained an even darker shade of red and she fought to control her breathing. While she was thankful for the dress Larrin had acquired for her, Kate thought it looked a hell of a lot like something a wraith queen would wear, the bodice was rather extreme and it plunged downwards in a narrow V that ended just above her bellybutton. It wasn't so much revealing as it was enticing but she knew that if she breathed too heavily, her chest would heave and Todd might get a better view of her then was entirely proper.

Not that she'd mind if he did but she was almost certain that, whatever promise Lorne and Ronon had gotten her brother to make that was making him leave her and Todd alone, would become null and void if Todd saw that much of her. John would shoot him and Kate didn't like the idea of Todd in any sort of pain.

"Katherine?" Todd questioned, seeing the contemplative look on her face. "Is something wrong?"

Kate looked up, her thoughts about Todd getting shot evaporating. "I'm fine," she assured him reaching out, on impulse, to lay her hand on his where it rested on his knee.

As soon as her skin touched his, a bolt of almost painful fire shot upwards through Todd's arm originating from the point of contact. The wave of heat traveled over his shoulder, across his chest and then spread to every single cell within his body. His eyes snapped to hers and noted that she seemed to have had some sort of reaction similar to his own because he could sense through his sensory organs the change in her body's chemistry. Her pheromone levels were high, extremely so and her heart rate had become elevated. The rational part of his brain told him that he must withdraw from her now or else lose all control over what he did and did not do. Another part of his brain, however told him that, this being a special occasion, perhaps he could allow himself to lose control around her this once.

"Major Sheppard."

The thoughts vanished and both Kate and Todd broke apart, her hand leaving his as they turned to look at the one who had intruded upon their moment. A young Athosian male stood before them, shifting nervously. Todd knew that he should be thankful to the human for stopping him from making a grievous error but he found that he could not be. The expression on the male's face was one of intent and it was directed towards Katherine.

Todd glared at him.

"Yes?" Kate asked, mentally shoving the idea that Todd had been about to kiss her before they'd been interrupted to the back of her head. It'd probably been her imagination; wishful thinking.

The young man swallowed his trepidation at being this close to a wraith, a wraith that was glaring at him most dangerously for some odd reason, and looked at the woman before him. "Might I have the honor of a dance with you?" he inquired, bowing slightly and holding out his hand. "I am told that you know the steps to this song."

At his words, Kate realized that she hadn't been paying attention to what was going on in the rest of the world and paused to listen. The melody that was currently wafting out of the speakers was a recording that they'd made of a traditional Athosian dance the last time they'd been with Teyla's people and yes, Kate knew it's steps. Teyla had taught her.

"I'd…" she hesitated, not really wanting to leave Todd but, in the end, she realized that she probably should before she did something stupid like kiss _him_. "I'd love to," she replied to the gentlemen, rising and sliding her hand into his. Trying not to feel guilty, she allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor.

Todd watched them go and felt the by now painfully familiar rush of jealousy engulf him, settling within him and refusing to leave. He and Romulus had had a long talk about this some days previously when Caavin had withdrawn his suit for Katherine's affections. Todd didn't know why his son had done it but he suspected that Romulus had most likely enlightened his eldest into how very terribly his sire handled envy when a female was involved. Of course, Todd would never have done to Caavin what he had been known to do to other males who stood in the way of something he desired but still, knowing that Caavin would no longer attempt to pursue Katherine - even if he still could do nothing himself - made him feel much better and much less inclined to continue punching holes in walls.

Romulus had said that he had anger management issues. Todd had told him to shut up. This had led to a lecture from the older wraith about allowing himslef to begin using various idioms adopted from the Atlantians in his speech patterns. Lectures form Romulus aside, Todd was not happy to now be sitting by the wayside, watching, as Katherine was once more twirled around and around by a male that, unlike Major Lorne, he had every reason to feel envious of. The placement of the human's hands alone on Katherine's body made him want to kill him.

"You could cut in, you know."

Todd turned to his left and espied the one called Cadman standing over him, looking down. He hissed. "What is it you are referring to?" he growled.

Cadman sat down next to him and looked out at the floor. Sheppard was off seducing Larrin or maybe Larrin was seducing the colonel, it was hard to tell, and so the marine had figured that a bit of advice directed at Todd about Kate right now wouldn't get him shot. She'd gone over the plan with Jennifer and Teyla of course, because they seemed to have made a new rule regarding her plans of action and insisted that everything she came up with be cleared by them first. They'd agreed and so Cadman had crossed the village over to Todd the miserable looking wraith after she and the others had sat watching him for a couple minutes. Hopefully what she said would spur him into action.

"Cut in," Cadman clarified. "It means to interrupt. Do you know how to dance?"

Todd frowned and scowled at the same time. "It is not an activity that I enjoy," he ground out heatedly. Indeed, he hated dancing almost as much as he hated water.

Cadman shrugged. "Well Kate loves to but, I guess you already figured that out," she glanced sideways at him to see the cogs in his head starting to turn. "It's like one of her favorite things to do."

Todd harrumphed. Technically speaking, the melodies that were now being played were all variations of wraith tunes that had been distorted and changed as time passed. He had been taught how to dance when he was young because, as the eldest son of the High Queen and eventually as the High Commander, he was expected to appear in court and at courtly functions occasionally. He had detested it and while he could do it, he did not enjoy it. However, perpetuating his own discomfort was preferable to seeing Katherine continuously asked to be the partner of a veritable endless stream of males. That and Todd had long ago accepted that bringing Katherine pleasure was well worth and dislike of an activity on his part. Turing his eyes back out onto the dance floor, his eyes narrowed as he noticed how much lower the human Katherine was with's hand had retreated. Any lower and Todd himself would personally remove it.

Cadman grinned, she could tell by the look in Todd's eyes that she'd just caught him hook, line and sinker. "Well?" she nudged him. "Go on."

Todd hesitated. "I do not know all of the steps. The melody has changed since last I heard it."

Cadman ignored the history lesson and snorted. "Well then, what and learn, besides," she looked at him. "I don't think Kate'll care. She'll just be happy because it's you."

That did it. The proclamation that Katherine would receive pleasure no matter how terrible his performance was simply because it was he who she was with made the wraith's decision relatively easy. Standing and leaving the grinning human female behind, Todd walked towards the dancing couples who were beginning to slow as the last notes of the song played.

Kate and her partner stopped and rested while the tracks on the player changed. Another melody began and Kate realized that this one, two, was a traditional song native to many peoples in the Pegasus. She liked their music, it was calming and it made her blood rush and simmer in a never ending ebb.

Her partner looked at her. "Would you like to continue?" he asked.

Kate began to reply. "I would -"

"Katherine is spoken for."

The Athosian man's eyes widened and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down repeatedly. Kate turned. "Todd?"

The wraith stepped in front of her and literally shoved the human male out of the way, he retreated with a squeak of fear and Todd turned the brunt of his gaze onto Katherine. "I am afraid that my…grace is not as elegant as yours, but if you would allow me the honor -"

Kate smiled and placed her hand flat against his chest, directly over his heart. "Your grace is good enough, Valloran," she whispered, careful to make sure that no one else heard her call him by name. They were standing so very close to one another that she was sure that if her brother saw them he'd quite possibly kill Todd rather than just shoot him. Somehow, even with that as a possibility, Kate couldn't bring herself to back away.

A sharp intake of breath stole through Todd as his name fell from her lips, her voice soft and caressing in it's pronunciation of the syllables of his given forename. Wordlessly, for words themselves were not needed, Todd angled himself away from her, smoothly transitioning into the position he needed to be in in order to execute the oncoming activity. Katherine followed his lead and stood facing him, her hand raised and held out for him to take, her other hand holding her skirts up off the ground.

He took the first step towards her and felt her hand, the one that was held aloft, connect with his own feeding hand so that their palms were pressed flat against one another's. The sensation of having her skin pressed firmly to his feeding orifice brought forth such a overwhelming flush of lust, want and desire for her to him that he almost abandoned the idea of continuing in this activity in favor of going to find a secluded place to claim her. He refrained, however, as he took in the look of pleasure on Katherine's face as their steps continued, the both of them circling each other thrice before withdrawing their hands, spinning twice in their own revolutions and then becoming joined again.

Slowly, but surely, his mind began to remember how this dance was supposed to go so that when it was time for them to begin a more complicated set of maneuvers, he was confident enough to take the lead from her. Katherine let him and he felt joy flood him with the knowledge that it was he that was making her this happy.

John, who was on the other side of the camp sitting at a table with Larrin on his lap, looked up as more and more people around him started to whisper. Frowning, he and the rest of the table's occupants - Lorne, Ronon, Larrin, Woolsey, Halling, several other Athosians, Teyla, Jennifer, Rodney, Cadman, Carson and Zelenka - all recognized that something of apparent interest was happening on or near the dance floor. Unfortunately, they couldn't see what it was or at least, they couldn't see what it was until everyone else moved. The crowd parted and it took approximately three seconds for the whole lot of them to realize what was so fascinating.

The resulting reaction was different for different people. John spit out the wine he was drinking and stared; Lorne, Ronon and pretty much everyone else other then Jennifer, Teyla and Cadman just sat there all in various stages of shock.

"He…he's…" John floundered for something to say. "I didn't know wraith could _do_ that!"

Lorne crossed his arms and muttered under his breath, "You didn't know wraith and humans could have sex either."

Ronon and Woolsey were the only ones that heard him and they wisely choose not to share the major's comment with everyone.

Larrin eyed Kate. "Your sister looks happy," she commented.

John sputtered. "I'm going to kill him," he vowed. "This qualifies as -"

"They aren't even holding hands," Cadman protested. "You can shoot him if he kisses her again."

John sulked. Woolsey blinked. "Again?"

Lorne turned to him. "Todd kissed Kate while we were all on that prison planet and they had to make it look like they were sleeping together."

Woolsey felt like somebody had slapped him. "Was it a onetime thing?"

John growled. "No," he bit out now angrily glaring at Todd and Kate. "It wasn't. He tried to fuck her too."

Woolsey's mouth fell open.

Lorne eyed the colonel. "That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" he said. "Kate started it remember?"

John made a strange sounding gargling noise. "Yes, let's all remind me about how my sister lost her mind and tried to seduce a wraith."

Woolsey's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Major Sheppard tried to do what to Todd?"

Cadman looked pityingly at the director of Atlantis. For all that he said that he generally knew what went on behind his back, she knew that this much detail into the relationship between Todd and Kate had completely blindsided him. "She tried to seduce him," Cadman repeated. "They," she nodded towards the wraith and the woman, "…want each other."

Woolsey looked down at his goblet. "I thought that it was just Todd," he muttered.

John sniffed. "Well," he corrected his captain. "They don't want each other anymore right? I mean, they decided to just be friends."

Woolsey's head snapped up and he stared at the colonel, completely floored by his stupidity. Any two people that looked at each other in the same way as Todd was currently looking at Kate and vice-versa couldn't possibly be 'just friends'. That may be the modus operandi that they were operating under but, quite obviously, it was all a front. In other words, if somebody were to tell him that Major Sheppard was in love with Todd or that the wraith felt an approximate of the same thing for her, Richard Woolsey wouldn't be at all surprised.

Carson snorted, shaking his head as he looked disbelievingly at the colonel. "Just friends?" he echoed, nodding towards the pair of them. "Have you seen the way they be looking at one another? That doesn't look to me like the kind of expression a friend would give another friend."

John stewed. "Yeah, well, I trust my sister not to do anything stupid," he proclaimed and he did. She'd said that she knew it'd been a bad idea and be believed that she really did know that. Todd, on the other hand, was male and John didn't trust him so far as he could throw him.

Woolsey thought he was giving his sister a lot of credit; Lorne, Larrin, Teyla, Cadman and Ronon all silently agreed.

As one, the table's attention returned to the dance floor. Kate and Todd had stopped dancing and were now standing at the very edge of the firelight, staring at one another. They were literally inches apart and were very obviously in their own little world. Around them people milled, carrying on but, they didn't seem to notice. As if on some sort of impulse, they all watched as Todd lifted his feeding hand and reached outwards to gently brush the tips of his fingers across Kate's cheek. John yelped and then very nearly had a heart attack when Kate turned her head and leaned into the caress, her hands coming up to rest on the wraith's chest; palms down.

They looked exactly like they had when they'd been up on that wall on that damned planet.

"Okay," Lorne annonoucned, eyeing his commanding officer out of the corner of his eye. "Now you can shoot him."

John snarled and reached for the first gun he found which happened to belong to Larrin. She made a sound of protest and got up off his lap but he ignored her. He'd managed to pull the weapon all of the way out of its holster before a roar and then the screaming whistle of approaching darts cut him off. Around them, the entire village and everyone in it, looked skywards.

Cadman squinted. "What the -"

The first wave of darts flew overhead and then pandemonium broke loose. The darts circled around again and let loose their culling beams, people screamed and ran in every direction. John, his team, Lorne, Cadman, Halling, Larrin, Woolsey, Kate and Todd met up at the edge of the village.

"What the hell is going on?" John demanded, rounding on the unfortuate wraith who knew, as soon as he saw the ships, that he would get blamed for this. "Todd! What did you do?"

Todd snarled at him. "I did nothing!" he snapped back at the human. "I," he gestured around at the chaos that surrounded him, "Am not responsible for this."

John shot him a look of disbelief.

"Well then who the hell is?" Larrin asked, the lot of them ducking as more darts flew in overhead.

Everyone looked at Todd who growled. "For the last time," he ground out, "I did not -"

"We believe you," Kate lay a calming hand on his arm and turned around to face the gathered group of people. "I can think of at least one other wraith besides Todd who knows where New Athos is." She looked pointedly at Teyla.

The Athosian woman's mouth set itself into a thin line. "Emmagan," she bit out tersely.

Halling frowned. "Teyla?" he questioned her. "Who-"

"My wraith DNA is not a result of artificial tampering at the hands of the wraith but rather, I am the descendent of a wraith named Emmagan and his companion Loranna," she looked at Halling, her oldest friend, before turning to look at the others. "I am not so certain, though that he would do this. He came here to find strong women to trade for companions, not to cull."

Screams echoed around them and John made a decision. "The gate's closed off right, the wraith dial in so that we can't dial out," he looked up and then back down to Teyla. "Is there anywhere that we can go?"

Kannan, who came upon them then and who had heard the question, said, "Many of our people have already begun to make for the caves," he looked at Teyla. "Our son is safe, he is with those that first made it to shelter."

Teyla breathed out a deep sigh of relief.

Kannan looked at the Atlantians. "What else is there for us to do?"

Teyla looked at him. "How many of our people have been taken so far?"

Kannan shook his head. "Sixteen."

Halling and Teyla both immediately sobered, a look of hatred for the wraith filling their eyes.

Todd found that he could not blame them for it. "If I can make it to the gate, I may be able to reconfigure the dialing device so that the wormhole deactivates. We would then be able to dial out."

Everyone looked at him. "You would be willing to help us?" Halling asked, surprised.

Todd nodded. "It was never the intention of the cullings, when they were first begun, to continue on for this long and to this end."

John blinked at him. "You were around when the wraith first got the idea to cull?"

Todd let out a hiss. "It was not a wraith's idea to begin cultivating a food source in this manner at all. The idea of harvesting humans from overpopulated worlds was the brainchild of a Lantean scientist who propositioned the idea as an effect solution to several problems that existed at the time."

Larrin snarled. "So it was the Ancestors that came up with the idea that began the cullings?"

Todd nodded. "It was."

John turned to Todd. "Come on," he instructed the wraith. "Let's get you to the gate," he turned and looked around at Everybody else. "Help where you can; don't get caught."

They all nodded and then took off; Todd caught Katherine's arm before she could leave with them.

"Stay with me," the wraith beseeched the woman, his voice pleading.

Kate's eyes narrowed. "What? No!" she tried to pull away from him. "I have to help -"

"If you are caught you know as well as I do that you will not be fed upon," Todd reminded her. "You are far too valuable to the queens to simply end up as a meal for a hungry wraith. Are you willing to risk that fate for yourself simply to give aid to -"

"Yes!"

Todd growled. "I am not," he clamped down on her arm and gave her little choice but to follow him as he, in turn, followed Sheppard to the gate. Katherine struggled, he knew she would, but he did not let go. He could not lose her and, in the confusion and bedlam that was the attack, his greatest fear was that she would become separated from him and he would never see her again.

This he could not allow.

By the time that they had reached the gate and its accompanying dialing device, Kate was livid, John hadn't noticed and Todd didn't care. The wraith set about removing the back panel away from the power crystals and attempting to rearrange them with one hand. He was successful, and within moments the gate had deactivated. Sheppard turned to him.

"Go," he shouted over the whining of the darts. "Tell everybody to get to the gate as fast as possible. I'll stay here."

Todd nodded and began to walk briskly back to the village. He and Katherine were giving directions to the frightened humans when a cry went up around the village. Turning towards the source of the exclamation, Todd's eyes narrowed as he saw a group of wraith beginning to manually herd the humans in the direction of the darts beams. The sight angered him as he realized that this was no ordinary culling but an annihilation; the wraith meant to erase the Athosians completely, there was no other reason as to why there would be wraith on the ground.

"This isn't a culling is it?" Kate asked the wraith who hovered near her.

Todd shook his head. "No, I fear that it is not."

Kate wavered. "What do we do?"

Todd hissed. "Emmagan would not do this, he has no reason to. This is the work of some other wraith."

"Who?"

He darted his eyes back and forth, locking briefly onto the faces of the wraith whom he could see, looking for anyone he recognized. "I do not know," he turned to Katherine. "But I do know how to find out."

Kate blinked at him. "How?"

"We must go up to the hive, only then can we discern what is being done and who is behind it."

Kate frowned. "And how, exactly are we going to do that?"

Todd looked at her. "By getting caught."

Kate sighed. "That sounds like one of my brother's ideas," she muttered.

Todd grunted. "It is the only effective way to accomplish that which must be done," he held out his hand to her. "Come, we must put ourselves directly into the path of an oncoming dart."

Kate, after some deliberation, slid her hand into his. "Okay," she agreed and together they made their way forwards from the relative safety of the forest surrounding the settlement out into the open.

Todd chose a location directly in the flight path of an oncoming squadron of darts and secluded both himself and Katherine in shadow so that they would not be seen by the wraith on the ground. As reluctant as he was to put Katherine into danger, he knew that she had a much better chance of coming out of this situation unscathed with him be her side then she did if he entrusted her to her brother and the other humans. To put it bluntly, he trusted no one with her wellbeing other them himself.

As they waited, the both of them hidden in shadow, Todd felt Katherine shift before him. He could feel her anxiousness and her anticipation and, because the darkness sheltered them, allowed himself the luxury of assuaging her concerns and offering comfort to her by pulling her to him and wrapping her securely into his arms. He could feel her breathe against him, her chest expanding and contracting as she pulled air into her lungs. Her hands rested at his sides and he could feel the warmth from her skin reach him even through his many layers of clothing. He itched to claim her, to touch her, to have her under him once more.

He pushed those thoughts away quite forcefully as the sound of the dart came closer. Hugging her to him tightly, he closed his eyes as the culling beam engulfed them both and then knew nothing but blackness.

~xXx~

Whispers broke through the void and Todd felt his consciousness swim back into focus. His first thought was of Katherine and the need to know if she was safe or not prodded him into ignoring the throbbing in his head and sitting up quickly, his eyes already moving about, left and right, searching for her. He found her, unconscious, besides him and, repositioning himself into a crouch, he reached out to wake her. She caught his hand before he could brush his fingers to her face and he found himself smiling, despite the circumstances, at her reflex and response.

"It is me," he murmured softly, now becoming aware of where they were. They were in the cargo bay of a hive and around them, the other humans that had been captured, whimpered and whispered amongst themselves. Terror controlling them.

Kate blinked and opened her eyes, focusing them on the wraith bending over her whose wrist she'd grabbed. "Valloran?"

Todd hissed in pleasure that she would think to call him that instinctively. It would seem as though she no longer thought of him as 'Todd' at all and only referred to him as such out of necessity. It pleased him greatly. "Yessss," he hissed softly, aiding her to lift herself into a sitting position. He looked over her. "You are well?"

Kate nodded and then immediately regretted it; her head hurt like fucking hell. "My head is killing me."

Todd grunted. "An unfortunate side effect of the storage process used to store life forms on a dart."

Kate snickered. "Ben picked up by many darts lately have you?" she teased him as she tried to get her head to stop swimming.

Todd chuckled. "I have had the occasion to travel in the storage compartment of one once before. If not for the necessity, I would never had repeated the experience."

Kate huffed. "So, we're on the hive then?"

Todd nodded. "We are."

Kate groaned. "Great."

Todd thought she might be implementing sarcasm but dismissed the idea as being unimportant. He reached out to her and lifted her chin upwards towards his. "Can you stand?"

Kate nodded and allowed him to help her to her feet. Unfortunately, her legs were a little unsteady and she collapsed forwards straight into Todd who, in response, wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her upright. "Sorry," she mumbled, leaning forwards to rest her forehead on Todd's chest, directly over his heart. "I just need a minute.

Todd did not mind their current configuration in the least and a low, almost purr, began to build in his chest moving upwards to the back of his throat. "Do not be," he soothed her, his multi-toned voice extremely low. "Take whatever time you need to steady yourself."

Kate nodded and let herself lean more firmly into Todd who took her weight and compensated in order to support her. She liked having his arms around her. Violently she shifted her thoughts to somewhere else, she needed to focus. "Why are you doing this?" she asked.

Todd frowned. "What do you mean?"

Kate sighed. "I mean, why are you helping the Athosians?"

Todd considered how best to answer her so that she could understand. "I believe that what is being done to them is a result of their direct correlation with Atlantis," he told her. "This, as you said, is not ordinary culling. It is an obliteration. The wraith mean to destroy them so that no one remains."

Kate felt suddenly, very guilty. "So, this is all our fault?"

Todd dipped his head, able to feel her distress over such a thought, and rested his chin in her hair; the added contact having the desired effect in that it soothed her considerably. "No, it is not."

Kate frowned and pulled away from him, now confidant that she could stand on her own however reluctant she was to extract herself form his embrace. "But you said -"

"I believe that the wraith as a whole, those that are ruled over by the queens, are being directed by those corrupt females to destroy any and all allies that Atlantis has. If there is any fault to be placed, then it is with me."

Kate looked at him. "Why you?"

Todd gazed down upon her, the loss of her body's warmth against his almost physically painful. "Because Atlantis would not be such a target to the queens as a collective if not for their association with me. Those that I war against and would see destroyed know that I have come into much of my power as a direct result of my dealings with the humans of Atlantis. The city that I once caused to sink to the bottom of an ocean and it's inhabitants are my greatest ally and resource. The queens are operating under the belief that if they can annihilate Atlantis and rid her from the equation they will then be able to put an end to my attempts to rid them of power."

Kate hissed. "I hate the queens," she growled.

Todd chuckled. "You and I are in a like mind on that account, Katherine."

Kate looked around, noting the two dozen or so people in the large chamber with them. With the exception of her and Todd, everyone else was curled up into a corner or huddled against a wall, shivering in terror. She turned back to the wraith. "What now?"

Todd drew in a breath. "Now we must wait for the officers in charge of distributing the culled humans into either feeding stalls or into storage to come," he nodded towards the pair of sealed doors at the forefront of the large, blissfully mist-free room. "Unfortunately, the only mechanism able to release the doors is on the other side of them."

Kate grimaced. "Can't have their food escaping now can they?"

Todd shared her outlook. "No, they cannot."

She sighed. "So we wait"

Todd nodded. "We will not have to wait long. They should be coming in -" the sound of the door swishing open silenced him and Todd, looking up, pulled Katherine to him and backed into the shadows. They could not be seen until they wished to be or else they would lose their advantage.

Kate let herself be pulled back against Todd's chest once more for what seemed like the tenth time or so since the sun had gone down as three wraith entered the room, hissed to one another and then looked around.

"This one, and this one," the leader instructed the other, junior officers with him. "Take them to the queen so that she may feed."

The younger wraith nodded and moved forwards, extracting the two full bodied males that their superior officer had indicated and, taking one each, took them from the room. The elder wraith remained behind and was about to depart when a movement caught his eye. Looking towards it, his eyes widened as he espied a most alluring female attired in a proactively enticing crimson gown. He smiled, if this was one of the females captured then he was lucky indeed. The hive commander was in need of a new companion and if he presented this female to him then he would surely be rewarded richly.

He started towards her and Kate grinned darkly as she watched Todd sneak up behind him once he was sure that the wraith's attention was focused on her. The unfortunate wraith never saw it coming and, before he'd even taken four steps, his throat was slit from behind and he'd dropped to the ground, Todd standing over him.

Kate walked over. "That went well," she commented.

Todd hissed. "Yes," he agreed although, inwardly, he was extremely angry. He had been able to caught several of the now deceased wraith's thoughts concerning what he had planned to do to Katherine and, Todd found himself infuriated by them. He would not be using her as a distraction again.

Kate looked to Todd. "Now what?"

Todd removed his thoughts from their current location and turned to the humans still present in the room. They were all looking at both he and Katherine and he knew that they recognized him. "Listen to me," he spoke to them. "If you wish to escape the fate that will befall you if you remain, then you must do as I instruct. Is there anyone among you that is a willing leader?"

A man stood up and Todd briefly recognized him as the young man whom has danced with Katherine. "I am," he announced.

Todd nodded. "Go down the corridor that is directly outside of this room, turn left. That will take you to the dart bay. Find a transport, one large enough to comfortably fit all of you and remain there until myself and Katherine return. It would be beneficial if you periodically come back to this room to see if any more of your people have been deposited here."

The man nodded and turned to begin his appointed task while Todd looked to Katherine and held his hand out to her. "Come."

She slid her hand into his and felt his fingers wrap around hers tightly before they left the room together, going in the opposite direction that Todd had told the Athosians to go. Side by side they crept along the corridors and hallways, headed for she didn't know where. As they rounded a corner and then went up another level, she asked, "Where are we going?"

"There should be a information terminal in the commander's quarters."

Kate frowned. "And how do you suppose we get there, get in and then get out without being seen?"

Todd glanced at her and grinned. "Very carefully."

Kate glared at him. "Yes, thank you Valloran; everything is so much more clearer now."

Todd chuckled. "You asked."

Kate hissed. "Yeah, well, next time I won't. Facetious wraith."

Todd hissed in pleasure and took her round another corner. Footsteps sounded at the end of it and, quickly, the wraith looked around for a place to hide. He found one and, because he was wearing black and she red which would be seen, pushed Katherine before him so that her back pushed into the wall of the crevice while he stood before her and pressed his body to hers so that the shadows would be sure to cover them both from the approaching patrol.

Kate squirmed, a memory popping into the front of her mind. Todd hissed and she stopped moving, realizing that that probably wasn't a good idea. Her body stilled but, unfortunately, the damage had been done and she could feel, acutely, what her uncomfortable shift had done to Todd. She looked up at him, he was looking determinedly away from her. "Sorry," she whispered, dropping her eyes.

Todd growled lowly. "Do not apologize to me, Katherine, never to me; not for this," he willed his body back into submission. "It will pass."

Kate nodded and held her position. The patrol had passed them and now, she suspected, Todd was simply waiting to fix himself before they started to move again. Less than a minute later, he stepped back from her and took her hand in his once more, leading her back down their path. The remainder of the journey was made without incident and they reached the doors to the hive commander's quarters without being seen. Acting as a lookout, Kate took point while Todd hotwired the door to open. Once he'd accomplished that, they entered the room together, Todd immediately heading for the desired terminal. Kate closed the doors and then went to stand beside him. "anything?" she asked.

Todd shook his head. "Not as of yet," he continued to scroll through the various files contained within the portal. The security measures that had been placed on the terminal were easily surpassed by him and, within moments of Katherine's asking, he had found what they were looking for.

He growled. His discovery was not a pleasant one.

Kate looked worriedly up at him. "What is it?" she asked.

Todd stepped back from the terminal and reached for Katherine's hand. Drawing her in front of him he pressed into her back and proceeded to hiss into her ear, "Tell me, what do you see?"

Kate frowned and scanned the wraith characters in front of her on the screen. At first she didn't know what Todd was referring to but, then, she saw what he was talking about. New Athos was only the first gate address listed in a long line of planets all of which were allies to Atlantis. The Traveler's planet was there along with the Genii and several, several others all containing information along with the address as to the different natures of their relationships with Atlantis.

She let out a cry. "How did they get this?" she asked desperately.

Todd reached around her and scrolled down to the bottom of the screen before pointing to a name that glared back at him from the terminal's interface. "There, that is the source for all of this."

Kate growled, her eyes narrowing in on the name. "Michael."

Todd hissed. "Indeed."

Kate turned around, her anger making her forget that Todd was right behind her; they were now in a very similar position to the one they had been in out in the corridor. "How did he get all of this information?"

Todd shook his head. "That creature has more spies and informants than any other single being that I am aware of," he looked down on her. "I do not know how he came by such a wealth of knowledge but, once I return to my hive, I shall endeavor to find out."

Kate turned her head away and turned back around to grasp the sides of the terminal. "What do we do until then?" she asked, her hatred for the hybrid coloring her tone.

"I will erase the information and hope that the hive commander and queen have not committed all those locations to memory," Katherine moved aside and he got to work, blanking out the hard-drive completely, his anger for the situation stemming from the distress it was causing Katherine.

When he was done, he turned to her. "Come," he whispered to her, "We must -"

The doors hissed open and they both froze. There was no time to hide as both the commander and his second walked into the room. The wraith froze when they saw them and the hive commander hissed. "Who are you and what do you here?"

Todd moved so that he stood between the two newly arrived wraith and Katherine. "Our identities are no concern of yours," he growled threateningly.

The commander glared at him and hissed but was unable to answer for at that moment, he and his second were both joined by the queen. She entered behind them both and, as her eyes fell on the intruders, she recognized the female immediately. "You!" she hissed, her eyes narrowing at the human. "I know you. You are Katherine of Atlantis, sister to Colonel Sheppard."

Kate gulped and felt Todd reach out to her and bring her securely to his side, his arms wrapped protectively around her. "You will not touch her," she heard him growl and, for the first time in her life, did not mind someone protecting her in fact, she was glad for and glad that it was him.

The queen's eyes widened indignantly and she turned her fury onto the male who held the female tightly to him in such a way as to both protect her and claim her as being his. "Who are you to tell me what I will and will not do,!" she advanced towards him, already giving her commander a mental order to summon drones to his quarters and to prepare a cell for their prisoners. "You are male, you must do as I say!"

Todd snarled dangerously and saw that the queen's eyes looked startled by the power that was imitating from his vocal cords. "I may be male, childling," he bit out, his teeth bared, his entire being focused on just one thing: protecting Katherine. "But I am older and greater then you. Even the triad fears me, I suggest you do the same. You will let us go."

The queen hissed and reared back her head in anger. How dare he insinuate that the triad, the three most senior, eldest and wisest queens alive fear a male, any male. "You dare!" she screeched, coming towards him and raising a hand to strike him.

Todd released Katherine, trusting her to be safe, and caught the youngling queen's hand at her wrist as it came up to hit him. He twisted it and she yelled in pain as he brought her to her knees. Leering down on her, he hissed, "There, that is better. More fitting I think, given the circumstance."

The queen screamed in pain. "How dare you touch me! Release me! Commander, kill him!"

Todd growled and flung the pathetic excuse for a female away from him, turning to lock his eyes to those of the hive commander order to execute him. They narrowed. "I would not advance any farther if I were you; I am many hundred times your senior, I will kill you before you have time to think."

The commander stayed his steps as drones flooded the room and Todd realized that, even given his and Katherine's combined skill, they were far outmatched. The queen, having risen from the ground, knew that he understood this and hissed in joy because of it. "Not so powerful now are you, male?"

Todd snarled but could do nothing as he and Katherine were taken into custody and marched out of the command quarters and taken to a cell. Once they had been sealed inside, the queen and her commanders came to them.

"I believe we shall see how long your loyalty to her lasts," the queen gloated, eyeing Todd directly. "I wonder, will you feed from her when the hunger begins to burn?"

Todd said nothing, his fists clenching and unclenching rapidly.

The queen laughed and turned, sweeping away with her commanders in attendance leaving them to rot. A fitting punishment for their transgressions.

Todd growled in frustration and turned about several times within the cell, finally winding down and sinking into a meditative crouch. He could feel Katherine hovering near him and knew that he should control his anger when in her presence lest he worry her unnecessarily. "Forgive me."

Kate shook her head and crossed to the contemplative wraith, sinking to her knees and sitting back on her heels once she'd neared him. Tentatively, she reached out a hand an laid it on his shoulder trying to provide him with comfort. It probably wouldn't work, she thought to herself, but she had to try. Todd always comforted her, sometime without doing anything at all. The least she could do was return the favor.

"Valloran."

Todd looked up, his eyes locking with Katherine's. She looked earnestly at him and he realized that she was worried for him. His eyes softened. "Katherine."

Kate offered him a smile and squeezed his shoulder. "It'll be alright," she told him. "We'll figure a way out of this."

Her voice was soft and low and Todd realized that she did not truly believe what she was telling him, she was only saying it to try and furnish him with hope and comfort while retaining none for herself. Her concern for him and her selflessness in trying to provide for him first before herself spoke to him and, in that instant, he understood what it was that Romulus was constantly trying to tell him.

Katherine cared as much for him as he did for her which was, by the look in her eye, a very great deal. "Katherine," he repeated, reaching out to her and pulling her to him while moving backwards so that he could rest his back against the far wall of the cell. She came with his guiding hand and soon Todd found her secured against him in the space between his legs. "You are correct," he lied to her. "We will discover a way out of this."

Kate sighed and settled her eight more firmly against him. She was pressed into his chest from the side, his feeding hand resting lightly at her waist whilst his other hand gently stoked her side. It was soothing and it felt really, really good. Kate hoped he never stopped.

"How did the cullings get started?" she asked, her eyes dropping tiredly as Todd continued his ministrations.

The wraith hissed and drew in a deep breath, pulling her scent into both his sensory pits and his nostrils. "You will think ill of me," he informed her, "Should I tell you."

Kate shifted and pushed herself up, lifting her head so that she could look into his eyes. "I could never and will never think badly of you, Valloran," she promised him genuinely.

Todd blinked at her and then pulled her so that she settled back into her position against him; he liked her that way and, given the circumstance, it was acceptable. "You must understand that the idea came out of a great need and it was not any wraith who had it," he begun, continuing his touching of her. "The war was not as…clean cut as the Lanteans would have you believe. It was they who started it by attempting to assassinate me when we wraith refused to confirm to the restrictions they placed upon us."

Kate frowned. "What do you mean?"

Todd sighed. "There was another, much longer, war that occurred before our war with the Lanteans. The enemy, a race called the Damon were, like us, a product of biological manipulation by the Lanteans only, unlike us, they were not so civilized nor intelligent. They were like a plague, moving from one location to another, stripping the land of all resources and leaving it barren before moving on and repeating the process. The Lanteans gave them space travel before realizing their nature and, in a sense, created their own worst enemy. The Damon outnumbered the Lanteans by several thousands and so they discovered after some conflict that they required more manpower if they were to defeat them."

Kate twisted over onto her back and looked up at Todd. "That's where the wraith came in I take it?" she asked.

Todd nodded. "It is. We were not nearly as advanced as we are now at that time and so the Lanteans came to us and begun to teach us. They gave us nothing, providing us with only the mathematical concepts behind the sciences we now employ. All of the technology we developed was entirely our own design, the Lanteans had no hand in it. They simply explained why certain things were capable and we discerned the rest on our own."

Kate dropped her eyes and focused on his hand which was now laying on her stomach. "You helped them defeat the Damon."

Todd inclined his head. "We did, in fact, without our assistance, the Lanteans would not have succeeded and would have perished. When the war was over, the wraith returned to out homeworld to begin our lives as we had left them only with the added benefits of the technology we developed. The Lanteans did not like this and insisted that we hand over all of our developments which they claimed to have provided us with. We refused and so the Lantean high council thought to solve the problem by assassinating the High Commander of the wraith."

Kate gulped, her stomach turning. "You."

Todd hissed. "Yes, me. Fortunately for myself, the Lantean they send to accomplish the task, Tanis - the Lantean equivalent of me - had terrible aim and did not manage to pierce me heart. I lived, although the ship I was on was destroyed and its crew lost. We did not have drones back then and so the loss of nearly seven thousand wraith and the attempt on my life was enough to persuade the wraith to go to war against those that had once been their teachers and allies."

"And the cullings?" she asked. "How did they start?"

Todd let out a breath through his nose that gently moved her hair. "During the war, not all of the Lanteans believed in the high councils decision. Many choose to fight with us against Atlantis and it was one of these individuals, a scientist, that first conceived of the idea of the cullings.

"The idea was brought about because of the need to rectify two things. One, our food supply which had dwindled since our implementation of drones and two, the overpopulations of more than seventy percent of Lantean seeded worlds."

Kate frowned. "Overpopulated what?"

Todd sighed. "Since the Damon war began, the Lanteans began to neglect the worlds where they had seeded life. You see, the Lanteans did not often take into consideration how population growth could affect the ecosystem of the planets they put humans on several generations into the future. By the time we were in need of a more stable food source, the majority of human worlds were dying, the humans starving because their individual ecosystems could not support their very large numbers. Our solution solved both their problem and ours. It was never meant to have continued on for this long."

Kate looked up at him. "And why did you say that I'd think badly of you if you told me this?" she asked.

Todd looked down at her. "Because, while it may not have been a wraith's idea to begin them, it was my ingenuity that transformed the idea into a possibility."

Kate sat up. "So, you're the one that put those beam things in the darts and did all of this?" she gestured around herself at the hive in general.

Todd nodded. "Yes."

Kate eyed him. "I'm not mad at you," she told him, having noticed his eyes drop when he had replied to her. "I told you I wouldn't be."

Todd grunted. "I did not truly believe you. You are entitled to change your mind."

Kate said nothing and, instead, went back to cuddling against him, her excuse being that she was cold and he was warm. Silence fell around them and, for a few minutes, they were both content to be as they were.

A voice interrupted them.

"You know, I'd let go of her if I were you. If the colonel sees you like that he'll shoot you."

Kate looked up, moving out of Todd's arms and standing. "Evan!" she exclaimed.

Lorne smirked back at her. "Getting cozy are we?"

Kate opened her mouth.

"What!" John yelped, striding into view and peering into the cell at his sister. "Whose getting cozy and why…" his eyes focused in on Todd who was slowly getting to his feet. "You! What the hell where you thinking! You got my sister culled!"

Todd snorted and cursed the humans for their timing; at least it was not McKay this time. "If you will notice, Sheppard," he began scathingly. "We are not in the cargo bay so I most obviously did not, in fact, get Katherine culled. The darts were simply a means by which to get on board the hive."

John glared at him. "And why, might I ask, did you need to get up here?"

Todd opened his mouth, a snarl beginning on his lips only Katherine cut him off.

"It wasn't a normal culling, John," she explained to her brother. "We needed to know who was behind it and why and to do that we needed to be up here."

John crossed his arms. "I don't suppose you found out who tipped them off do you?"

Todd looked smug. "As a matter of fact, Sheppard," he watched the human's face fall. "We did."

John stared at him. "Who?"

"Michael," Kate replied, calling her brother's attention towards her. "And we were able to erase all of the other information that he handed over to these guys so, if you'll let us out of here we can all go home."

"After we destroy the ship," Todd added, drawing closer to Katherine from behind, already lamenting her warmth and the feel of her against him.

Lorne eyed the wraith. "Well, aren't you just full of ideas."

Kate snorted. "Not now," she looked at john and pointed to a spot on the wall opposite them. "The door control is there."

John touched it and the cell doors opened, allowing Todd and Kate to exit and join them in the hallway. Kate squinted at him.

"How'd you get up here anyways?"

John shrugged. "We were able to dial Atlantis, get everyone through and then come back in a jumper. Jinto saw you two get captured so we figured we'd come and get you."

Kate sniffed. "Well thank you, but we were fine without you."

John scuffed. "No you weren't, you were locked up."

"We would have gotten out of it," Kate argued, turning left down a corridor that should take them to one of the main battery rooms. "You had no right to interfere."

John stammered, baffled while Todd got the impression that what Katherine was really upset about was being interrupted yet again. The thought made him smile as he followed after her, content to let her lead. When they reached the battery room, he silently applauded her for choosing this location to set their destructive measures. It was secluded and less frequently traveled then other power stations within a hive. A charge set here could be placed on a timer and set to detonate after they were well away from its danger.

He turned to Sheppard. "Have you any of that material - what do you call it? C-Four?"

John nodded and took a block of it out of the TAC vest he'd strapped on over his birthday attire which he hadn't bothered to change out of once they'd gotten back to Atlantis. "How much of it do you need?"

"A brick that size should suffice," Todd turned and pointed to a darkened corner of the power hub. "There. Conceal the explosive in that corner and set a timer. It should take us no longer then ten minutes to remove ourselves from this hive."

John nodded and did as he was told. Lorne turned to Todd. "We got the Athosians that you'd told to hide in the dart bay back down to the planet and through the gate, so you don't have to go back for them. The jumpers parked in the rear dart bay."

Todd hissed in pleasure at hearing this. "Very nicely done, major," he turned to Sheppard. "Are you done?"

John hoped up. "Yep, let's go."

Todd took the head this time with Katherine behind him and the others behind her. As predicted, they made it to the dart bay without incident and were gone from the hive within the parameters set of the explosive device. As they neared the Athosian settlement, the hive exploded in the sky. They landed amidst numerous chorusing cheers.

Kate turned to her brother. "I thought you said you relocated everybody?"

John shrugged. "Yeah, well, we did," he looked at her. "But we have a party to finish and presents to open so, we all came back."

Kate shook her head at her brother's enthusing and followed him back to the village at a more sedate pace. The sky was turning orange and the sun was beginning to rise but, apparently, nobody wanted to let the four hour interruption that was an unexpected attack by the wraith dampen their moods. The party, it seemed, was picking right up were it'd left off.

Todd came to stand besides Katherine. "If you will remember," he said softly, leaning towards her so that his breath moved her hair. "I informed you that I had a gift for you when first I arrived here."

Kate turned from the sight of her brother eagerly digging into his pile of presents and turned to Todd. Tilting her head back, she looked up at the wraith. "I thought you said I'd have to wait?"

He smiled down upon her. "I believe that, given what we have just faced, it would be appropriate for you to receive it now."

Kate smiled at him. "Alright," she stepped back from him so that she could see him better. "Do you want me to close my eyes?"

Todd frowned. "Why would I ask you to do that?"

Kate snickered. "It's a human thing, never mind," she raised her head expectantly. "Show me."

Todd complied to her request and removed a long, narrow metal box from a pocket concealed in the fold of his battle-coat. Presenting it to her, he beseeched her with a look to take it from him. "Open it."

Kate took the offered object and removed the lid, peering into it. Within the box, nestled in a lining of fabric, was a black leather scabbard accented with decorations of a gunmetal colored metal. Kate set the box aside on a forgotten table that she was standing by and withdrew the scabbard, feeling the weight of it in her hands before she withdrew the blade from its sheath. Her eyes widened and a gasp escaped her lips as the magnificently crafted dagger came to be reveled in her hands.

The weapon's blade was approximately six inches long and felt extremely light given its size. The hilt of the dagger was wrapped in black leather strips and set with a quartet of blood red stones just like the ones she was currently wearing were set into the handle in a diamond pattern while another, much larger stone of the same make was set into the butt of the pummel. She studied the blade, there were words running the length of the fuller. She held the blade aloft so that she could read them.

"_No retreat in the face of battle. No sympathy for the fallen. No mercy for our enemies_," she looked up at Todd. "It's beautiful."

Toss hissed, both pleased with and proud of her. Katherine had read the inscription, which was written in the earliest version of the wraith's language, and pronounced each syllable correctly. Hearing her speak his native tongue perfectly brought a great joy to him. "It is the warrior's code," he informed her, feeling the need to explain the significance of the gift he had presented her with for it was no simple knife he had made for her. "I was taught it as soon as I was old enough to understand the words; it the mantra that I have lived my life since I was a child."

Kate nodded and turned her eyes back to the exquisitely wrought blade. "And the dagger?" she looked up at him, her eyes questioning. "Is there some significance to it?"

Todd nodded ."A great deal," he told her. "The blade is called, formally, a lotlorian blade. It was traditionally presented to those wraith females who excelled in battle by either a Sire, brother or, in some cases, a mate. Each blade is made exclusively for the female it is meant for so that no two lotlorian blades are alike. I hope, that you like it."

Kate's eyes snapped up to his. "You made this?" she asked, shocked. "From scratch?"

Todd smiled at the look on her face and inclined his head. "I did. I had my second bring the raw materials to me and then forged the blade and it's components, assembling them all together hours before I was scheduled to arrive here."

Kate stared at him, her eyes wide, before dropping them back down to the weapon she held. Sliding the dark metal dagger back into it's equally skillfully crafted sheath, she put it all back in the box before looking back up at Todd. "I…" she struggled to find an appropriate way to thank him. "Thank you, Valloran."

Todd hissed in pleasure and noted that Katherine now held the box cradled to her chest. "You must keep the blade with you at all times, never allow yourself to be without it. It is wraith tradition to do so; the only acceptable way to be divested of a lotlorian blade is upon its owners death."

Kate nodded, she would do it. This was wraith history, _his_ history, that he was giving to her. She would do anything he asked.

Having gained her consent, Todd continued to look down on her for several moments while she thought. He knew not where her thoughts went or what they pertained, he did not care, he simply wished to let his eyes linger on her for as long as he was able. Suddenly, however, Katherine moved. She came towards him and raised herself up, tilting her head back. Todd blinked and remained where he was, frozen. He knew what her intent was and he knew that he should stop her but he could hardly bring himself to do it. Willing control into his body, Todd felt his eyes close of their own violation and, within moments, he felt Katherine's lips land upon his.

The contact was brief, lasting only a few scant seconds, not nearly long enough Todd thought venomously to himself as he felt her draw back. His eyes flew open and he looked questioningly down on her, her face was still tilted upwards towards his and she was biting her bottom lip in a way that almost demanded him to return the gesture she had applied to him. He did not, however, as he was somewhat confused. "Katherine?"

Kate averted her eyes. "It's okay to kiss someone as a thank you," she turned away from him. "That's all it was."

Todd swallowed; that is _not_ all that it felt like. Instead, he took the explanation for another human custom that, unlike many of the others, he found he did not mind. If it was acceptable to kiss someone as a form of expressing gratitude then perhaps he should present Katherine with gifts much more frequently. It would be an effective method of bleeding his want for her from him in a pleasurable way.

Todd found himself wondering what sort of kisses were deemed admissible for situations such as this and before he could stop himself, his common sense took temporary leave of him and he asked, "Perhaps you should thank me again."

Kate's heart fluttered within her chest and she turned back towards Todd, looking up at the wraith who didn't seem to be willing to recant his request. He looked serious and Kate found herself drawing the conclusion that, for the first time since she'd met him, Todd wasn't thinking straight. His brain must've shut off but, rather than ask him if he really did want her to kiss him again - because, let's face it, kissing Todd was one of those things that she dreamed about on a nightly basis - she came to him once more and, lifting herself up on her tiptoes, brought her mouth to his.

He met her halfway this time and rather than settle for a quick peck, she felt the urgency within him as his lips moved over hers. Soon, she found herself pressed once more to his chest this time of her own doing, the box her dagger was in clutched tightly in one hand while the other lay flat over his right pectoral. A sigh escaped her and she thought she heard him answer her in a growl. She could feel his hands at her shoulders, gently caressing her skin and, just as his tongue begged her for entrance she knew that they needed to stop. Her brother was floating around here somewhere and if he saw them…she didn't want to stop.

Todd did not wish to stop either but he felt the need to do so lest he would lose all of his self control and do something that he would regret. He was, however reluctant to draw back from her or allow her to draw away from him without first tasting her. He therefore prodded at the barrier of her lips with his tongue and, after only a few moments, he was granted entry. She rose to meet him and his hands tightened on her shoulders, pushing her away as he broke contact with her and bowed his head, letting his forehead rest against hers as they both fought to regain their sensibilities.

Kate recovered first, although barely. Drawing away, she looked up into the wraith's eyes and, with all the sincerity she possessed she said, "Thank you, Valloran, for my gift."

Todd forced all other reactions he was having to her kiss to the side and replied, "You are welcome."

Kate smiled weakly and took a step away from him, turning to look out into the village. Her brother was still opening presents and hadn't seen a thing. "We should go down there, before he starts to wander where we went."

Todd nodded, still not in complete control of all of his body parts but, thankfully, because of his clothing, no one would be able to guess at his current state. "We should, yes," he replied softly.

Neither of them were willing to move, to leave but, eventually Kate took the first step forwards and, after only a moment's hesitation, Todd followed.

On the other side of the camp, unbeknownst to the wraith or the women, six pairs of eyes watched their retreat towards Colonel Sheppard and the others, all of them lost in thought.

"That was intense," Lorne muttered, his head following the pair of them as they came to the table that his commanding officer was seated at, ripping wrapping paper off of various brightly packaged parcels left and right. "I didn't think that they were gonna stop."

Jennifer huffed. "You almost wish, having watched that, that they hadn't. they looked so sad when they pulled away."

Cadman snorted. "Well, wouldn't you be sad too if you thought that the only way you could kiss the person you loved was as a thank you?"

"I need to get thanked like that," Lorne quipped. "Seriously, they were at it for like five minutes."

"More like three," Ronon corrected the major.

Lorne waved away the correction. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, it was a freaking long ass time to be lip locked with somebody."

Woolsey nodded. "I agree, it would appear as if they had decided not to err on the side of caution. Colonel Sheppard could have very easily looked up. I don't believe that even I could have stopped him from shooting Todd had he done so."

Teyla inclined her head. "Then let us be glad that he did not."

They all silently agreed. Cadman turned to Teyla. "So," she asked, "What do you think now? Still think it'll be a while before they get together?"

Teyla sighed. "I do, yes," she held up a hand before Cadman could interrupt her. "I believe it will still be some time yet before Todd allows himself to enter into a relationship with Kate. I do, however agree with you on the other matter."

Woolsey frowned. "What other matter?"

Jennifer looked at him. "That Todd's in love with Kate and Kate's in love with Todd."

Woolsey frowned more severely. "Are you certain?" he asked. "I can accept that Major Sheppard's heart is his but, can we really know that she has his?"

Teyla nodded. "We can be almost certain," she sought a way to explain. "I see it in the way he looks at her, the intensity in his eyes, it scares me. Not because of what I believe he would do to her but because of I believe he would be willing to do for her and because of her. There is a passion there, an almost desperateness. There is very little I believe he would not do for her."

The group nodded, accepting this as fact for they had all seen the various ways in which Todd had gazed at Kate during the last twelve hours. All of them were intense and passionate, all of them were loving.

"I believe," Teyla began again after they had all considered her words for a while, "That, if it were within his power, Todd would move the stars themselves if only to see her smile."

The group turned and looked to the wraith. Yes, they all decided, yes indeed he would. Todd the wraith would rearrange the heavens and all of the bodies in it if the action would bring a smile onto Kate's face and that thought, that realization of truth, was both a powerful and terrifying one.

* * *

**A/N:** For all of you that have been hounding me for some Todd/Kate action (ya'll know who ya'll are) I better get a review from each and every one of you. Seriously now, I deserve to know what y'all think because, originally, none of the above action between those two was suppsed to happen. I added it all and altered my story to make you lot happy. That is deserving of reviews, so I'd best be getting like a million of them. Cheers!


	22. Mirror Mirror

**A/N: **Here you are my wonderful peeps, another episode for your entertainment. This one is a bit dark and also a bit rough and I apologize for that (the latter not the former) but you see, my chapters are simply so big that when I self edit them, because I know what I'm _trying_ to say, I don't always catch all of my little errors and misspellings. I usually fix this by waiting several days before posting the completed chapter to give my brain time to rest before I go over it all again but, quite honestly, I'm tired of looking at this one so ya'll will just have to deal with it as it is. Try not to hold it against me, Real Life has been a bitch to me lately so I could really use a lot of good, nice, long reviews from all of my faithful readers out there. Reviews are the only way that fanfiction authors get paid so, when you're done reading the latest epic I've typed up for you, push the little rectangular button down at the bottom and make my day. I'll rejoice I swear. (*Takes deep, calming breath*). Okay, thank you for listening to me rant and now, on with the story. Read, Review and enjoy. Cheers!

* * *

**Episode XVIII: **Mirror Mirror

Captain Laura Cadman was very pleased with herself. She had just presented Kate with a photo that she'd taken at the party last week and framed. From the expression on her friend's face, Laura had obviously done a good job and thus, was grinning like an idiot while Kate sat there and stared down at the picture in her lap.

"I can't believe you got a picture of this," Kate whispered as she gazed down at the image of she and Todd dancing with one another. She looked up at her friend. "Thank you."

Cadman shrugged and grinned more widely. "We don't really have that many pictures of Todd so I thought, eh, it might be something you'd like to have."

Kate smiled and blushed just a little, dipping her head down to once more run her eyes alone the captured image of what was probably one of the happiest moments in her life.

From the floor Jennifer, who was playing with Torren who was sitting in his mother's lap, turned towards the captain and the major who were sitting on Teyla's bed. "He's in one of Rodney and I's wedding pictures. You know, from the reception."

Cadman nodded. "Yeah, and he's in a couple of the photos everyone took last Christmas," she looked over at Kate. "But he's never the main focus, he's always just kinda…there. In the background, you know."

"It's a beautiful picture," Kate said gently, touching the surface of the glass and tracing her fingers over Todd's face.

Cadman, Jennifer and Teyla all looked at one another and shared a knowing look. Kate was so in over her head it wasn't even funny anymore and the sad part was, that Todd was in over his head too. The party last week had proved it, to everybody except the ever oblivious Colonel Nitwit, that Todd and Kate were in love with each other.

They just didn't know it yet and that, was the truly sad part. Todd was so sure that he was doing what was best for Kate by doing nothing that the three of them were almost positive that it would take some sort of disaster, probably involving Kate getting very badly hurt, in order for the wraith to get his head out of his ass and fix things. Nether Cadman, Jennifer or Teyla wanted that to happen but, unfortunately, Todd was stubborn and none of them could any other way convincing him that he was hurting Kate more by _not_ being with her then he could ever hurt her otherwise.

Todd and Kate had been dancing around each other since they met and it was driving everyone absolutely nuts. Cadman seriously considered locking them in a room together until they sorted everything out but Teyla and Jennifer didn't think that was such a good idea and, to add insult to injury, there was the whole mess with Colonel Sheppard to figure out. Cadman and Jennifer both thought that Kate ought to just tell her brother to shove it and stop threatening to shoot Todd every six seconds or when he got close to her but, as Teyla had pointed out, the problem didn't really have anything to do with the colonel at all.

Kate, Teyla had explained, while caring a great deal about what her brother thought and what his opinion was, wouldn't not have a relationship with Todd if given the chance simply because her moron of a sibling wouldn't like it. Teyla had said that if Todd ever decided to stop being an idiot and gave Kate the green light, then the she Sheppard would very gladly lie out her ass to her brother and be with Todd anyway regardless of what John did or did not have to say about it. This had calmed both Jennifer and Laura down considerably and both were pleased that the colonel's disapproval of the situation wouldn't have any effect at all in Kate's decision making process if she and Todd ever actually got together. The amusing thing was, that if they every did get together, Cadman, Jennifer and Teyla knew that there'd be at least eight dozen people, if not more, in Atlantis that would be only too willing to help the two of them keep everything a secret and Woolsey, surprisingly, was one of them.

Torren squealed excitedly and clapped his hands together calling everyone except Kate out of their thoughts.

"Should we leave you and your picture alone for a minute?" Cadman asked Kate, teasingly, nudging her friend in the arm.

Kate looked up and turned a rather elaborate shade of pink. "No," she said defensively, blushing deeper. "It's just, i…"

Jennifer waved her attempts at explaining her actions away. "It's fine, Kate," the doctor told her. "We all know that you like looking at him. Maybe we I can get my husband to start carrying a camera around with him on missions? Soon, you'll have a whole album full of -"

"Am I interrupting something?"

The girls looked up towards the door where Lorne was standing, grinning, leaning against the doorframe. Kate turned from pink to red and turned her head away while the rest of the girls burst into giggles. Lorne walked into the room and promptly picked Torren up who had held out his arms to the major as soon as he'd seen him.

"So, what's going on?"

"Laura got a picture of Todd and Kate dancing at the party and had it framed," Jennifer explained to him, leaning back on her hands and tilting her head back so that she could look up at Evan.

Lorne smirked and looked at his best friend. "Bet you liked that didn't you?"

Cadman snorted. "Oh, she loved it. She's been making love to it for the past five minutes."

Kate's mouth dropped open and she threw a pillow at Cadman's head. "Laura!"

Cadman grinned and ducked, the fluffy projectile soaring over her left shoulder before falling to the floor. "What?" she asked, trying to look innocent and failing. "You have! You've been looking at it with this dreamy expression on your face. Like a school girl looking at a yearbook photo of her crush."

Jennifer giggled. "Well, that's a accurate description if I ever heard one."

Kate crossed her arms and turned her back to her so called friends. "It's not funny guys," she said moodily.

Lorne chuckled and handed Torren back to his mother. "Yes it is Kate and you know it," he walked over to the bed and snatched the picture away from her. Kate protested and Lorne looked down, studying the image. "Wow," he said, holding the frame out of Kate's reach. "You got like the perfect picture here Cadman. It's undeniable proof that we're all right."

Kate huffed and stopped trying to get her picture back. Crossing her arms, she sulked on the end of Teyla's bed and glared up at Lorne. "Proof that you're all right about what, exactly?" she asked.

Lorne looked down on her and held the picture up, giving it a little shake for emphasis. "That you're in love with Todd and that he's in love with you."

Kate turned bright red. "I-I'm not, he's not…EVAN!"

Lorne shrugged and handed her the photo which she grabbed and cradled to her chest protectively. He crossed his arms. "Kate," he said seriously, all joking aside. "Just admit it: you're in love with Todd the wraith."

Kate considered denying it for about three seconds but, unfortunately, Evan Vincent Isaac Lorne was right. She hadn't been sure before but, after everything that had happened at her birthday party, how he had protected her while they'd been on the hive and with their little thank-you kiss afterwards, Kate knew that her friend's accusations were no longer speculation. Katherine Elizabeth Sheppard was head over heels in love with a seventy-eight thousand year old, green skinned, white haired, tattooed, life-sucking alien from another galaxy. If her father was still alive and she told him this, she was positive he'd have another heart attack.

John would probably have a heart attack too. This was a confession that she knew she wouldn't be making to her brother anytime soon.

Lorne sighed. "come on Kate," he prodded her. "You know that you need to just accept this and move -"

"You're right," she whispered softly.

Everyone in the room froze and Lorne blinked. "I'm right?" he glanced around to make sure that he hadn't imagined her response and found that, from the stunned looks on everyone else's faces, he really _had_ just heard her confirm it.

Kate nodded and let out a deep, heavy sigh. Looking down at her picture briefly, she lifted her head and looked directly into her best friend and commanding officer's eyes. "You're right," she repeated. "I do love him, a lot, more than I've ever loved anyone else before but," she paused and dropped her eyes. "…he doesn't love me."

"Like hell he doesn't!" Cadman exclaimed, her shock at having Kate admit to what she'd been trying to get her to admit to for the better part of the past three months having warn off. "Do you not see the expression on his face in that picture you're holding! Or how about the way he looked at you when he first saw you in that dress, or right after you kissed him thank-you for the second time? What about -"

Kate's head snapped up. "Wait, you saw that?" she asked, her eyes wide. If they'd seen her kiss Todd, then who else had -

Cadman waved her hand around in the air adamantly. "Yes, yes I saw. Me, Lorne, Teyla, Jennifer, Ronon and Woolsey all saw and let me tell you -"

"_Woolsey _saw!" Kate nearly fell of the end of the bed. "What did he -"

"Mr. Woolsey shares our opinions on the matter of yourself and Todd," Teyla input, absentmindedly handing her son a toy that he was straining to reach. "He, for all that we may choose to believe he is oblivious, is not and was able to interpret the ways in which Todd looked at you that night as well as the rest of us."

Kate was unconvinced and the incredulous way in which she looked back at Teyla proved it. Todd couldn't love her. If he did, then surely he would have done something about it by now. The wraith wasn't the type of person to deny himself something that he wanted especially if he wanted her that much. He just wouldn't. "But," she protested, "he can't. He said that all we could be was friends. What does it matter if he looks at me a little wonky -"

"Kate," Jennifer said gently, scooting over to the bedside and laying a hand on her friend's knee, stopping her rant of self denial. "Todd looks at you the same way that Rodney looks at me. In this picture," she turned the frame to the side so that Kate was forced to look directly at it, "…that expression on his face, it's the same one that Rodney wore on our wedding day. Todd loves you, no matter what he's said or if he denies it, he does."

Kate felt like her head was spinning. It couldn't be true, he couldn't care about her that much and still not do anything. She knew her friends were only trying to help but they weren't. They were feeding her false hope and Kate just couldn't deal with that right now. Not when she had only just admitted to herself that she'd given her heart away to a alien that was older than most cultures and who had come into being after his ancestors had been bitten and mutated by blood-sucking bugs. It was all just too much for her to process at the moment.

Lorne seemed to be able to sense that Kate's brain was about to overload and so, decided to actually say what he'd come here to say. "Hey Kate," he called and she looked up, "Your brother and McKay, the other McKay, are going exploring down in the lower levels of the city. I actually came here to ask if you'd like to come along."

Kate sighed with relief, glad to have Lorne for a friend as he seemed to always know when she'd reached her limit on certain things. "Sure," she said, uncrossing her legs and standing. "Just let me go put my picture up and I'll -"

"You go on ahead," Jennifer interrupted her. "I'll make sure your picture gets put safely in your room."

"Next to your bed so you can see it first thing in the morning when you wake up," Cadman added with a smirk.

Kate scowled and turned to Lorne. "Shall we?"

Lorne bowed mockingly and held out his arm, playfully gesturing for her to lead the way. The girls giggled and Kate stalked past him, her head held high in a good impression of one of those high society types. Lorne had to remind himself, as he followed her through the Atlantis hallways, that she technically was. For some reason, it just didn't click for him that both Kate and the colonel were bluebloods even though he knew they were.

"Hey Colonel!" Lorne called as he and Kate met up with his commanding officer and the neurotic McKay. "I got her to come! What do I get?"

Kate rounded on him. "You _got_ me to come?" she asked him, glaring at him teasingly before turning on her brother. "So I'm no more than the pawn in some greater plot?"

John smirked and nodded enthusiastically. "Yep, a plot to have you with us as we explore the great unknown that is the lowest, unmapped levels of the city," He swept his arms out wide and gestured grandly at the hallway they were in.

Kate shook her head at her brother's antics. "You're an idiot," she told him, chuckling.

John smiled at her. "Yes, but you love me for it," he grabbed her hand and started to lead her down a less then well lit corridor. "Come along, baby sis. Rodney brought sandwiches."

Kate giggled. "Oh, sandwiches; the true mark of any great adventure."

Following along behind the siblings, Lorne couldn't help but laugh. The two Sheppards almost always made things entertaining.

~xXx~

"Just a little longer Rodney."

"But we haven't found anything!"

"We haven't been looking long!"

"We've been looking for three hours and all of our sandwiches are gone!"

"Well, if you hadn't eaten them all in the first thirty minutes, we'd still have some now wouldn't we?"

"Watch it Sheppard, you know I have to eat every couple of hours -"

"Funny how when you're working on something really important you can survive on nothing but coffee for days and your hypoglycemia just magically vanishes."

"That is so not true Sheppard, I'll have you know…"

"Quality entertainment this is, isn't it?" Lorne asked Kate quietly as both majors trailed along behind the arguing McKay and Sheppard.

Kate smirked and nodded. "Oh yeah," she nodded towards her brother and Rodney who had come to a stop in a dead-end. "Makes the time just fly by. I've seen them argue without actually arguing about anything for like four hours once."

Lorne looked impressed. "Four hours? Really," he grinned. "The longest I've seen them go is three."

By this time, Kate and Lorne had come to a stop not three feet away from both Rodney and John and, at Lorne's last comment, the scientist's attention turned from the colonel onto the newly arrived major. "What's that?" he asked, rounding on Lorne. "What did you say about me?"

Behind him, John crossed his arms, leaned against the wall and shook his head.

Lorne shrugged. "Nothing bad," he said casually. "We we just talking about how you and the colonel have turned arguing into a marathon sport."

Rodney puffed up. "We have not!" he exclaimed. "We only…whoa…"

John got up off the wall and peered over Rodney's shoulder at the Canadian's handheld data pad. It had beeped and now the physicist was engrossed in whatever the mini-machine was telling him. "What's up?"

Rodney stepped away from the hovering colonel and took several steps down the corridor, watching his readings, before heading back. He stopped at the wall and looked up at it, then back down to his pad. Curious, he turned around and started to look around him at the other walls that joined with the dead-end one.

John, Lorne and Kate watched him.

"Found something have you?" John asked, amused, watching as Rodney randomly held up his data pad to various wall fixtures and other innocuous items such as the individual tiles on the floor. "And you wanted to go back."

"Shut up Sheppard, I'm looking for something," Rodney called out. He just needed a few more reading and, yes! "This wall is a destabilizing/stabilizing wall," he exclaimed pointing to the wall that formed the dead end.

Lorne frowned. "Like the one that hid Janus' lab?"

Rodney nodded. "Yeah, like that," he looked around the space they were standing in and then walked over to a group of tiles that had been set into the wall in a diamond pattern. "I think these open make the wall destabilize. We've just got to touch them in the right order."

John harrumphed. "Good luck with that," he said. "There are - "

"Twenty-four possible combinations, yes, thank you mister math wizard," Rodney snapped at the military man, irritated at the subtle reminder that the military leader of Atlantis wasn't as dumb as he looked.

John looked smug. "Well," he said, "Just let me know if you need any help."

"I don't, not from you," Rodney bit out scathingly as he started to try and work out which combination of the four tiles was needed to destabilize the wall.

Lorne walked over to the diamond shape and peered at it. "Why don't we just try out different orders until one of them works?" he asked.

Rodney snorted. "See, that right there is why I am the genius and you are n -"

Ignoring Rodney, Lorne reached out and touched his pointer finger to each of the tiles in a clockwise motion. The colonel, who had been leaning against the wall, yelped and fell though it landing on the other side with a thud.

"Ow."

Lorne turned and looked smugly at the baffled looking Dr. Rodney McKay. "You were saying?" he said. "About you being the genius and me being just some dumb ol' -"

"Oh, shut up," Rodney cut him off and then turned and touched the wall. It was solid again. "Do it again," he instructed Lorne and, after the major had done it, he strode confidently through the no longer solid barrier. Unfortunately for him, he tripped over Sheppard who was apparently still on the floor and ended up on top of him in a matter of seconds.

The lights came on around them as Rodney started to push himself up. "What are you doing still on the floor?" he demanded, glaring down at Sheppard who looked back up at him innocently.

"Oh, I don't know Rodney," John ground out patronizingly. "My ass if a bit sore right now so I thought I'd sit here until the feeling returned to it if that's alright with you."

The scientist scoffed and got up, looking around. It looked like they were in somebody's attic. Everywhere there were piles and piles of old, dusty looking stuff that looked completely mundane and uninteresting.

"So," Kate said, coming through the wall after Rodney with Lorne by her side. "For all of that, we find Atlantis' junk closet."

Lorne frowned, looking around. "Yes, looks that way," he quirked an eyebrow. "If all of this is trash then why was it all put in a secret room?"

John, who accepted his sister's hand to help him off the floor, shrugged. "Maybe it's not all junk," he suggested, turning around and picking something up at random and studying it. "What does this look like to you?" he asked, holding the object aloft.

Kate squinted. "It looks sorta like a ZPM but smaller," an idea occurred to her. "Hey, what if all of this stuff is failed experiments?"

Lorne like that idea, putting all of the stuff that didn't work into a room and then hiding the room sounded like something that the Ancients would do. "Could be," he said, turning to look around for Rodney. "What do you think McKay?"

"What?" Rodney asked before he went back to scanning the mishmash of collected items with his scanner. "Oh, yes, yes, probably," his data pad beeped and he waved everyone over. "Hey guys come look at this thing."

Everyone one gathered around. "It's a mirror," Lorne said dryly.

John shook his head. "Naw, I don't think so," he stepped in front of it. "See," he said, "It's reflecting the room around me but not me."

Kate stepped up besides her brother. "Then what is it?" she asked, eyeing it.

Lorne reached out to touch it. "Let's find out."

Rodney slapped his hand away. "What are you doing!" he yelped. "Don't touch it! Things always go wrong when you military people touch things."

Lorne glared at him. "Us military people?" he shot daggers at the man who was now poking around the wall into which the mirror that wasn't a mirror was set. "Could you get any more condescending?"

"Probably," Rodney answered nonchalantly before coming around to the front of the apparatus and reaching out a hand.

"I thought you said not to touch it?" John asked darkly, as unamused by the physicist's last comment as both his sister and Lorne were.

Rodney sniffed. "I said you three shouldn't touch it. I, however, know what I'm doing. Nothing could possibly go wro-"

As soon as his fingers touched the surface of what looked like glass, the whole room shook violently and then, suddenly, the lights went out and the four of them were plunged into absolute darkness.

"Rodney," John began dangerously, little white lights still flashing in front of his eyes. "What does the handbook say about uttering the phrase _'nothing could possibly go wrong'_ in this galaxy?"

Rodney faltered. "Not to."

John growled. "That's right now, fix whatever the hell you just did or so help me -"

The lights came back on and Rodney flinched as the first thing Lorne did was take a swing at him. "It's not my fault!" he wailed, ducking.

Lorne glared at him.

"Okay," Kate said loudly, cutting though the tension. "I think we'll all had enough of exploring for one day. Let's just go, we can come back and study all of this shit later."

John agreed with his sister. "sounds good, move out."

Rodney started to protest. "But -" the look that the three military persons gave him shut him up and the scientist followed disgustedly after the three of them who all walked though the wall first. Once on the other side, for the second time that day, he nearly tripped over Sheppard. "What now?" he asked, stepping around the two marines and the Air force colonel to see what they were all staring at only to feel his own mouth drop open. "What the…"

When they had gone into the secret room, the hallway outside of it had been tiled in the same greenish-grey marble type stone as the rest of Atlantis. Now, the corridor they were standing it was dimly lit in hues of purple and orange, there was mist covering the floor and if not for the fact that his data pad was telling him that they were still in Atlantis, Rodney would have thought they'd just walked through a wall onto a hive.

"What the hell is going on here?" John muttered, taking a few steps down the corridor and then turning around in a full circle. "Where they hell are we?"

Rodney gulped. "This," he said, holding up his data pad, "this says we're still in the city."

Lorne shook his head. "We can't still be in Atlantis," he said, saying what they were all thinking. "It looks like we're on a damned hive."

Kate had to agree with him. "Let's just go back to the control room," she suggested. "WE can figure it all out there."

The boys nodded and started walking. They were three levels up when they rounded a corner and almost ran smack dab into a patrol of wraith drones. Instinctively, they all ducked into a nearby supply closet.

John glared at Rodney. "What did you do?" he snarled, confused and completely disorientated.

Rodney defended himself. "I didn't do anything!" he yelped. "I just touched it!"

"Sometimes that's all it takes," Kate reminded him. "Remember what happened when john touched that energy crystal?"

Rodney looked at her. "You weren't here for that," he said. "You can't use that as a -"

"No," she agreed, "But I read the report. Now all we have to do is figure out what the hell happened to us and then we can -"

"I think I might have an idea about that," Lorne said and they all looked at him. He was standing in front of a window and looking down. The three of them went to join him, their eyes widening at what they saw.

They were still in Atlantis alright, but it was a very different Atlantis then the one they had all woken up in this morning. From their window, they could see both the east and south piers and, much to all of their horrors, there was a hive parked on both of them. "I think," Lorne continued, picking up from where he left off, "That that mirror was an alternate reality mirror, like the one Dr. Jackson found back during the SGC's first year of operations," he turned from the bizarre sight and looked around at his friends. "I think, we're in an alternate reality."

Light bulbs went off in all of their heads and John made a face. "Wonderful!" he exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "Just great. We travel to another reality and end up in an Atlantis that's been taken over by the wraith. Isn't this all just swell?"

Kate tried not to panic like it looked like her brother was doing. "Maybe we should all get the hell out of dodge, head for the mainland, regroup and then come back later."

Lorne liked that idea. "Yes," he said, "Let's do that. We're only three levels away from the nearest jumper bay."

John sighed. "Alright, let's go," he said and they started off. It took then a half hour to make it to the bay unnoticed but after that, stealing a jumper and sneaking out of the city was easy. Clocking the ship and setting a course for the mainland, the four of them sat in silence and contemplated what on Earth they were going to do and how in God's name they were going to get home.

None of them had a clue.

~xXx~

In the control room of the control tower of Atlantis, a wraith stood over the ancient Lantean terminals meticulously checking the systems of the city for anything unusual. The lights had flickered off and then on again several minutes ago and, as of yet, the wraith had been unable to determine why. Scanning through the recorded data recovered from the brief power outage, the elder wraith's eyes alighted on a corridor in the lower west portion of the city where the power fluctuation seemed to have originated from.

"Second," the wraith called out and, almost instantly, a sub-commander stood patiently by his side awaiting his orders obediently.

"Yes Eldest?"

The wraith commander turned form the terminal and looked over his subordinate. "Go," he instructed. "Take a team of scientists to this location and discover for me what happened to make the city's electrical system falter.

The sub-commander bowed respectfully to the Eldest one and left to do as he was bid.

Returning to the data terminal, the eldest and greatest of wraith continued to probe the city's systems.

~xXx~

"I still think we should've stayed in Atlantis," Rodney complained for the tenth time or so since they'd landed the jumper on the mainland, opened the back hatch and started pacing back and forth in the clearing they'd parked in, in order to think. "We should've just turned around and gone straight back through the mirror and -"

"Yes, Rodney," John called out, annoyed and tired of listening to the man whine. "We know. You think we should've stayed and, in hind sight, you're probably right but we're here now so please shut the fuck up and think."

The physicist crossed his arms and sulked, angrily walking away from the others to go sit by himself on a rock.

John turned back to the group and sighed. "So," he started, "Other than Rodney's twenty-twenty hindsight, anyone else got any ideas?"

Kate nodded. "Yep."

Her brother peered at her. "What?"

Kate leaned around John's legs and pointed towards the trees. "We could ask them what the hell is going on."

John and Lorne froze and whipped around coming face to face with, well, themselves. "Oh, this is original," John muttered to himself under his breath.

"I'll say," the alternate John Sheppard, who apparently only had one eye, retorted as he and two other men John didn't recognize walked out of the tree line towards them. The group stopped several feet away. "So," the one eyed Sheppard said, looking around at them all. "Are you clones, replicators or what?"

Kate snorted. "Actually, we're neither."

The man to the left of the one eyed John squinted at her. "Who are you?" he grunted, looking her up and down.

Kate smirked and held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Major Kate Sheppard, keep looking at me like that and I'll shove my fist up your ass."

The man huffed. "I doubt a little girly like you could -"

"Wait, hold the phone," the eye patch wearing colonel interrupted his man and turned to look at the woman, staring at her in both surprise and confusion, not quite sure he was seeing things right. "Katie Beth?"

Kate crossed her arms. "Hello to you too, big brother," she muttered darkly.

He stared at her, blinking several times rapidly before looking her up and down. "You're military," he said at last.

Kate nodded. "Yeah," she drawled, confused. "Why? What am I here?"

The man on the other side of the one eyed Sheppard, the one that hadn't said anything yet, frowned. "Here?" he questioned.

Lorne sighed. "We're from an alternate reality," he explained, gesturing around at himself, Kate, the colonel and Rodney who had come back over to them as soon as their visitors had stepped through the trees. "This idiot over here touched some sort of mirror thing that we found in a hidden room down in Atlantis' lower levels and then suddenly, poof, we end up in this wacky version of the universe."

Rodney but in. "Yeah, no kidding," he exclaimed. "The wraith are in charge of Atlantis. How'd that happen?"

The one eyed John winced. "It's a long story and, for the record, there's only one wraith is in charge of Atlantis and he's a sneaky son of a bitch who really can't be grouped in with all the other wraith."

"Yeah," the first man to have spoken said, scowling. "He's meaner."

John had a very bad feeling about where this was going. "Let me guess," he said, hoping to high heaven that he'd be corrected as soon as he spoke. "Todd."

One eyed John nodded. "Yeah, Todd."

Kate let out a snort of disbelief. "But he wouldn't -"

"Trust me girly," the first man said again. "There ain't nothing that creature wouldn't do. Right bastard he is."

Lorne stepped forwards and put his hands on Kate's shoulders. "You'll have to forgive her," he said. "She's actually friends with our version of the wraith."

One eyed John snorted. "Friends with Todd the wraith are you serious?" he looked over at the other him. "She's kidding right?"

John shook his head. "No, she's not and she is. Our Todd's saved her life about twice now, even brought her back from the dead once."

Lorne snickered, "Yeah," he said. "And you hugged him for it."

Kate burst out laughing just as her brother turned beet red. "You hugged Todd?" she chortled. "Why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?"

John glared at his second in command. "It's not something I usually want to talk about."

Lorne shrugged and eyed the colonel. "If he'd have killed Travers would you have kissed him?"

John opened his mouth, closed it and then shrugged. "Eh, maybe."

Kate shook her head.

The alternates all eyed one another. "Let me get this straight," the eye patch wearing Sheppard said, gesturing between the group of them. "In your reality, your Todd is your friend and he brought her back to life, you hugged him for it and what does this have to do with Travers?"

Lorne sighed. "Dr. Todd Travers got Kate killed and our Todd slaughtered a whole bunch of Genii so that he could bring her back," he looked at the still confused looking version of Sheppard. "So, anyways, how come your version of Todd is such an asshole?"

The diminished Colonel Sheppard sighed. "It's a long story," he looked back at them. "I suppose, that you all will be wanting to go back to the city so that you can all go home?" They nodded. "Well," he started. "I wouldn't recommend it because if Todd catches you he'll kill you but if you feel you really must, we'll help you sneak back in tomorrow. For now, you can come back to base camp with us and rest a bit, eat something and then sleep."

At the mention of food, Rodney's ears perked up. "Sounds good t me," he said.

The alternate John shook his head. "Same ol' Rodney," he grinned and slapped the physics on the back. "God I miss you."

Rodney paled. "Why?" he asked, "What happened to me?"

"Todd ate you," the larger of the two men that had showed up along with the alternate Sheppard said.

The Canadian shivered and gulped. "Um, well" he stammered, "T-that's -"

"Just don't think about it," Lorne interrupted him, falling into step with the others as they headed through the trees towards the east. "Now," he said. "Tell us how they hell your Todd ended up in control of Atlantis."

The alternate John sighed and begun his story.

~xXx~

John, who ironically thanks to Todd knew more about the wraith then most humans did, felt absolutely no sympathy for the people in this reality at all for the mess they'd managed to get themselves into. Last night he and his team had gone back to the alternate's base camp with them, eaten with them and been regaled with the story of how their Todd had come to be in the position of power over them that he was in now. John didn't feel sorry for them at all and neither did Lorne, Kate or Rodney but, of course, the four of them had kept this to themselves. Now, however, he wished that they had said something because then, the situation they were all currently in wouldn't be so very bad.

At least they'd all feel better.

At present, the four people who belonged to a reality other than this one were locked in a cell down in the brig of Atlantis and they were there, because Todd the alternate wraith had been lied to so many times by this reality's versions of themselves that he hadn't believed them when he'd caught them trying to get back into the secret room and they'd told him they were from an alternate reality. For this reason and this reason alone, John wanted to strangle the other version of himself most violently. The whole lot of this reality's Atlantians were complete and total idiots.

"Well," Lorne sighed. "What now?" he looked around. "any ideas?"

Rodney shook his head. "Nope," he said forlornly, "Fresh out."

Kate let out an angry hiss. "How could these people be so stupid?" she asked out loud. "They had to know he was a security risk, why'd they take him back to the city?"

"Why didn't they let him go is what I want to know," Lorne scowled darkly, thinking back on the story he'd been told the night before. Apparently in this reality, when Sheppard had been rescued after him and Todd had escaped from Koyla and Todd had given him his life back, the moron colonel had stunned him and had him taken back to Atlantis. The IOA had seen him as a valuable resource and decided to keep him. Todd had gotten tired of being locked up and starved after about a year and had broken out after stealing a whole bunch of information from Atlantis' computers and come back about a month later seeking vengeance which they, Lorne, Kate, Rodney and the colonel, didn't blame him for. In fact, they all felt sorry for him and felt pissed at the stupid versions of themselves who should've just let him go like they themselves had done in their reality.

Then, none of this would've happened and that included them being locked up in this God forsaken cell.

"So what now?" John asked hollowly, sitting down and dropping his head into his hands as he scrubbed his face. "This reality's Todd isn't going to listen to us, he's been lied to too many times. How do we convince him that we're telling him the truth?"

Kate had an idea. "I might be able to convince him," she told them all. "But, I'd have to speak to him alone in order to do it."

John jumped up. "Hell no!" he looked at her. "What've you got to say to him that you can't say with us around?"

Kate sighed. "John," she looked at her brother. "I know things about Todd that only he could've told me and that I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want you to know. Please, just let me do this. If I give him something he can use and it's big enough then we can use it to barter for our freedom with."

John scowled. "What if he won't talk to you?"

Kate shrugged. "Oh," she said. "I think I can get a sub-commander to take me to him. I've just got to say the right thing."

John shook his head slowly. "When we get back to our reality, remind me to put a time limit on how much time you spend with our Todd."

Kate snorted. "I'd like to see you try," she stood and walked to the bars of the cell, calling out to a drone, "I wish to speak to somebody."

Rodney scoffed. "Oh yeah," he said, "Like that'll -"

The drone turned and left the room returning moments later with a sub-commander. Rodney stared. "How'd you do that?"

John was curious about how she'd done that too but at the moment, couldn't be bothered to care. There were bigger fish to fry at this particular moment in time then how his sister had managed to get a wraith drone to listen to her. She, somehow had to get an alternate version of Todd the stubborn ass wraith to listen to her and believe her when she told him that they were from an alternate reality. John focused all his attention on that as the sub-commander walked up t their cell and peered in at them.

"You have something to say, female?" he questioned.

Kate nodded. "Yes," she said, holding her head high. "I'd like to speak to the Eldest please."

The wraith's eyes widened. "How do you know that that is his name?" he demanded.

Behind her, John, Lorne and Rodney all silently cheered.

Kate smirked. "I just do, now," she leveled her gaze with that of the wraith's. "Take me to him. What I have to say I will say to him and to him alone."

The young wraith hissed and considered what to do before he complied with her request and removed her from the cell with the others. Gripping her upper arm tightly, he escorted her up through the formerly Lantean city and to the lab that the city's commander had commandeered and made into his own. It had once belonged to the human Dr. Rodney McKay. Reaching it, the wraith entered quietly and waited for his superior to notice his presence, bowing low when the elder wraith did and turned to him.

"Commander."

The wraith known as Todd, quirked a brow ridge and looked up from his calculations, his eyes narrowing as they befell on the female human that his sub-commander had brought to him. "What do you here with her?" he demanded.

The wraith straightened from his bow and thrust the female forwards so that she stumbled slightly but did not fall. "This one has asked to speak to you," he informed the elder. "She requested you by name."

Todd found himself curious. "Oh?" he questioned. "And by what name did she refer to me by?"

The young wraith opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by the female.

"I called you the Eldest," she told the other Todd who, in all things, looked exactly like her version of him. "I thought it more appropriate to call you that then Todd."

The wraith hissed and dismissed his subordinate, intrigued by this one. "That would be correct," he said to her, standing and coming out from behind the workstation at which he toiled. "But I wonder, how is it that you know to call me this? I do not believe that I ever informed the humans of Atlantis or any humans for that matter, of my status amongst the wraith."

Kate held his gaze steadily and refused to look away asn he came nearer to her and then began to circle her. "I'm not from this reality," she explained evenly. "Nor are my friends. In our reality you and we are friends and so, naturally, we know a bit about you."

The wraith chuckled. "Ah, yes," he stopped in front of her and looked down on her. "You would have me believe this lie of yours but to what end? What good does it serve you to be so untruthful?"

Kate titled her head back and regarded him. "I can prove it," she said defiantly.

Todd lifted a brow ridge. "Can you?" he asked, intrigued by her defiance if nothing else. This one had fire, it would be interesting to see what she came up with to offer him. "Very well," he stepped back and folded his arms behind his back as he took to studying her. "What insider knowledge do you have that could possibly have me believe your story?"

Kate smirked. "Been to Vallan recently?"

The wraith had not expected that and, in testament to his disbelief, felt his mouth drop open in shock. "How do you know of -"

"Vallan was the great of the five cities, yes?" Kate continued, knowing that she now had his utmost attention. "Your were it's high commander, your motem it's high queen. My version of you has told me a great deal about the city in which he was born."

Todd blinked. "You have my attention, human," he said breathily. "Now, what do you plan to do with it?"

Kate looked at him squarely. "I have information about my reality that could be of advantage to you here in yours. I'll give it to you in exchange for me and my friend's freedoms."

The wraith considered this. "The information you would give me must be valuable or else you will win nothing," he informed her. "I will not release Sheppard, in any form if you are truly from another reality as you say, for anything less then something that would greatly improve my advantage."

Kate, who had known what she would give him since she'd first gotten her idea down in the cell, reached for a dry-erase marker that had rolled under a desk and been left there to gather dust probably when the wraith in front of her had first taken over the city, and walked over to the white board. "I can tell you," she said, beginning to draw, "The location of the wraith who bares this marking," she stood back and let him see what she had drawn.

Todd stared. The rendering was remarkably accurate to the tattoos that had been drawn on Romulus' face many a millennia before. The female was promising to give him the location of a wraith that he himself had been searching for since the end of the Lantean/Wraith war. "You will give me the gate address to the world he is on?" he questioned, anticipation pulling on him to once more see his greatest and truest companion and ally. He had missed him.

Kate shook her head. ;'There's not a gat on the planet he's on but I will give it's coordinates in space."

Toss nodded. "That will do," he said and then, after looking around for something on which she could write, held out a pad and a writing implement to her. "Here"

Kate took the offered items and wrote down as much information as she could about the prison planet's location. When she was done, she straightened and handed it to him.

Todd looked down on the set of coordinates he had been given and growled low in pleasure. "If what you say is true, and the wraith whose markings you have drawn for me is there, then we will discuss your release."

With that, he turned to go.

Kate called after him. "Wait, there's something you don't…I have to tell you something about the planet! Wait! WAIT!"

He ignored her and swept out of the lab she suddenly recognized as having formally belonged to Rodney. Growling in frustration, she turned about the room several times angrily before sinking into a chair and fuming. He hadn't given her a chance to tell him about the satellite. She could already tell that this was not going to end pretty and that he was most likely going to lose the first ship he sent down to the planet to check things out. If only he'd have listened to her…

Kate sighed and stood up, walking towards the entrance to the laboratory with the intention of asking to be escorted back to the cell only to run almost face first into another sub-commander. She gasped in startlement and looked up at him as he, in turn, looked down on her. "Yes?" inquired. "Is there something you want?"

The wraith sneered at her. "The Commander has instructed me to have you taken to his quarters rather then back to the cell with the other humans."

Kate frowned. "Why his quarters?" she asked, slightly weary.

The subordinate wraith leered. "It is not my place to question the orders of my Commander nor is it yours. Come," he said, grabbing her by the arm and hauling her after him. "This way."

Kate sighed and let herself be dragged through the corridors and hallways of Atlantis until they got to what was Woolsey's room in her reality. Opening the door, the wraith had obviously found a work around so that they could use Ancient technology, the wraith holding her shoved her inside and then locked the door.

Stumbling forwards, Kate managed not to fall over herself and stayed standing as she heard the door hiss shut behind her. Looking around, she noted that in this reality as well, Todd was a messy creature. Breathing in heavily, she explored a bit before finally wandering over to a window and sitting down on the window seat. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms about them and began to stare off into space while she waited for the alternate Todd to get back to her after checking out her story.

~xXx~

Todd was in his lab, back to work once more on his calculations and experimentations, when a sub-commander entered and walked over to him, stopping a few feet away and waiting patiently for Todd to look up from what he was doing. Closing out the set of data transference simulations he was running, the elder wraith turned from his computer terminal and looked expectantly at the awaiting wraith. "Report," he ordered the subordinate who, as soon as he knew he had his commander's attention, had bowed respectfully before he proceeded to speak.

"We have," the sub-commander paused, trying to gage his commander's mood; the Eldest's temper and reactions to failures were legendary, "Run into a complication."

Todd frowned. "Of what do you speak?"

The lesser wraith continued. "We have arrived at the coordinates provided for us by the female prisoner. We were able to determine after performing a scan of the planet's surface that there is indeed a large population of wraith as well as humans on the largest of the continents."

Todd quirked a brow ridge. "And the complication?"

"There is a Lantean satellite in orbit around the planet that does not allow any craft to leave it's atmosphere and, indeed, disables any vehicle that approaches. We know this because the first transport that was dispatched for extraction had a total failure of all systems as it neared the satellite. It crashed."

Todd growled. "And the crew?"

The sub-commander shook his head minutely and bowed, visibly bracing himself for his commander's anger over such a loss.

Todd did not, however, take out his anger on the wraith whose unfortunate duty it had been to come and deliver the report him but, rather, stood and swept past him turning his steps towards his quarters. Upon reaching them, he opened the door with a flourish of his hand and, entering, he sought out the female human. He found her, sitting in a chair, her eyes glazed over as she gazed out of one of his windows to the surrounding ocean. "You!" he screeched, striding towards her and grabbing her by the arm as soon as he'd reached her. "You tricked me!"

Kate hissed in pain as the alternate version of Todd grabbed her by the arm and tightened his hold on her so much that she feared her arm would break under the force of his hand. He was angry, very, very angry but over what, she had no idea. "What are you talking about?" she demanded of him, pushing against him in an attempt to get him to let go of her.

He did only, instead of releasing her nicely, he threw her across the room. Kate collapsed to the floor on her back and got up, lifted herself into a sitting position and glared upwards at the irrationally infuriated wraith hovering over her. "What the hell is wrong with you!" she screamed at him.

Todd growled at her and clenched his fists at his sides. "The planet you told me of, the prison. You did not tell me of its defenses."

Comprehension dawned. "Oh," she said, lifting herself up and crossing her arms as she glared back at him. "You mean the satellite."

He hissed. "You know of it. You did not tell me of its existence. An entire crew of mine is now lost because you did not -"

"I distinctly remember yelling after you to wait after I told you about your imprisoned wraith friend!" Kate countered, interrupting him. "You ignored me and locked me up in here. How the hell was I supposed to warn you if you wouldn't even listen to me!"

Todd felt some of his anger and the betrayal he'd felt at her deceit fade away. "You meant to inform me?" he questioned, not entirely believing her although, now, her screams at him to wait did make considerably more sense.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Yes I meant to 'inform you'," Kate snapped at him. "I've got no reason to lie to you by omission or otherwise as being untruthful will certainly not make you willing to let me and my friends go. It would really be like shooting myself in the foot to be anything less than one-hundred percent honest with you."

Her logic was sound and that disturbed him. Her thought process was very wraith-like and the possibility that she and he thought on the same level was an uncomfortable one. Humans were lesser beings, incapable of true logic or reason. That she could conceive of an idea that should have been beyond her was greatly troublesome.

In general, the female standing in front of him was very troublesome but in more ways than simply her ability to think on a greater level.

For example, she was not afraid of him. She stood there, after having had him throw her across a room, glaring at him in such a way that her expression reminded him of many a wraith queen. Her temper seemed to be even with his own and the fury in her eyes at having been treated as she had only served to increase his interest in her. He should not find her interesting at all at least, not past what he could gain for him in terms of advantages and power. The fact that, even as she stood shaking in venerable rage before him, he found his eyes wandering to her body, his gaze lingering at the swell of her chest and the curve of her waist and hip was not something that the wraith should be experiencing at all. She was human and he had never taken any sexual interest in a human before her so why now, did her presence make his thoughts wander?

The now no longer angered wraith contributed her allure to the fact that she was new to him. Perhaps, once she had been around him and in his presence for more than a day, her appeal would lessen; he simply had to acclimate himself to her.

Todd decided to test this theory.

"Come," he ordered her, reaching out to grab her when she did not immediately make to move. Her stubbornness was doing the exact opposite as the same quality did in other humans he had encountered and rather than irritate him, he found that in her stubbornness proved to be an attractive quality which along drew her to her more.

Todd growled softly, annoyed at himself for the line in which his thoughts were currently taking.

Kate mirrored the sound the alternate wraith had just made and jerked a little against the hold he had on her. "You could've just asked for me to come with you," she scolded him. "You don't have to drag me to wherever it is you're taking me."

The wraith looked down on her. "What reason would I have to be courteous to you?" he demanded. "You are human, I am wraith. You do as I say."

Kate scowled and stopped walking, crossing her arms and plastering a look of supreme annoyance on her face when the alternate Todd stopped walking and turned around to look at her.

His eyes narrowed. "Why have you stopped moving?" he pulled on her arm but she did not begin to walk again. He snarled. "Move, human!"

Kate glared at him. "Make me."

Todd growled loudly and released her, turning around in a circle twice while willing himself not to simply kill her and be done with it. He could retrieve no useful information out of her if she were no longer living. "You will do as I command!" he yelled at her, bearing down on her threateningly.

Kate didn't so much as blink. "I'm not a worshipper that you can blindly order about!" she yelled back, the venom in her voice matching the equal malice in his. "I will NOT be commanded no more then will you!"

The wraith blinked at her, surprised that she would call forth his own abhorrence to the thought of being ruled forwards as a defense. He questioned how she would even know of it. Sheppard had seen him act the part of sub-ordinate to a queen and even if it had been a farce, the human had no way of knowing that and so too, no way of knowing that he was not as obedient as any other wraith male. "How do you mean?" he queried. "I have served many a queen and always -"

"Oh don't even," Kate interrupted him, her anger making her forgo her own caution at revealing too much of what she knew about Valloran. "You've never let anyone order you to do anything that you didn't want to unless you were playing some game in which pretending to be obedient was in your best interest. You didn't even listen to your motem and she was the high queen of Vallan!"

Todd froze, his eyes widening until they were almost pained. How could she possibly know the name of his place of birth or that his motem was high queen? How did she even know which terms to use or that the wraith word for mother was motem? "How do you know of this?" asked, his anger gone, replaced by shock and incredulousness.

Kate realized her mistake as soon as she saw the expression on his face change but, she knew that it was too late to back out of it now. "You told me," she answered him before amending. "Well, my you told me."

The wraith did not look convinced, instead he looked angry once more. "I doubt, human, that any incarnation of me would reveal such intimate information to one such as you."

Before she could counter him with some smart-aleck retort, Kate felt herself get grabbed again and dragged down the hallway. She protested of course but to no avail and soon found herself standing next to one of the swimming pools in the lower levels of the city. She looked down at the water noting that not only was it green but it was steaming; obviously the wraith had made the swimming pool into a kind of public bath.

Todd hissed and released her, backing away from the large pool of water. The female looked at him in question and he nodded towards the bath. "Bathe."

Kate's eyes narrowed. "Are you going to stand there and watch?" she asked him.

The wraith rolled his left shoulder and crossed his arms, eyeing her pointedly. "You cannot be left alone to your own devices so, yes, I will remain here," he chocked his head to one side and considered giving her an alternative. He was fairly certain that she knew about the compatibility between his species and hers and, so, he knew that if the alternative he gave her was unappetizing and discomforting enough to think of, she would comply to his terms and he would then be able to accurately test his hypothesis without hindrance.

Kate was in the process of opening her mouth to say that no, he couldn't just sit there and watch when the infuriating wraith continued speaking.

"Unless, of course," he said, grinning at her predatorily, the glint in his eyes full of a malice that sent shivers down Kate's spine, "You would rather me summon one or more of my sub-commanders. I can assure you that they would not mind the…" he looked her up and down, allowing suggestion to weight heavily in his tone, "…task of watching you."

Anger flushed through Kate who felt her skin grow hot in reaction to such a suggestion. The alternate Todd was deliberately trying to unnerve her and that pissed her off. Glaring hatefully at him, Kate defiantly lifted her left foot and began to undo the laces of her boot. Yanking her shoe off and tossing it aside, she started on the other one, all while keeping her eyes glued to the smirking wraith how just stood there and watched. Angrily, she pulled her belt off and jerked her standard issue black tank top over her head.

When this exercise had begun, Todd's main objective had been to prove to himself that the only interest he had in the female currently disrobing in front of him was in what could be extracted from her mind and used to his advantage. The observations he had made of her in his bedroom were obviously the products of simple inquisitiveness born out of him for no other reason than she was still new to him and therefore a curiosity; nothing more. Or at least, that had been his theory. Now, watching as she removed each and every single article of her clothing with a jerk of anger and utmost defiance, Todd the very stupid wraith realized that his premise for this experiment was flawed.

His theory, was dead wrong.

As more and more of her body become visible to him, Todd experienced the painful reality that was his miscalculation. The female was, simply put, perfect. Not a single inch of her was soft or supple and yet her figure still curved and swelled in all the correct places giving her an aura of dangerous femininity very similar to the sexuality of a female wraith. Her skin was flawless and was stretched tight over sinuous muscles that covered every part of her, her shoulders were broad and strong, her waist trim and her breasts high, firm and not overly proportioned. The wraith could easily see the whole of it fitting neatly into one of his hands and filling it, Todd felt his hands itch to touch her and swallowed hard as extra saliva accumulated inside of his mouth.

Her hands traveled lower, reaching for the buckle of her belt and the transfixed wraith felt his head dip and his eyes follow her movement. Hungrily he watched as the rest of her became exposed to him, her hips, her thighs and her legs all slender all toned and all smooth, devoid of body hair just as would be a female wraith. Even her sex was bare; Todd bit down on his tongue in order to keep from advancing on her, grabbing her and pinning her to the nearest wall.

It was a difficult task to complete.

Stepping out of her BDU pants and kicking them to the side, Kate haughtily and unashamedly stood before her captor stark naked, her head held high, her back rigid and her hands clenched into fists at her side. She refused to show him any embarrassment, she would _not_ give him that satisfaction and, so, after maybe a minute had gone by, she turned, sat down on the edge of the pool and slipped smoothly into the green tinted mineral water without making a splash. The hot water hit her skin and stung it painfully, it might have been better if she'd gotten in more slowly and given her body time to acclimate but, that would have been seen as a weakness by the Todd that watched her and Kate would not give him anything, humiliation or otherwise, to hold over her at all. Willing her body to quickly adapt to the temperature change, she began to run her hands over her body to wash herself while completely ignoring the wraith standing over her with every ounce of willpower she had. Soon, she could almost forget that he was there at all.

Todd was not so lucky. He could not ignore her or his body's responses to her no matter how hard he tried and he was, currently, trying very hard to do just that. Unfortunately, even when he closed his eyes, he could still see her nude body in his mind's eye and so attempting to meditate did little or no good and continuing to watch her was purely torturous. Todd slowly backed away from the pool and went to sit down on a bench by the back wall, as far away from her as he could get. The distance did nothing to help him and so, Todd mentally called out to one of his sub-commanders to bring clothes for her before placing his hands on his knees and trying to regulate his breathing and heart rate.

He failed, miserably and instead of forcing calm back into his system he felt all of the blood in his body gather and plummet downwards to pool hotly in his lower regions. Clenching his teeth together, he silently wished that she would hurry up.

Kate finished quickly, in no mood to prolong her exposure to the alternate Todd any longer then she had to. Climbing out of the pool, she looked around and espied the voyeuristic wraith standing some ways away holding a towel out to her while keeping his eyes carefully averted. Kate grinned at the reversal of roles; now he was embarrassed and she had the upper hand. Approaching him, she took the proffered towel from him and used it to dry herself before looking around for her clothes. She frowned, they were gone.

"I have had clothing brought for you," Todd informed her when he chanced a glance at the still naked female and saw what she was searching for.

Kate eyed him. "What happened to the ones I took off?" she asked, worry beginning to creep up her spine. Her lotlorian blade had been concealed inside of her left boot. If it was found by this Todd or one of his wraith, she didn't know if she would ever get it back.

The wraith studied her. "I will have them cleaned and then returned to you," he said to her, reaching behind him to retrieve the aforementioned garments that he had had brought for her. "Until then," he held out the folded gown to her for her to take, "you will wear this."

Kate took the clothing presented to her and held it up to see. It wasn't terribly revealing but it was still a lot more provocative then she was used to, even when she'd been her Todd's companion he had made sure she had a dress that covered more of her then this. "I'm not wearing this," she said defiantly, holding the dress back out to the wraith. "I'll wait for my clothes to get cleaned thank you."

Todd hissed lustfully, stepping nearer to her. He knew that decreasing the distance between the two of them was not the wisest of ideas but, with her standing so very close and with his senses already on overdrive, he could not help but advance once her scent assaulted him and invaded his nostrils and sensory pits. "Then you will wear nothing at all," he informed her, raking her with his eyes unashamedly, seeing no reason to hide the desire he felt for her from her.

Kate forced herself not to shiver under the brunt of his gaze. Oh, she thought to herself, this was not good. There was no mistaking the way in which he was looking at her; her Valloran looked at her that way all the time. This version of Todd she knew, didn't have any of the reservations that kept her Valloran from bedding her. Kate knew that if she wasn't very careful form here on out, she might just end up raped.

The thought was a terrifying one and she fought to keep herself from showing her terror at what might yet come to pass in the near if not immediate future. Barely able to conceal her fear, she brought the garment back to her and began to lace herself into it.

Todd was almost disappointed that she chose to wear the dress. Standing before him now, clothed, her still dampened hair streaming down her back and over her shoulders, the wraith allowed himself to appreciate the gown he had chosen for her before turning on his heel and silently ordering her to follow.

"Now where are we going?" Kate asked as she was led out of the bathing chamber and back up through the city.

Todd glanced behind him, noting the way the fabric of the skirt swayed about her hips as she walked. "I will return you to my quarters where you will wait. If my wraith return from the prison world successful, then we shall negotiate you and your friends release."

Kate nodded. She'd done it, she smiled to herself, she'd won their freedom.

In front of her, Todd knew that he now had no intention of ever letting her go.

~xXx~

"What on Earth is taking so long?"

Kate sighed. It had been three days since her bath and, at the moment, she was being allowed to talk to her brother, Lorne and Rodney; under guard of course. "He has to verify my story, John," Kate answered tiredly. "Once he does, he'll let us go."

Rodney snorted. "He said that?" the scientist asked. "I mean, he actually said that after he gets his best buddy back he's gonna let us go?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Yes, Rodney, he did," she bit out tersely.

The physicist sulked and John turned back to his sister. He hadn't been pleased to see what she'd been wearing when she'd first walked into the cell block and he'd been even less then pleased to learn what she'd done that had gotten her dressed like that. But, sadly, this wasn't their Todd they were dealing with and so John held his tongue and didn't say anything. Instead, he just looked at his sister and asked, "Are you okay?" This whole situation was reminding him entirely too much of her stint as their Todd's companion.

Kate nodded not letting on how terribly worried she had become over the last few days. The looks that Todd the alternate wraith had started to pin her with were getting intense and more heated by the hour and Kate wasn't so sure how long she'd last before he did something about it. She knew he wanted her and she knew that, unlike her Todd, this one didn't have any reasons to stop him from taking her to his bed. Once he'd done that _and_ gotten the fortress commander back, the he wouldn't have any more use for her and Kate did not want to think about what would happen to her then. She'd probably get recycled and given to one of his subordinates. She shuddered inwardly at the thought.

John squinted at her. "You sure, Katie Beth?" he asked, worried about the expression on her face or, more accurately, the expression that wasn't on her face. Sometimes the best way to read his sister was to look for what wasn't there rather than for what was.

Kate forced herself to smile. "I'm fine, John," she sighed. "I just want to go home."

"Don't we all," Lorne deadpanned, straightening as the cell block doors opened and one of Todd's underlings entered. "Hi!" the major called sardonically. "What's up?"

The wraith scowled and hissed at the human male's mocking manner; it had become very tedious over the past several days. He turned his attention to the female. "The commander has summoned you," he told her, coming forwards to grab her arm and lead her away.

Kate backed away from him. "You don't have to touch, I'll go willingly," she spat out, waving goodbye to her brother, Lorne and Rodney. "See you guys later."

They let out a chorus of responding farewells and then Kate was taken from the brig, up through the mutated hallways of Atlantis and back to the quarters that this Todd had commandeered when he'd taken over the city. Wordlessly she was showed inside and then left. Looking up, she noticed that the alternate Todd was standing on the far side of the room, his hands behind his back, gazing out of the window.

"You wanted to see me?" Kate asked, her tone neutral and her face expressionless.

The wraith turned towards her and studied her. He had done for her what he had said he would, had had her clothing cleaned, but the doing of that had revealed something that he had not expected. The female had in her procession a lotlorian blade and one that was expertly crafted. He wanted to know where she had procured it for, while he might believe that she was a warrior to her kind, he knew that she was no fine a one as to be given so great a weapon as that.

"Your garments, as promised," he gestured to the pile of her neatly folded clothing that lay on the foot of his bed. He watched as the female crossed to them and examined them. As he knew she would, she looked up when she did not find the blade among them.

"Where is it?" she hissed through clenched teeth, her fists balling at her sides, her eyes blazing in anger that he would have her dagger taken from her.

Todd sauntered towards her, turning from the widow and removing the blade from a hidden pocket in his battle coat, holding it aloft. "You mean this?" he hissed languidly, fingering the weapon and watching her eyes narrow into slits. "It is well crafted," he told her. "No doubt, however, you have no idea -"

"It's a lotlorian blade," Kate interrupted him heatedly. "Traditionally presented to females who have proven their worth and skill in battle," she took a step towards him. "Give it back!"

Todd felt his eyes widen as she provided for him the correct name and tradition for the knife he held. He had not expected her to know it, had certainly not expected her to know what it was called. "You know what it is," he looked at her, his eyes taking in the way her body quivered in anger. It made him want her. "Then you must know that you are undeserving to wield such a weapon as -"

"It was made for me and only me by my you!" Kate screamed at him, her patience with him gone. "Give it back!"

Now this announcement, Todd did not believe. "I would not, in any reality, make for a human female a weapon of such importance and power!" he hissed, coming towards her so that their bodies were separated by but a few finger lengths. He could smell her anger at this distance and found himself further aroused by it. Growling, he leaned in closer, expecting her to back away only she did not. He sneered down at her, putting on the face of anger to hide his lust for her. "I grow tired of the glory you give yourself that you claim your fictional version of me has bequeathed you! You are nothing, a human female that is unworthy of so great a gift as -"

Kate, who had grown tired of his condescension of her, let her anger take her. As he bore down on her, she gathered her strength and swung, the palm of her hand slamming into his nose and breaking it with a marvelous sounding crunch that was, at this moment in time, music to her ears. Blood spouted outwards as the wraith stumbled backwards and Kate took this opportunity to drop into a crouch and swing her right leg outwards, sweeping the alternate Todd's feet out from under him. The wraith overbalanced and landed on his ass, the dagger flying out of his hands and sailing across the room hitting the floor some eight feet away and skidding to rest under a table on the opposite side of the room.

Kate scrambled after it, crawling part of the distance and then lunging for the precious blade that her Valloran had made for her and that she would not allow herself to be divested of.

The force of the female's blow to his face had stunned him as he had not thought that humans, particularly females, could be that strong. His nose broke under her assault and the pain blinded him momentarily allowing her to knock him off his feet. That move, as well had confused him as he now knew for certain that she was more virile then any human he had ever before encountered before be them male or female. His shock did not last long and he pushed it aside as he saw her go after the fallen blade.

Without bothering to stand, Todd rose to his knees before throwing the whole of his body forwards and tackling her, his hands reaching out to grab hers so that she could not retrieve the dagger. Grunting, he felt her twist under him and turn so that she was on her back. He underestimated her resilience for, even though he had captured both her hands, she kicked her hips upwards and kicked up her leg so that her knee painfully collided with the side of his head. Somewhat dazed, Todd blinked and then found their roles reversed; she was atop him and his back was to the floor.

Growling, he looked up into her eyes which had turned almost black with fury and felt his body react strongly to the position they were now in. He was not allowed to act upon it however, as the female quickly removed herself from him and made to reach the treasured weapon once more. This time she achieved it and, the lotlorian blade held tightly in her first, she turned round and swung at him after he had managed to rise to his feet. Todd ducked her swing and grabbed her about the waist, propelling them both forwards until the backs of her knees collided with the foot of his bed and he felt her fall backwards. He went with her, landing on top of her and using his much greater bulk to hold her down.

The female struggled, thrashing about wildly as he continued to press down on her, her movements having the opposite effect of what he was sure she desired. She clawed at him but he held his face out of her reach and finally managed to grab her wrists one more, holding them pressed into his mattress above her head. He squeezed with his left hand until she had no choice but to release the lotlorian blade which he removed her grasp and held up, holding her down with only his feeding hand; the fingers of which he had wrapped around her throat. Still, she fought to retrieve the dagger. Her persistence was admirable.

"Hmmnnn," he hissed, looking down on her as she continued to struggle under the weight of him. "Perhaps, you are deserving of this weapon after all."

Kate hissed and spit and wriggled, trying to get away from the wraith that mercilessly held her down. Suddenly, she stopped moving and felt her eyes widen as a certain part of his anatomy began to press itself persistently into her stomach. Shutting her eyes tightly, she turned her face away from him. Violently, she thought of her Valloran and willed her body not to betray him with another who only looked like him but wasn't.

Todd watched her become aware of what her struggles had done to him and he hissed in pleasure as her eyes closed tightly and her head turned away; a dark red stain coloring her heated and flushed skin, her body betraying her. "What must he see in you?" he murmured, alluding the this other him whom he was now sure was no compilation of fiction. She had convinced him more with her display of strength that she was, in fact, from a altered reality then she had with any other thing.

He dropped the blade back into a pocket of his battle-coat and then moved so that his hands once more held her wrists both above her head. Leaning down, bringing his face close to hers, he whispered to her, "Such great exception he must find in you."

Kate closed her eyes still more tightly and buried the side of her face into the mattress, willing herself as far away from the alternate Todd as she could get. It wasn't enough, she could feel his breath on her face, against her skin and felt her body respond to it. Her traitorous body that didn't care if he wasn't really her Valloran, he looked the same and so her body wanted him the same as it wanted her version of him. Her heart and mind, however, wanted nothing more than to be away from him.

The wraith above her hissed and she shied away from him still more and, in response, ground the lower half of his body sinuously against hers. "You desire me," he whispered, amused and pleased by this. He would claim her this night, he decided as his lust for her grew still more urgent. Or perhaps he would claim her now.

Todd released one of her wrists and brought his now freed feeding hand to her breast, tracing the swell of it with the tip of his finger before he allowed himself to cup the whole of it as he had first wanted to when he had seen her standing naked before him. He squeezed gently and ran his thumb over her nipple, teasing it into a hardened bud. The female groaned and Todd hissed in pleasure, his lips parting in anticipation as his tongue flicked out to wet them. She would be such a joy to claim, he could barely wait.

Kate's eyes flew open at the sound of his pleasure and she turned her face so that she might look at him. With narrowed eyes and clenched teeth, she bit out angrily, "Not you."

Todd reared backwards, his hand dropping from her breast and falling to the mattress, his eyes widening in anger. "We are the same!" he growled to her, some of his lust bleeding away but by no means all of it. No female had ever refused him, even those that had used him for their own gain had desired him. That _she_ did not dangerously undermined his pride; she was human. "It does not matter in which reality you find yourself, I am -"

"You are not my Valloran!"

Todd was so stunned that he released her and allowed her to come out from under him, crawling away to a corner where she brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Backing up off the end of his bed, the wraith stood shakily and then looked down on her. "Your Valloran?" he questioned, his voice coming out in barely above a whisper.

She knew his name. For that to have occurred her version of him must trust her explicitly, must care for her a great deal to have given that part of himself to her for her to keep. There was also the fact that she had called him hers. Her Valloran, that is what she had said and he knew that the words not had not been spoken in such a way as to imply ownership. It was her way of renouncing him, of saying that he was not adequate enough, not as good as this other version of himself. She desired that Valloran, she wanted _him_ but he, he she responded to only because they _looked _the same not because they _were_ the same.

The thought enraged him. "We are the same!" he shouted angrily, repeating his earlier claim and taking a step towards her, grabbing her by the arm and hauling her to her feet. "Your body has responded to mine, so obviously we are similar enough that you still -"

"My Valloran does not participate in rape!" Kate countered, her eyes dark, her voice low; accusatory. He released her and stepped back, his eyes searching hers.

"I would not -"

"You touch me when I don't want you to!" Kate cried, now dangerously close to tears. "You are not my you, you aren't! I don't want you, I want to go home!"

Todd's eyes narrowed. "Home to him?"

Kate didn't answer but backed away, wrapping her arms about herself for protection.

Growling in fury, Todd started towards her. He would make her see, make her understand that he and her version of him were the same. He would make her give her consent to him because she was right, he did not rape as his brethren did. If he could gain her consent then it would not be.

Kate backed away from him, terrified for the first time she she'd come to this reality. She needed to get away, had to get away; she had to run.

The doors to his quarters opened and Todd looked up, his eyes locking onto his second in command and the wraith that the youngster had brought with him. Romulus stood before him and in that moment, Todd knew that everything the female had told him was true. He turned to her, fully prepared to tell her that her friends could go only to find her not there. Growling, he whirled about and saw her bolt towards the open door.

As soon as Kate had seen the fortress commander, she'd taken her chance and run like hell. The two newly arrived wraith were too surprised to see her to stop her and she pushed past them easily and broke into a sprint down the hallway. The sound of pounding feet followed by a snarl behind her told her that the alternate Todd had obviously followed her. Kate let the sound of his chase spur her on as she pumped her legs faster and ran to the only place she could think of that was safe. John would protect her, he always had before. She had to get to her brother.

John, Lorne and Rodney were playing 'who would you rather' when Kate literally bolted into the cell block and collided with the bars of their cell. Worried, the three of them stood and turned towards her, all of them taking in the absolute terror in her eyes.

"Katie?" John questioned, his concern for her mounting. "Katie, what's -"

"Let me in, please John!" she pleaded with him, the sanity gone from her voice, hysteria replacing it and making it's pitch come out several octaves higher then normal. "Please! You promised me, you promised me you'd always protect me. You -"

John reached out to her from behind the bars and gently grabbed hold of her shoulders, shushing her. "Katie Beth," he said, pained to see her so frantic especially when he had no idea of what was going on. "What's the mat -"

A growl interrupted him and Kate screamed and pressed herself into the bars, almost as if she thought that if she tried hard enough she could pass through them. Looking up, John's eyes widened as a very angry, almost mad looking alternate Todd came running into the room just as Kate had done previously only he didn't collide with the cell. He, instead, grabbed his sister around the waist and tried to pry her away from the bars. She didn't go willingly and kicked and screamed loudly, all of her protests matched by his answering snarls and growls.

They were soon joined by three more wraith, all of whom John recognized and all of whom looked just as confused as he felt. Enlightenment didn't come to him until the alternative Todd finally succeeded in pulling Kate away and, having done so, held her to his chest by crossing his arms over hers and holding tightly to her wrists. She struggled and kicked and bucked but to no avail. Todd held her tight and lowered his head down to her neck, breathing into it and touching his check to the pulse point just below her jaw.

Suddenly, John knew exactly what was going on and so, it would seem, did everybody else.

"Get the hell away from her!" Lorne yelled angrily, his hands gripping the bars of the cell so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

John silently agreed with him but was too shocked to talk. All he could do was stare straight into his sister's eyes and try and reassure her that it would all be alright. He couldn't afford to lose it, not now, not when his composure was the only thing holding Kate together.

Rodney joined the mantra. "Let go of her!" the Canadian yelled. "Let go of her or -"

"Or what?" Todd mocked the human, lifting his face from the curvature of the female's neck so that he could look at the three human males that could do nothing to stop him from having his way. He dipped his head back down and opened his mouth, gently running his teeth along her exposed skin, reveling in the taste of her. "There is nothing you _can_ do."

Kate winced when she felt his teeth graze her skin. "John," she whimpered. "Please -"

"It'll be alright, Katie Beth," he told her, lying to her in order to protect her, to keep her calm because a panicked Kate was a reckless Kate. He needed her not to get herself killed.

Todd felt the female in his arms stiffen but still and softly bit her just below her ear, not hard enough to make a mark, but with enough pressure to win a reaction from her. She convulsed and he hissed in pleasure. "Katie Beth," he repeated the name that Sheppard had called her, knowing that it was a pseudonym and not her true title. Searching with his mind, he found her real identity floating at the forefront of the one called Lorne's mind. "Your name is Katherine."

Kate cried and tried to get away once more only to fail yet again. This time, thought, instead of increasing her struggles, she allowed her body to relax and go limp. She was tired of fighting.

Todd felt victory rush though him and he began to back away, nodding to Romulus as he did before leveling his eyes to those of the humans. "The information Katherine has provided for me was accurate, you may go."

John came t the forefront of the cell. "What about Kate?" he asked the wraith, anger and the urge to shoot him rearing up inside of him.

Todd looked at him. "She stays with me."

John reacted violently to that announcement. "No way in hell you get to keep my sister!" he screamed, hitting the cell bars as hard as he could. "I won't let you touch her!"

Todd's eyes widened and he looked down on the woman he held. "Sister?" he echoed, lifting his feeding hand to trail down her cheek and then to wrap it's fingers around her neck. "How…interesting."

John wanted to shoot himself. "Let. Her. Go!" he said again, making each word its own sentence in the hopes that it might penetrate the lustful wraith's thick skull. He would kill this Todd if he touched her, he swore he would.

The wraith was unmoved and continued his retreat from the cell block, taking Katherine with him.

"Commander," Romulus began, worried for his friend whom he had never before known to act this way. "Perhaps -"

Todd growled at him to silence him and disappeared, taking his leave of the brig and returning to his quarters, the screams of fury from the humans following his steps all the way up to his door. Opening it, he walked inside dragging Katherine with him whom, once they had reached the far side of the room, he pushed backwards so that she collapsed onto his bed.

She landed on her back and looked up at him as he came over her before she could get away. Some of the fight returned to her as she felt him press down on her as he had already done previously and she struggled but, as her attempts had done before, her resistance only served to create arousal in the alternate wraith. She still as she felt it press into her stomach painfully.

"You will accept me," he growled down to her, holding her still. "I am him and you will accept me as you would accept him!"

Kate thrashed about violently. "No!" she screamed. "I won't! I WON'T!"

Todd hissed. "You will. I am he, I am Valloran! We are no different, you will accept me! We are the same!"

Kate cried out and continued to fight back against her captor who, she realized with a sickening jolt, had begun to undress her. He was going to do it, he was going to rape her although, even in her fevered state of terror, Kate doubted that in his mind it would be rape. To him, he and her Valloran were the same and so, ergo, if she wanted and desired her Todd that meant that she wanted and desired him as well. The thought of what was about to happen haunted her and she began to scream, to yell and to cry in earnest.

"You are not Valloran! You are not him, you are not him, you are not him!" she canted over and over to herself hoping that if she said it enough he would listen, he would _hear_ her and he would stop. He didn't and soon Kate found herself devoid of the majority of her clothing as he, likewise was suddenly devoid of most of his. How he'd managed it, she didn't care, she just kept chanting.

Todd could no longer stand it. Her rant had risen to a deafening scream so loud he could no longer think. Her words stung him and moved his decision to do this. They were the same, she wanted that Valloran so she must want him as well, he had to make her see that they were the same.

A thought occurred to him suddenly and, with all of his strength, he pushed her down and ground against her at the same time as he forced himself into her mind past her mental shields. He would find whatever it was that she was clinging to that she felt separated he from her version of him. He would find it and he would reproduce it thus gaining her consent; he probed deeper.

At first, no images came to him and it seemed as though he had underestimated her abilities once more but then, slowly, through the mist that clouded her mind, memories began to spring forth and then, suddenly, he was engulfed in the torrent that were her recollections of her reality and of the him in it.

He saw himself though her eyes as he hovered over her shoulder and she asked, sardonically, if she was going to eat her. The version of him that she knew said no after chuckling softly and then came closer to her yet still she did not move away.

Another memory sprang forth of them in a prison cell together, of him holding her in order to keep her warm and of her falling asleep before him. The next memory was of him held strapped to her, hid feeding hand on her chest as she looked up at him and avowed that she trusted him. The intensity of feeling that he saw in his own eyes or rather the eyes of her him through her own pierced him but he could not now, he found, pull away.

The memories continued and he saw many of them with him in them, saw her him through her eyes and saw the various ways in which her realities' him looked at her, saw her and regarded her. The memories swirled and ebbed until one final one came. They were locked together in a cell aboard a hive and through her eyes he saw her look at her in such a way as to take his own breath away. Violently, he pulled his consciousness from her mind and scrambled away from her, his chest heaving heavily.

Katherine fell away from him, her head rolling to one side as her eyes stared blankly up at him, not really seeing. Her mind, he could tell, had retreated in upon itself for protection so that now, the female before him was, in a sense, dead.

What had he done?

In his desire he had been so sure that her Valloran and he were the same and that, if he could find it, he could reproduce whatever it was that the other him did that made her desire him. But be couldn't. In her reality, her Valloran cared for her with a strength, a passion that he could not replicate even if his life depended upon it. The other him's heart was hers, her Valloran coveted her, had devoted his affections to her and would be held in the thrall of her until the day he breathed his last.

She belonged to him, with him. He could not keep her for he was of the opinion that if he did, that other him might well find a way to this reality in order to take her back. Todd knew that, were that to happen, his life would be forfeit at his own hands as punishment for daring to take Katherine away from the one to whom she belonged.

Her Valloran.

Wordlessly, the wraith came towards her once more and looked over her. Her mind was gone, locked tight within itself and unlikely to come out again for a long time yet. Silently, he picked her up and held her gently as he retraced his steps back to the corridor where he had found she and the other humans in the first place. As he suspected, the others were already there, the wall that separated the hidden room from normal eyes taken down and removed. He came to them.

John's eyes widened as he took in his sister being carried forwards in the arms of the much hated alternate Todd the wraith. "What did you do!" he demanded, calling forth the attention of Lorne and Rodney and the other wraith.

Todd stopped before the human and gazed upon him. "Take her," he instructed, relinquishing his burden to the male that was her brother. "Go."

John took Kate's weight in his arms and looked at the wraith who had given her up. He didn't know why he'd changed his mind and he didn't care. Nodding once, he turned on his heel and gestured for Rodney to activate the mirror. As soon as he saw their reality pop up on it, he stepped through and immediately turned his steps towards the infirmary.

When the humans were gone, Romulus turned to him. "Valloran?"

Todd shook his head. "She was right," he whispered. "I am not the same."

Romulus cocked his head to the side in curiosity. "Not the same as what?"

"I am a poor substitute," Todd continued rather than answer his long lost friend.

Romulus was now slightly worried. "Valloran?" he queried. "What -"

"I do not want to talk about it," the wraith cut him off. Sighing, he turned from the once secret room and began to walk back up to the main living areas of the formerly Lantean city. "Come," he called out to Romulus, "See what I have conquered."

Romulus looked about him in wonder, and followed.

~xXx~

Vanishing acts were not uncommon when people explored the unmapped portions of Atlantis but, still, disappearing for four days was a new record and more than a little ridiculous. Dr. Zelenka was in charge of the team comprised of both military and science personnel that had been assembled to try and locate Colonel Sheppard, Major Sheppard, Major Lorne and Rodney. So far, they hadn't succeeded and had simply turned in circles around the last known point that the four missing people had been known to be at.

It was very frustrating.

"There's nothing here, doctor," a marine complained as Radek racked his brain for an explanation of how four people could be in one place one second and completely gone the next.

Zelenka sighed. "There has to be something," he argued, turning to his disgruntled team all of whom were tired and exhausted. "Some evidence, some clue to point as to where they went."

The marine shook his head. "We've been over this area with a fine toothed comb," he explained pointing behind him at the cubby they'd found that just had a whole bunch of junk in it, nothing important. "There's nothing -"

The marine trailed off as, behind him, the mirror that they'd found hidden behind a destabilizing/stabilizing wall suddenly lit up and began to make noise. Everyone looked as the image in the mirror changed and then, like magic, Colonel Sheppard stepped through carrying his sister and was followed by Rodney and Lorne.

Radek took one look at the glazed over look on Kate's face and the worried expression on everyone else's and immediately touched his radio. "We need a medical team down to the east side of the city immediately. They're back and Major Sheppard is injured."

His ear buzzed and then he heard Jennifer's voice answer him. "On my way."

Nodding, he turned back to the persons that had just stepped through the mirror and opened his mouth only to have the colonel cut him off by rushing past him. "Jennifer is on her way," the scientist called after him, following him. "She said -"

"Can't wait for the doc, Kate's not breathing," John interrupted and took off as quickly down the corridor as he could go.

Zelenka paled and crossed himself. "Oh, good Lord," he prayed. "Please let her be okay."

John met Jennifer and her team halfway to the infirmary. Laying her down on the stretcher, he told Jennifer what he knew and then stood back, blinking tears from his eyes as Jenn straddled Kate and begun to administer CPR while her team wheeled them both the rest of the way t the infirmary.

John couldn't watch, he just couldn't and so he turned around and field the scene, letting his feet take him to the gym where he locked himself in and started to beat the shit out of anything and everything. He couldn't loose his sister, he couldn't; he'd die without her. Turning in a circle of his own destruction, John dropped to his knees and bowed his head, whispering words of prayer for the firs time in a very long time.

Back in the infirmary, Jennifer fought to keep Kate breathing as he got off her friend and began shouting orders to her medical staff. "I need a heart rate monitor and an EKG scan stat," he called out as she warmed the paddles and applied them to Kate's chest. "Clear!"

Kate's heart rate jumped up but them went down again, slowing to an almost crawl. "There's nothing on her EKG, doctor," Marie informed Jennifer who turned to look at her lead nurse in bewilderment

"What?"

Marie shook her head. "I'm not getting any brain waves," she said, her lips quivering. "It's like she's brain -"

Suddenly the monitors all started beeping erratically, both her heart rate and her EKG readings jumping nearly off the chart as Kate's eyes opened and her pupils dilated. Jennifer and her nurses froze and Kate's eyes stared up at the ceiling and her mouth formed the syllables to a very strange word.

"Valloran."

As suddenly as it had happened, her heart rate crashed once more and her EKG went blank. Jennifer shouted orders and immediately got Kate on a respirator but it was too late. Major Kate Sheppard's eyes closed and rolled up into the back of her head, her body going limp as she slipped into a coma.

~xXx~

"How is she?"

As one, Teyla, Lorne, Cadman, Ronon and Jennifer looked up, their collective gazes landing on Woolsey who had come to join them in the observation room. They couldn't answer him and, instead, turned away, too upset to speak. Woolsey sighed and walked forwards, coming up to the glass windows that looked down into the infirmary's isolation room. Major Sheppard lay in the bed below, a tube down her throat, the machines that were positioned around her forcing her body to breath because it could not do so on its own. Atlantis' director felt tears prick behind his glasses and, because he knew he was not alone, the bureaucrat did not try and stop the water from falling down his cheeks.

"How did this happen?"

It was Jennifer, being the doctor, that fought to recover her voice so that she could answer the question that Woolsey asked. "From what we…." she broke off as she fought not to once more break into sobs, "…from what we're able to tell, the alternate Todd attacked her mind."

Woolsey turned away from the glass and looked at his lead medical physician. "What do you mean?" he asked weakly, confused.

Jennifer couldn't answer him, she just couldn't. Kate was her best friend, almost like a sister to her and now she was lying there, a respirator all that was keeping her alive. Her lip quivering, Dr. Jennifer McKay put her hand over her mouth and sat down on a bench besides Laura Cadman, her whole body shaking.

Woolsey felt almost guilty for asking her but he had to know. Major Sheppard's condition hadn't been explained to him and, with Colonel Sheppard locked up in the gym with the door closed and barred, the leader of Atlantis had no choice but to come down here and try and get answers out of those that had not yet left the infirmary since Major Lorne, Major Sheppard, Colonel Sheppard and Dr. McKay had returned. "I'm sorry," he apologized, his normally steady voice wavering just slightly. "But, I have to know what -"

"He raped her," Lorne supplied in Jennifer's stead. "Not her body," he added, seeing the horror cross Woolsey's face, "but her mind. He forced his way in and ravaged it, taking all her secrets from her, all her memories. Her mind has retreated in on itself, gone away. It's like she's…it's like…" Lorne's words failed him.

"It's like she's brain dead," Cadman picked up the explanation, her eyes downcast, tears flowing silently down her face.

Woolsey took a sharp breath inwards, digesting what he'd been told. Horror and pain filled him for what Major Sheppard must've been put through and at the hands of an alternative version of the one she loved no less. The toll it had taken on her was incomparable and Woolsey prayed to whomever would listen that she would heal from it. There were many who would never recover if she were to be taken from them.

"Will she wake?" he found himself asking, posting the question to no one in particular. He wasn't sure that anyone even knew, they were most likely all just as uncertain as he was.

Jennifer looked up. "I don't know," she whispered. "Her mind has to repair itself and I'm…I'm not sure how to do that."

Woolsey laid a hand on the young doctor's shoulder. "You'll think of something, I have faith in you."

Jennifer swallowed back a sob. "I don't," she said forlornly. "I have no idea how to fix this."

Everyone in the observation room thought the same. Nothing they knew of or had ever heard of before could be put to use in this situation. It was completely alien, to all of them, and they all felt helpless because of it.

Ronon looked to Woolsey. "Where's Sheppard?" he asked. "Is he alone?"

Woolsey sighed. "Dr. Weir's with him. He's locked himself up in the gym."

Lorne looked at the floor. "He's probably destroying things."

"Elizabeth will take goo care of him, she has always done so before," Teyla said quietly.

Everyone around her nodded and were silent for a few moments before Woolsey, again, began to ask questions. He knew he shouldn't, he should let them all morn and simply go back to his office but Richard Woolsey found that he could not leave. Like the others, he was dealing with this in his own way and the former IOA representative felt that, the more facts he had, the more he knew about what had happened, the better he could handle the sorrow that was currently drowning him.

"Did she say anything?" he asked, directing his inquires to the brown-eyed doctor. "Anything at all before she fell into her coma? I thought somebody told me that she woke up right before she -"

Jennifer nodded. "Yes, she said something," she told him, shaking her head.

Woolsey frowned. "But?" he prompted.

Lorne sighed. "But none of us have any idea what it means."

"It was one word," Ronon explained.

"A word that has no meaning to any of us," Teyla supplied, shifting through all of the languages that she was familiar with and finding nothing that was similar or even close to the word that Kate had uttered before enduring sleep had claimed her. "None of us know of anything that is similar even in the slightest way."

Woolsey's frown deepened. "What word did she say?" he inquired wondering if, maybe, he might know of it or something similar.

Jennifer looked at him. "Valloran. She said: valloran."

Woolsey's hope died and, as one, they all turned and looked through the glass, down into the small room and the bed upon which the young woman lay sleeping. Valloran might not mean anything to any of them, but it was obviously important to her and, deep inside himself, Woolsey wondered if whatever valloran was could save her.

~xXx~

On a hive many hundreds of thousands of miles away, Todd woke form his slumber and sat up in his bed, his eyes darting to and fro about his darkened command quarters wildly. The reason for his abrupt departure from the realm of dreams was the result of a deep, unwavering and all consuming feeling of loss, of emptiness that had suddenly descended upon him, penetrating him and taking hold of his very soul.

Ever since he had resurrected her there had been a vague not quite tangible impression of her within in his mind. This impression, this ghost of her presence inside his own consciousness, was how he had been able to feel her pain when she had been captured and tortured by the queen, how he was able to sense her emotions without having to inquire after them. The brief moment that his mind had been connected to hers while she had been fed upon had deepened the faint bond that had been made between them when he had given her a small amount of his own life-energy in order to heal her. That bond, however weak and almost non-existent was something that he had grown used to in the weeks that had followed so that his awareness of Katherine's mind as a constant in the back of his was a matter that he had come to know and accept as a means by which to always know that she was safe and whole.

Shuttering a deep, racking breath that tore through his entire body, Todd swung his legs over the side of his bed and leaned forwards, resting his elbows on his knees and lowering his head into his hands and he projected his mind outwards trying to reestablish the connection to Katherine that had suddenly and abruptly been cut off. He could not _feel_ her, could not _sense_ her presence at all and the place where the shadow of her mind had been in his felt hallow and void.

Katherine, there was something wrong with Katherine and whatever it was it had caused her mind to withdraw from itself and retreat inwards. There was no other way he could explain why he could not reach her, why he could not brush his consciousness to the very edge of hers. Fear gripped him and the eldest of wraith stood, tossing his bed covering aside carelessly as he reached for his clothing. He had to go to Atlantis, had to discover what was wrong and why he could no longer be sure that Katherine was indeed alive and whole.

Todd was already dressed and heading towards his door when it hissed open and his second entered. The normally placid and emotionless Kenny wore an expression on his face of deepest upset and Todd, commander to a fault, pushed aside his own personal worry in order to ask his subordinate what was wrong.

"The queens," Kenny replied, his fear and distress over what was being put to play in some other part of the stars mounting. "They are amassing a fleet; twelve hives in all each accompanied by two cruisers."

Todd's eyes narrowed as he forced his personal feelings to the back of his mind and concentrated on what he was being told; his concern for Katherine would have to wait. "And their target?" he inquired.

Kenny held his gaze. "Atlantis."

Todd felt his blood run cold, true fear gripping at the edges of his heart for the first time in over ten thousand years. "Set a course," he ordered, sweeping past Kenny, already heading for the bridge. "We must arrive ahead of them if the city is to survive."

The younger wraith did not question him and simply left to do as he was told. Todd, meanwhile, made it to the bridge and took his place at his hive's helm. He would defend the city he once had helped to sink for he could not afford to lose Atlantis' support. The Lantean city and her inhabitants were all that were keeping him ahead of the queens and if they were destroyed then any hope he had of restoring the wraith and keeping his race from facing a slow and agonizing extinction would be lost.

For his species' sake he could not fail. For Katherine's sake, he had to hurry. He had to arrive in Atlantis in enough time to prepare the city for its upcoming battle and to discern what fate had befallen his Katherine.

It was the thought of her rather than the impending danger from the queen's assault that urged the wraith to increase the speed of his hive to an almost dangerous capacity in the hopes that he might reach the city more quickly.

It was the thought of Katherine that made the once high commander of wraith, the mighty Valloran decide that he would do everything in his power to protect Atlantis and all those who called her home.

* * *

**A/N:** And there you have it, now there are only three more episodes left this season before it's on to season 8! The next three chapters are all related though and could really all be one big one but I broke it all up into smaller bits in order to drag out the action. I hope to have the first part of the finale up soon but I might just wait and upload them all together. We'll have to see. If any of ya'll have a preference (all or none or one at a time like normal) let me know in your reviews. Reviews are gold, s pay me please and push the button! Until next time, cheers!


	23. The Fourth Siege

**A/N: **Alright, here you are, the first part in the three part ending to Season 7. I'd like to warn you all right now, that it's a little bit on the short side and I'm sorry for that but, you see, because the last three episodes are basically all one long, continuous story, I had to find places in it were it would be acceptable to insert an intermission. That being said, this chapter and the next one are a bit on the short-ish side while the last part, chapter 25 is the longest and largest chapter I've written to date. I hope you all enjoy this one, despite its smaller size. I promise you all that I'll have the next one up as soon as possible so that you can all see how the story ends. Cheers!

* * *

**Episode XXIII: The Fourth Siege **

"You can't kill him, sir."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because he didn't do anything."

"He's done stuff in the past. He's bit her, kissed her, tried to make her his mate, looked at her funny and now an alternate version of him has -"

"Exactly Sir, an _alternate_ version of him, not _our_ him. You can't punish him for something that he didn't do no matter how much the guy who did do it looks like, talks like and acts just like him."

"But they're the same!"

"You and I both know that they're not. Our Todd would never, not even if his life depended on it, do what that other Todd did."

John was livid and the glare he shot Major Lorne was one of pure malice. "Well then," he said, biting the words out scathingly. "If I can't kill him then can I at least shoot him? Maybe in an arm or a leg or maybe even in the -"

Evan Lorne shook his head. "Hurt him like that and Kate'll kill you when she wakes up."

Colonel John Sheppard sighed and sat down heavily on his bed, lowering his head into his hands. "If she wakes up," he said forlornly.

Lorne looked down on the man in pity. "She will, colonel," the major assured his commanding officer. "She will."

John bit his lip and closed his eyes. For all the reassurances in the world, the military leader just wasn't sure. Kate had been in a coma now for thirteen days and during that time, Todd the wraith had contacted Atlantis and conveyed the urgent need to speak with them about something that was apparently, earth shatteringly important. Whatever it was, Todd hadn't been willing to tell them anything via subspace communications and insisted that what he had to tell them had to be done in person. That had been two days ago and now, the wraith's hive sat in orbit having just arrived and Major Lorne was with the incensed colonel in his quarters trying to talk him out of maiming Todd the for-once-in-his-life-completely-innocent wraith.

Fortunately for Todd, Major Lorne was successful and John was no longer contemplating various ways to kill him but rather, had moved on to simply wanting very badly to shoot him. The meeting they were about to have was going to be very interesting indeed.

"Colonel Sheppard," Woolsey's voice sounding in John's ear.

"Yes?" John replied.

"He's here."

John sighed and stood up, turning towards his second in command. "Well," he said slowly, "I guess we'd better go do this."

Lorne nodded and followed the colonel from his quarters and all the way up to the briefing room. When they got there, the major noticed that the awaiting alien looked rather agitated, almost like there was somewhere else he'd rather be, something else he'd rather be doing, then whatever he was about to impart onto them. Lorne shrugged it off and sat down next to Cadman while the colonel went to go sit next to Woolsey and, once he was seated, took to glaring headedly at their visitor.

"So what do you want now?" John demanded, his eyes narrowed to slits as they looked into the golden gaze of Atlantis' wraith ally.

Todd snarled, his temper exceedingly short right now given the circumstances. "I am in no mood for you at the moment, Sheppard, what I have come to tell you is of vital importance. Whatever grievance you have against me at this time will have to wait."

John glared at him. "Don't tell me what to do you bast -"

"That's enough, Colonel!" Woolsey interrupted him, shooting the military man a warning look. Turning his attention back to Todd, he nodded for the wraith to continue.

Toss let out a hiss and looked once about the room. Katherine was not in attendance; his concern mounted. He needed to know that she was at least alive and soon, his sanity hung by a thread that weakened the longer he remained unsure as to her fate. The quicker he informed the humans of the queen's planned attack, the more quickly he could discover what doom had befallen his Katherine.

The wraith looked at Woolsey. "The queens, for the first time since the end of the Great War, are working in cohesion. They are amassing a fleet as we speak; twelve hives, each accompanied by two cruisers," he glanced quickly around the table, letting his eyes linger on each individual before returning to Woolsey. "They mean to attack Atlantis."

Woolsey's mouth became a thin line as Todd's words sunk in. "You came here to tell us this?" he asked, not sure, completely, what the wraith's motivation for telling them this was.

Todd inclined his head. "I have," he said before adding. "I had to tax my engines to their fullest capacities in order to reach your fair city before the queens fleet. Some…damage was done, but now you are aware that -"

"So glad that you came all this way to tell us this," John scowled, Todd's head snapping in his direction. It was so typical of the wraith, to tell them something this big and then run. "I don't suppose you plan on sticking around this time to help us with -"

"Actually, Sheppard, I do."

John stared at him. "What?"

Todd cocked his head to the side and came around the end of the long table in front of which he stood and everyone else sat. Advancing on Sheppard, the wraith sneered down on him contemptuously. "The queen's attack on this city can be attributed entirely to its dealings with me and mine. My honor behooves me to defend it since, without you, your team and Atlantis herself, I would not be in the position of power that I have come to be in," Todd reached Sheppard and stood straight, towering over the human who had shrunk back into his chair away from the imposing predator.

John blinked and swallowed. Their frequent interactions with Todd had allowed him and everyone else to develop a sense of familiarity with the wraith that made him seem, the longer they knew him, less dangerous. John was reminded now, as Todd bore down on him with a malicious I-will-eat-you-if-you-piss-me-off gleam in his eye, that the creature standing not two feet in front of him was, in point of fact, the single most terrifying, scariest, horrifying and most bad-assed individual that had probably ever lived. It would not be good for John's health to anger him any more then he already had.

John clamped his mouth shut.

Having watched Todd the already pissed off about something wraith silence colonel Sheppard rather easily, Woolsey cleared his throat and brought the wraith's attention away from the cowering colonel and back to him. "So," the director started, folding his hands across the top of his ever present files and folders. "You're planning on helping us defend the city. That's very generous of you."

Todd snorted and, with one last snarl in Sheppard's direction, turned his attention to Atlantis' leader once more. "Yes," he said. "As I said, you would not currently be in this situation if not for me."

Woolsey studied him. "And how, exactly, do you plan on doing that?"

Todd opened his mouth.

"How much time do we have?" Lorne asked from the far side of the briefing room table.

Todd quickly did the calculations in his head. "By my estimate, you have no more than three days before the queen's fleet arrives."

John choked on his tongue. "Three days!" he sputtered. "That's not enough time to -"

"Another three of my hives are currently on approach and should arrive sometime in the next hour. They are bringing with them technologies that can be used to better improve our chances for survival."

Woolsey peered at him. "And what sort of, technologies, might these be?"

Todd let out a long low breath through his nose. "Various things that I have been…collecting for some time now," he looked at Woolsey. "Your planet Earth has ships does it not?"

Cadman nodded. "Yeah," she said, frowning. "But if, like you said, we've only got three days, that's not enough time to go to Earth, get the Daedalus, the Apollo and maybe the Odyssey and then bring them all back -"

"The journey from your planet of origin to this galaxy could be made in less than a day if your ships were outfitted with the correct hyperdrive systems," Todd informed them smoothly.

The humans stared at him. "Come again?" Lorne asked, looking as utterly and completely confused as everyone else.

The wraith smirked. "I have in my possession three Lantean hyperdrive units salvaged from three of their war ships," he turned his golden eyes onto the balding man sitting at the head of the long, low, wooden table. "I even have the necessary means to power them to their fullest capacities. With them, your ships could easily arrive here in time to be of use."

John gawked at him and so did, everyone else. "You…" the colonel squinted at him. "You've been planning this for a while haven't you?"

Todd rolled his shoulders. "I have, many times before now, considered the possibility that the queen's might try and eliminate me as a threat by attacking Atlantis. It was necessary for me to have the means by which to adequately enhance this city's defenses so, yes, I have been preparing for this eventuality for some time now."

"Well," Cadman squeaked, looking around. "It's nice to know that you have our back. Really this time."

Todd hissed and inclined his head, falling silent.

Woolsey stood and cleared his throat. "You'll excuse me," he said, gathering his folders and reports. "I have to go inform the SGC that we're about to be attacked," he paused at the door to the briefing room and turned back. "Colonel Sheppard, as commanding officer of Atlantis, it might be prevalent if you are there with me."

John nodded and stood, following Woolsey from the room. When both men were gone, Todd let go of a heavy breath through his nose and turned to gaze intently at Major Lorne. "Katherine?" he breathed urgently, knowing that no other question was needed.

Lorne rolled his eyes. "Figures that you'd know something was up," he said resolutely before getting up and motioning for the wraith to follow him. "Come on, you're not gonna like this."

Swallowing his apprehension, Todd fell into step besides the major as the female called Cadman left her seat and trailed along behind the both of them. He was lead to a part of the infirmary that he had never before visited and then, into a room whose entire north wall was made of glass. Turning to the two humans that had allowed him to enter first, he lifted one eye ridge in question as to what they were doing here.

Lorne's feet felt heavy as they trudged over to the switch on the wall that would turn on the lights in the isolation room. As they flickered to life and illuminated the room below, Todd stepped up to the glass and peered downwards. The sight that met him, stole his breath away and turned his blood to ice.

"What has happened?" the wraith choked out, his tongue feeling thick in his throat; his entire mouth swollen.

Lorne came to stand beside him and gazed downwards at Kate. The eerie sound of the respirator filled the air and sounded, to him, like nails on a chalkboard. "We accidently got transported to another reality," the major explained, nodding down to the woman who lay prone below them. "The you that was there, did this to her."

Todd's head whipped around to face the human's, his eyes wide, disbelieving and horrified. "I did this?" he asked, the timbre in his multi-toned voice reflecting the pain he felt at having been told this.

Lorne shook his head violently. "No," he said sternly. "Not you; just someone who looked like you, talked like you and acted like you."

The wraith nodded and returned his gaze to Katherine. Her chest rose and fell only because of the machine that forced her to do so. This was why he could not sense her, she would be dead if not for the artificial means that kept her life sustained. "What did he do to her?" the distressed wraith whispered aloud, stepping closer to the glass and reaching out his feeding hand to press, palm flat, against the barrier that separated himself from his Katherine. "Why is she like this?"

"He raped her," Lorne supplied the answer for him, watching as his fingers flexed and his nails dug small gauges in the glass they rested against. "Not her body mind, but her -"

"Her consciousness has retreated in on itself," Todd filled in the explanation, understanding what had been done to her and why he could not hear the echoes of her thoughts any longer. He turned to the human who was Katherine's dearest friend. "Why was it done?"

Lorne shrugged. "I don't know," he said honestly. "We think, that it probably had something to do with what he wanted from her."

"Which was?" Todd asked soberly, desperate to know the reason for which his Katherine was attacked so brutally.

Lorne looked at the floor and refused to answer.

Todd snarled. "Major -"

"The same thing you want from her," Cadman answered him and the wraith rounded on her, his eyes narrowed to slits. "Only," she continued, "The other you doesn't have the same restrictions that keep him from taking it."

Todd understood what they were trying to tell him. The him in this other reality had desired her, sought to take her and when Katherine had fought back, tried to make her by delving deep into her mind. Todd growled; he would see this other him pay for this most dearly. "The means by which you traveled to this other plane," he looked at Lorne. "It is readily accessible?"

Lorne frowned. "That depends," he squinted at the wraith. "What exactly do you want to do?"

Todd advanced on him. "I would speak to this me that did this to her."

Lorne swallowed. "I'm not so sure that that's a good idea," he said. "You could -"

Todd reached out and grabbed the major by the throat, lifting him upwards until only the tips of his toes were still on the ground. "I cannot undo the damage that has been done if I do not know exactly what was done to her," he sneered and dropped the human who stumbled back from him and reached up a hand to massage his neck. "You will show me."

Mutely, Lorne nodded having never seen the wraith this angry before now not even when they'd told him that Kate had been captured when they'd been trying to find the spy in Larrin's mine. "Alright," he said eventually, equaling the intensity of the wraith's stare and sending it back to him. "Come on, the mirror's this way."

Todd nodded once and followed, Laura Cadman trailing along behind.

~xXx~

Spurred on by the story the John Sheppard with two eyes had told them, the John Sheppard with one eye had decided to go ahead and try to set up a peaceful meeting between himself and Todd the revenge crazy wraith. It hadn't gone well and in fact, the eye patch wearing former military leader of Atlantis was now the prisoner of the aforementioned wraith who was, at the moment, interrogating him and his men in a room that had once been, John realized, Rodney's lab. The grilling session was going fairly well, all things considered, for them, when one of Todd's sub-commanders came in and interrupted them.

"Commander."

Todd turned from his questioning of the human he had once foolishly given the gift of life to, and affixed his attention on the sub-commander who had interrupted him. "Yes?"

The younger wraith bowed low and then leveled his eyes with the elder wraith. "Commander," he began. "The mirror that the travelers recently came through, it has activated."

Todd's left brow ridge rose up. "Has someone come through?" he asked, knowing of no other reason why the transportation device would turn on unless, someone was using it to transverse the distance between realities.

The subordinate wraith nodded.

Todd's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"Me."

On the other side of the interrogation table, hands and feet bound and chained to the floor, John felt his eyes widen as another version of Todd walked dangerously into the room being led by another one of their Todd's junior officers. The new wraith looked, if at all possible, even more menacing then their version and it occurred to John at that moment, that he looked very, very angry.

The wraith stared at one another. The native Todd spoke first.

"I have been expecting you," he said, his agitation and nervousness visible only to his wraith and the other him.

The visitor growled darkly and flexed his fingers, his golden eyes narrowing. "Have you?" he hissed, tilting his head to one side to study the wraith who was, in appearance only, his mirror image. "Then you know why I am here?"

The native Todd bowed his head. "I do," he answered and, this time, the former Atlantians colonel was able to detect a certain note of fear in his tone.

The human wondered what he had to fear from this other him and what he had done to deserve it.

The visiting wraith took a step towards the one that had harmed Katherine. "She will not wake," he snarled softly, venom and spite dripping from every syllable. "Machines breath for her, force her body to sustain itself and live or else she would vanish from this existence!" the advancing wraith stopped once he was toe to toe with his other self. the accused wraith shrank away from him; the human's all stared.

Rage pulsed through Todd's veins as he bore down on he who had transgressed so heavily against _his_ Katherine. "Her mind has retreated inwards on itself, locked itself away. I cannot hear her, cannot feel her, her presence is gone from my mind and I want it back," he darted out a hand and placed it, feeding slit down in threat, on the chest of the other wraith and pushed him backwards so that he was forced to bend away from him before collapsing partially on the table behind him. "You will tell me what you did to her and your reasons for it or, for your transgression, I will drain you dry!"

Todd has known that this was what was to come and he had prepared for it. Katherine's Valloran would kill him, of that he was certain, if he did not provide for him a way to restore her to perfect health. As steadily as he was able, the wraith's flicked downwards to catch sight of the hand resting maliciously on his sternum before he brought his eyes back up to the face of the one that held him, poised to strike if necessary.

"I desired her," came his answer, carefully prepared and phrased. "As do you."

Todd snarled and pushed down harder on the lesser version of himself. "My desire for Katherine stems from a set of circumstances and events that you could not possibly understand."

At the table, John felt his one remaining eye widen in absolute shock as he realized who the two wraith were talking about and what was going on. Kate, something bad had happened to Katie Beth and his Todd had done it, whatever it was, and the other Todd, her Todd, was pissed off about it. Pissed off enough to kill his Todd in order to avenge her. Suddenly, the former colonel was all too willing to believe that in their reality, Todd the wraith really was their ally and friend.

The native version of Todd swallowed hard and could not help the dissension he felt towards this other him who had come to allow a human female to mean so much to him. "Yes," he said. "I know. You…care for her."

Todd growled dangerously and flexed his fingers on the other's chest, digging the digits into the leather of his double's battle-coat. "I do," he admitted freely, feeling no shame in that well known and acknowledged fact. "Katherine is, to me, most precious," he hissed and bore farther down on the other him. "You will tell me what it is that you have done to her and how to reverse it."

The native Todd nodded and straightened to a standing position after the visiting version of him stepped back to allow him to do so. "You will not like what it is I have to tell you," he opened, crossing the room they were in to retrieve something from another table. Picking up the blade in his hands, he turned back around to face his twin. "Her body responded to mine but her mind, her heart, refused me."

Todd sneered, his lip curling. "And so you tried to force her to accept you?" his anger increased almost tenfold.

The other Todd nodded. "She did not want me, she told me this," he fixed the mirror him a pointed look. "Her body responded to mine only because I am, in appearance, the same as you."

Todd hissed and growled threateningly. "But you are not me."

"No," the native Todd confirmed, feeling highly resentful of the confession. "I am not."

Todd let out a breath of air through his nose and crossed his arms. "And so, when she refused you, when she told you that you are not me and so, therefore, she did not want you, you attempted to persuade her that you and I are in fact the same by probing her mind."

He nodded. "I looked for whatever it was that was stored within her that made her think us both different."

Todd let loose another growl this one, however, much softer then it's predecessor; Katherine desired him still, wanted him still, it was a matter that would have to be resolved once she had awakened. "Did you find it?" he inquired of the other wraith.

The native Todd nodded. "I did," he turned the full brunt of his gaze onto the mirror him. "After I broke through her defenses, I saw her memories, memories with you in them. I saw her through her eyes, how you look at her, what you say," he paused for a few scant seconds before continuing. "She has your devotion, your fidelity and your affections. I knew that I could not replicate that."

John choked on his tongue at that, his eyes wide. Both wraith ignored him.

"Yes," Todd replied, honestly. "Katherine is…deserving."

The second wraith harrumphed and crossed his arms, eyeing the version of him that had come through the mirror and threatened his life. "She has your heart," he accused, the corners of his mouth twitching both upwards and downwards. It was a difficult concept to grasp: any version of him caring that much for a human, even one such as she.

Resigned, the visiting wraith lowered his eyes to the floor and let out a sigh of regret. "I have no heart for her to have."

The other wraith snorted. "You may think that, but, I have seen different," he eyed the other him who, he was sure, believed what he had said: that he had no heart to give her.

Todd hissed. "Be that as it may," he looked at the second him. "I believe that, knowing what has been done to her, I can reverse the damage you have done," his eyes narrowed and he took one threatening step forwards. "However, if my attempt fails and she dies, it is you that I will hold to blame."

The wraith nodded, knowing that this would be the case. The visiting Todd turned to go and, at the last moment, the native version of him called him back.

"Wait."

Todd turned, his eyes narrowed at his twin; one brow ridge raised.

Pulling out the object he had retrieved earlier from a pocket in his battle-coat, the other wraith held it out to Katherine's Valloran. "Here," he said as the other wraith took back the blade that he had forged for her. "Return this to her. It was…wrongfully taken."

Todd nodded and pocketed Katherine's lotlorian blade. Inclining his head once to his twin, the wraith turned on his heel and swept from the room leaving silence behind him.

~xXx~

Even Vincent Isaac Lorne was nervous and frightened. Nervous that Colonel Sheppard or Woolsey was going to finish talking with Stargate Command before Todd got back and find out where their wraith had went and frightened of what Todd the pissed-off-don't-fuck-with-me-now-I-will-eat-you wraith would do to the other him in the mirror reality. For the past forty-five minutes, he'd paced back and forth in front of the destabilizing wall in the dead end corridor while Cadman watched waiting for Todd to get back. He was giving both he and she a headache.

"He'll be back," Laura said confidently, watching Lorne turn on his heel and start to walk back the way he'd just come for what had to be the thousandth time or so. "He will."

Lorne groaned. "Yes, I don't doubt that," he said mournfully. "The question is, will he be back before Colonel Sheppard or Woolsey finds out where he wen -"

At that moment, the wraith walked through the wall and Lorne stopped pacing, turning to him in relief. "Oh thank God!"

Todd harrumphed. "indeed," he hissed, already turning his steps to the infirmary. "Come," he called back to the humans who leapt to follow after him as he quickened his pace impatiently. "I believe that I may know how to awake -"

"Major Lorne, Ronon and Todd, please report to the gateroom for immediate departure. Major Lorne, Ronon and Todd, please report to the gateroom for immediate departure."

The group of three froze in their tracks and looked up as the message played out twice over Atlantis' city wide speaker system. Lorne turned to Todd.

"Well," he said, turning towards the nearest transporter. "Looks like Woolsey's okayed your plan to make our three-oh-fours go supersonic. We should probably -"

"But what of Katherine?" Todd asked, his concern for her overriding all other thought. "I must -"

"We have to defend the city first" Laura interrupted, trying to calm down the wraith who looked like he might explode. "Kate'll still be here when you get back and besides, if we don't find a way to save Atlantis, she'll die here same as the rest of us whether she's awake or not."

Todd hissed in agitation but, unfortunately, the female was right. "Very well," he ground out tersely, abandoning his previous heading for the transporter that Major Lorne had already begun to walk towards.

The three of them arrived in the gateroom less than five minutes later. Colonel Sheppard and Woolsey where waiting for them.

"Where'd you go?" John asked, one eyebrow raised in question before he added. "Your wraith arrived by the way. They're over there," he nodded towards the gateroom steps. "I'm not too happy to see the left one just FYI; Ronon's not thrilled either."

Todd glared at the human but, nonetheless, turned his head in the direction that Sheppard indicated. Sure enough, both his eldest and Romulus stood off to the side whilst several humans made ridiculous efforts to skirt around them as they bustled about the busy central control tower. He returned his gaze to Sheppard. "Your Setedan friend will have to get over it," Caavin and Romulus joined him as he refocused his gaze on Woolsey. "We have are traveling to your Earth, then?"

Woolsey nodded, his mouth set into a grim line. "Yes," he said stiffly. "It would seem as though General Carter has decided to give your plan a go," he looked up and nodded to Chuck to begin the dialing sequence before looking back to Todd. "I don't have to tell you to hurry. Time is of the essence."

Todd grunted. "No," he said sardonically. "You do not."

And with that, he turned on his heel and marched through the gate. He came out on the other side and was immediately targeted by an entire squadron of humans with guns. Growling and curling the right side of his mouth upwards in annoyance, Todd raised both his hands, palms facing outwards as Sheppard had once told him to always do when faced with this situation.

The humans did not lower their weapons.

"Hold your fire!" a female voice screamed and Todd recognized the blonde haired woman that entered the room from a door on the left. She was followed by a grey, almost completely white haired man and the ones called Mitchell and Daniel whom he had met previously. The wraith hissed.

"Whoa," Lorne yelled as soon as his feet touched the ramp. He came up behind Todd and was joined by Todd's son and Ronon before the wormhole dissolved. "What a welcome."

Both wraith made snarling noises and Ronon grunted, crossing his arms.

Sam started towards them. "Sorry," she called out, her and her welcoming party stopping just before the Pegasus visitors. "We just weren't expecting him to be the first one through."

Todd made an undeterminable noise and snorted, his eyes fixing themselves onto the female who had once been the leader of Atlantis. "General Carter."

"Todd," she nodded to him, taking a step up to him at the same time. "So, I hear Atlantis is about to be attacked and that it's all your fault."

Todd growled menacingly. "If you must lay blame at someone's feet so be it; I do not care."

Sam was taken aback. "I was trying to make a joke," she peered at him, he appeared to be very agitated about something. "Apparently I failed."

Lorne nodded. "Oh yeah," he patted Todd on the shoulder. "Now's not the best time to make jokes with him."

Mitchell snickered, wondering if there ever was a good time to joke with Todd the wraith. "Why?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

Todd shot him a look that would've killed a horse, said nothing, flexed his hands and snarled. "May we get on with it?" he snapped. "I must return to Atlantis as quickly as possible."

Caavin turned worriedly to his sire. His progenitor was quite obviously eager to return but for what reason and to what end, the younger wraith did not know. All he did know was that the wraith who had sired him was currently blocking his thoughts and emotions from him which was odd.

"Sire?" he questioned. "What is -"

"I do not have time to answer pointless questions," Todd interrupted Caavin's queries into his state of mind. He turned to the earth humans. "Now, my wraith will be coming soon with the necessary equipment to upgrade your ships. It would be best if I lend my assistance. Shall we get on with it?"

Sam nodded mutely and held out a hand, gesturing for him to walk before her before she followed and led him to the transport room where both he and she were beamed up to the Daedalus and then back down to Area Fifty-One.

Back in the SGC gateroom Jack, who had watched Carter leave with the wraith, turned back to the Atlantis lot. "Charming fellow your Todd," he said sarcastically. "Is he always so pleasant?"

Caavin shook his head. "No," he said, come of his concern bleeding through his voice. "Something troubles him. Greatly."

Mitchell bounced on the balls of his feet. "Gee," he said darkly. "Wonder what that could be? He lose another hive again or something?"

The colonel started to laugh but stopped when he saw the look on Lorne and Ronon's faces. "Guys," he asked. "What's -"

"Kate's in a coma," Lorne deadpanned, watching as the smile melted off Daniel, Mitchell and General O'Neill's faces. "The only thing keeping her alive is a respirator. She can't breathe on her own, her EKG is blank and, medically, she'd brain dead."

Caavin felt as though someone had stabbed him through the stomach. He might have been persuaded by Romulus to withdraw his suit for Katherine's hand because of his sire's greater affections for her but, that did not mean that is own concern and care for her had lessened any. "How did such a thing happen?" he demanded, not bothering to hide the worry he felt for her from these humans. He did not care what they saw or what conclusions they drew because of it.

Ronon rolled his shoulders. "She, Lorne, Rodney and Sheppard accidently went to another reality. Something bad happened and now, she won't wake up."

Daniel fidgeted. "Well, is she going to be alright?"

Ronon shrugged. "We don't know," he said, stepping away from the gate and following Lorne and the others towards the briefing room.

Caavin's eyes narrowed as he fell into step at the back of the procession. "There is something that you are not telling me," he said, growling softly. "Something to do with how and why Katherine was injured."

Mitchell squinted at him. "Hey," he asked, both curious and annoyed at the same time. "Why the hell do you care?"

Caavin snarled at him. "Katherine is important to me," he snapped darkly at the human who's eyes widened fractionally. They had achieved a room in which a long table sat, the wraith turned his gaze onto the one that had questioned him. "Her health and well being are a concern of mine."

Mitchell blinked at him. "How important?" he asked, sitting down on the briefing room table. "Important like she's your friend, important like she's valuable to you or important as in you like -"

"I do not know the equivalents to any of your meanings," Caavin interrupted him, eyeing him steadily. "She is important to me, that is all you need to know."

Mitchell opened his mouth again, Lorne cut him off.

"He likes her," Lorne supplied for the confused Colonel Mitchell who couldn't seem to grasp this concept. Lorne remembered that neither he, Daniel or General O'Neill knew that wraith and humans were compatible; their confusion made more sense now.

Jack's eyebrows went up. "Likes her?" he echoed. "As in likes likes her?"

Caavin snorted. "I do not believe that that -"

"Yes," Lorne interrupted him, shooting the wraith a glance. "He likes likes her. He and his sire have that in common."

Daniel crossed his arms and rested his chin on his hand. "I'm sorry," he said, questioning. "You're sire?"

Caavin nodded. "Yes, my sire. Katherine is important to him as well, more so then she is to me."

Mitchell, Jack and Daniel were all very confused. Lorne sighed.

"He," he said, gesturing at the wraith who was standing between he and Lorne. "Is Todd's oldest son."

A chorus of gasps went up around the table and Mitchell, who was closest to the wraith, peered at him. "You know," he said. "You do sorta look like Todd," he frowned. "But I thought that wraith couldn't, you know, make babies the same way we can?"

Caavin's right brow ridge went up. "You doubt our ability to reproduce successfully?"

Mitchell fidgeted. "Not so much reproduce as -"

"Engage in sexual congress?" Caavin supplied for him, thinking that he understood what the human was trying to insinuate. His eyes narrowed at the affront to his stature as a male. "I assure you, that we are most able to perform adequately enough and to a desirable end."

Jack looked down at the table. Discussing wraith sexual habits had not been on his list of things to do today. He tried to steer the conversation back to what he was really concerned about; Kate. "so," he said slowly. "Kate's going to be alright, right?"

Ronon shrugged. "I already said we don't know," he grunted.

Daniel sighed, worried for his friend. "Well then, what do you know?" he asked. "Haven't you tried anything -"

"Of course we've tried things!" Lorne yelped, annoyed and angry at the same time. What a stupid question. "We've tried everything but it's not that simple."

"Why not?" Jack asked, looking between Ronon and Major Lorne. "What, exactly happened to her?"

Lorne fumed, pressing his lips together and narrowing his eyes to slits. "Her mind got raped," he said, watching the looks of horror cross everyone's faces at the same time; even the wraith's. "Her consciousness has retreated in on itself, that's why her EKG scan comes back negative. She's hiding."

"Todd thinks he can fix her," Ronon added, rolling his shoulders and he leaned up against a wall. "That's why he's in a hurry to get back so fast."

Mitchell frowned. "Why does he care what happens -"

"I have already told you that my sire's affections for Katherine run deeper and more strongly than my own," Caavin snapped at the ignorant human. "What part of that do you find so difficult to grasp?"

Mitchell rounded on the condescending wraith. "The part where you say Todd likes her because, the last time I saw him and her together, they spent nearly the whole time fighting and arguing with one another."

Caavin's lip circled upwards but, before he could retort, the one called Daniel spoke up.

"Yes, but he also saved her when we saw him last," he reminded Cam calmly. "He protected her from Arius."

Mitchell snorted. "Protecting someone is not the same as caring about someone -"

"Katherine has my sire's heart," Caavin countered, smiling smugly when his announcement seemed to completely stun the room full of humans. "Is that good enough for you?"

Jack's eyes widened. This was new, this was very new and, also, very disturbing.

Daniel frowned. "Are you telling me that Todd is in love with Kate?" he asked, not quite sure that that's what the wraith had meant.

Caavin hissed. "Your human word, love, is inadequate and does not properly denote the depth of the affection I can assure you my sire holds for Katherine of Atlantis."

Daniel and Jack sat back in their chairs, stunned. Cameron, not so much.

"But it wouldn't work out right?" he asked, looking squarely at the wraith. "I mean, even if he does love her lie you claim he does, it wouldn't work out because humans and wraith can't do -"

"Ah, actually," Lorne stammered, really not wanting to go into this right now but knowing, given what they were all discussing, that it had to be done. "If you're thinking that us and wraith can't do that then, um, your very wrong."

The color drained from Cameron Mitchell's face. "You mean," he swallowed. "Wraith and humans can -"

"If, again, you are referring to carnal copulations," Caavin picked up over the human. "Then you must know that there is not that much difference between your species' anatomy and ours. They fit together quite…admirably."

Daniel turned blushed crimson, Jack looked down at his hands and Mitchell blanched.

"I'm gonna be sick," he groaned, drooping his head into his hands. "I mean really, how more wrong could you possibly -"

"How more wrong what?"

The room full of males looked up. Sam and Todd had returned and below them, in the disembarkation room, dozens of wraith drones and Atlantis personnel, Rodney in the lead, were taxiing Ancient hyperdrive parts through the gate to the drop zone to be picked up by the Daedalus and then beamed to Area Fifty-one for reassembly and integration.

"Nothing," Lorne said, trying to get the subject changed.

Sam raised an eyebrow.

Daniel looked up at her. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

Sam shook her head. "Okay," she turned to Todd. "Well, you're good to go. McKay'll get everything installed and then we'll be there to join you in no time."

Todd inclined his head, remained silent but sent Major Lorne a look that clearly said 'hurry the fuck up let's go'. Lorne leapt up as did Ronon and the two of them, Todd and his eldest son all took their leave. As soon as they were once more in the Pegasus galaxy and on Atlantis, Todd turned his footsteps towards the infirmary while, behind him, Major Lorne followed.

~xXx~

_"Katherine, Katherine answer me, respond to me. Katherine. Katherine…"_

There was nothing but darkness inside of her mind and, in as he sat floating in nothing, Todd felt that nothing pressing in on him from all sides, drowning him. There was no trace of her, no echo, no imprint of her spirit at all. It was like her essence, her very should had simply vanished. Todd pressed forwards, seeking. He would not lose her, he could not. He would find her and bring her back, bring her back to him and keep her safe for always; never letting another hurt her this profoundly ever again.

_"Katherine, hear me. Answer me please. Katherine, my Katherine, please, please. Respond to me…"_

There, he found it, hidden it the very darkest recess of her consciousness, a glimmer, a flicker of light; a spark. It was enough. Todd travelled towards it, extending the tendrils of his mind, seeking, reaching. He had to reach her, had to draw her back out, he could not lose her, he could _not_. Without her, he was lost. He had to -"

"What the hell do you think you're doing!"

Todd was abruptly yanked away from Katherine and, as he lost contact with her skin, so too was the connection he had to her mind terminated. Snarling, he came out of his own mind and rounded on the angry humans that had dared to interrupt his attempts to bring back his Katherine into the realm of the living.

"YOU!" he screamed, his eyes turning amber in uttermost fury. "WHY DID YOU STOP ME!"

John glared at the alien. "You were in her mind," he accused the wraith who looked about ready to eat him right about then. "The last time a you was in her mind she wound up brain dead. Do you honestly think I'd let another you muck around inside of her head again? Lord only knows what would happen th -"

"I was trying to draw out her consciousness, Sheppard, you insignificant, insufferable, moronic human!" Todd screeched, his hands both clenching into fists in rage. "You and your foolishness may well have cost me the only chance she has of recovering from -"

"My sister doesn't need your help; you're the one that did this to her!"

Todd snapped and reached for the infuriating male with his feeding hand; he would kill him if the human stood in his way. If Sheppard prevented him from healing Katherine, then Todd would do all that was necessary to see him removed from the equation and taken out of the -

"Todd! Colonel!" Jennifer screamed, interrupting Todd's train of thought as she came bursting into the isolation room followed by Lorne, Ronon and Woolsey. "What do you think you two are doing? You're disturbing my patient. Get out, the both of you! Get out, get -"

"He was fucking around inside of Kate's mind making things worse!" John interrupted Mrs. McKay's rant, pointing an accusatory finger at the wraith who hissed and snarled at him more venomously then he ever had before.

The new arrivals all turned to Todd. Did they believe the colonel? No, but they _were _curious as to what he had been trying to do. No doubt he had been trying to fix her but how he thought he could do that by once more invading her mind when that is what had gotten her like this currently escaped all of them. They all shot him expectant 'explain yourself' looks.

Todd was so angry he was having trouble seeing straight. "I was not making things worse, on the contrary, I was trying to draw out her consciousness from its hiding place in the deepest recesses of her mind."

John glared at him. "And what makes you think Kate'd come out for you?" he demanded, irked that the wraith would think that Kate would respond to him when she hadn't done so for her brother or any of her friends.

Todd rounded on him. "I was almost there, Sheppard. I had found her, I could have drawn her out if you had not interrupted -"

"Oh please," John cut him off. "She hasn't moved. Not even a twitch. What's to say that you're not just saying that so that you can justify whatever the fuck you were doing rooting around inside of her -"

"Colonel Sheppard."

John's rant wound down and he turned to Jennifer who had removed the tube from down Kate's throat and turned the respirator off. His eyed widened. "She's -"

"Breathing on her own," Jennifer finished for him, her eyes flicking upwards to Todd whose own golden gaze was in turn, transfixed to Kate's face. "It would seem as if Todd's probing did some good after all."

John sputtered incoherently. "We can't know if his messing was the reason why she started breathing normally again," he protested. "For all we know -"

"We might not be able to prove it, Colonel," Woolsey interrupted him, shooting the man a compelling look. "But, I've learned not to take things like this as coincidence. It is very probably that Todd's excursion into her mind in the attempts to heal her has partially been able to do so as we can see."

John yelped. "But -"

"No buts', colonel, we haven't the time," Woolsey looked at him. "We're due for a dial in from the SGC in a few minutes and I'd like you to be in the gateroom with me. Dr. Weir will be returning seeing as she has survived a wraith attack on Atlantis before. General Carter has also approved the use of Asgard beaming technology and Ancient shield to be installed in those hives which will be helping us to defend the city," he looked pointedly at Todd. "With the understanding, of course, that all of the technologies be returned to us after the battle is over."

Todd inclined his head. "So be it."

Woolsey sighed. "Well then, there's a lot to do. The Daedalus, the Apollo and the Odyssey will be arriving shortly and we will need to land your hives along our piers in order to make the upgrades. There is still, the subject of a battle plan to pursue."

Todd grunted. "But Katherine -"

"Will still be here when and if we survive the queen's attack," Woolsey belayed him. "The best way for you to help her right now would be to do everything in your power to ensure that we all survive this now, let's go. There's work to be done."

Woolsey left and, slowly, the others followed him until only Jennifer was left. Taking a deep breath, she went to check on Kate one last time, making sure that she would, in fact, continue to breath fine on her own. When the doctor was sure that she wouldn't have a relapse, she turned to leave but stopped when she thought she heard something. Turning back to the bed, she walked closer to Kate and leaned down, putting her ear directly over her friend's mouth and listening. When several minutes passed and she heard nothing, Jennifer shrugged and retreated, figuring that she had imagined it.

As the door shut behind her and Kate was left alone in the darkness, her eyelids fluttered and a sigh escaped her lips.

A sigh that sounded a great deal like 'Valloran'.

~xXx~

"It's quite the sight isn't it?"

Woolsey nodded, agreeing with Dr. Weir. At the moment, the two of them were on the balcony of the control tower looking out on the city below them. Four hives sat perched on Atlantis' four piers and, in orbit above the city, the Daedalus, Apollo and Odyssey stood ready, already in position and battle charged. It truly was a sight to behold.

It was also ironic as all get out. Todd, Woolsey had learned, was the one who had sunk Atlantis in the first place so the irony in him now defending it from his own wraith was not lost on anybody. Still, that didn't change the fact that Richard Woolsey never thought he'd see a sight like this in all his life.

"It is," he agreed, his eyes scanning the activity below them. "It really it."

Elizabeth sighed and leaned forwards, resting her forearms on the railing. "I can't believe that he's doing this," she looked at him. "I mean, I know that he has a history with John and with all of you, but don't you find his willingness to defend Atlantis so readily and to such an extent a little odd?"

Woolsey sighed and lifted his gaze to his predecessor's predecessor. "No, I don't," he said bluntly. "Not knowing, as I do, why he's really doing all of this."

Elizabeth frowned. "And what _is_ he really doing all of this?" she asked.

Woolsey took a deep breath. "Besides the obvious - we're his reason for being as powerful as he currently is - he's doing this for Major Sheppard."

Elizabeth's frown deepened. "Kate?" she questioned, turning from the view to look at Mr. Woolsey. "Why would he go through all of this for -"

"He is protecting all that she holds dear, Dr. Weir," he interrupted her. "By defending Atlantis he's trying to ensure that those she loves, those that are most important to her as well as the only real home she has ever known survives. He is doing this, quite frankly, because he loved her."

Elizabeth's eyes widen to the point where they were almost painful. "loves her?" she echoed. "That's going a bit far don't you think?"

Woolsey shook his head. "No," he answered. "I don't."

The sincerity in his voice shook Elizabeth to her very core and then, at that moment, she believed it all to be true. "Well then," she turned to once more look down into the activity that was going on below them. "He's doing a good job."

Woolsey took a deep breath as, he too, went back to observing the ongoing preparations for battle. "Yes he is," he agreed, softly. "Yes he is."

The wind whipped around them, carrying up some of the noise from below and, together, the two people let themselves get lost in the moment and their thoughts as the minutes and hours until the queen's fleet arrived quickly ticked away.

~xXx~

"Commander, we are ready."

Todd nodded at his second in command and took his place at the helm of his hive. Around him, in space, his other three ships as well as the human manned vessels also numbering three sat in a blockade formation directly over Atlantis. Many hours of careful planning in which time he got absolutely no sleep had led to this moment. The queen's fleet was being tracked by Dr. McKay in the city below and Todd, even at this critical moment, found his thought wondering to Katherine. He had been denied any more opportunities to see her as preparations for the battle to come stretched onwards and he lamented the fact that, if he were to die and she were to one day wake on her own, he would never again have the chance to speak to her or to give her his farewells.

He would miss her when he journeyed to the beyond and, if he was permitted, he would wait at its threshold for the day she joined him so that he might be with her for always. It hardly mattered to him whether his eternity with her was in this existence or the next. So long as she was by his side and whole, he would be content and happy.

He prayed, to whomever would listen, that he would see her again when this was all over.

"Three minutes," Dr. McKay's voice echoed over his hive's communication system and Todd stood straighter, his hands gripping the sides of the controls at which he stood. "Two minutes. One minute. Five, four, three, two…"

As his intelligence had told him, twelve hive each escorted by two cruisers all exited hyperspace at the same time. Todd readied himself and gave the command.

"Open fire."

The queen's fleet was too far out to attack his or the human's ships but, with the added technology of both the Lanteans and the Asgard, his ships were not and they wasted no time in pressing this advantage. Through his viewing screens and sensor outputs, Todd saw that at least one of the queen's ships was hit and damaged irreparably. He hissed in pleasure, the attack was going well.

"Commander," Kenny hailed the Eldest. "The queen's cruisers, they are in range."

"Allow them to go after the human's smaller ships. Keep firing all batteries at the hives."

Kenny nodded and relayed the order.

Outside, in space, the cruisers found and zeroed in on the Daedalus, the Apollo and the Odyssey, giving chase to them quickly. As soon as they had encircled the three ships, trapping them, two hives uncloaked and opened fire, destroying all by four of the cruisers. Weakened, the line retreated back to their flanking hives and joined in the barrage of energy fire that was directed at Atlantis' defenses.

The blockage tightened, the ships moving closer together to prevent one of the cruisers or perhaps even a hive from breaking with the offensive line and making a run for the city. The plan worked for quite some time before, one of the hives at the very end of the queen's line broke formation and made a beeline for the planet.

Todd saw it and ordered a communiqué be sent to Atlantis to warn them.

"Our communications is out, Commander," his communications officer informed him and Todd snarled.

"Then concentrate all fire on that ship. It cannot get past us."

His wraith all nodded and responded to their superior's commands.

~xXx~

"We've got a problem!" Rodney screamed, motioning Woolsey and Weir over to his computer to show them what he'd found. "one of the hive's if breaking formation. They're making a run on the city!"

Weir looked over Rodney's shoulder. "They'll send darts in first," she said, recalling the last siege she went through. "Is the shield up?"

Rodney nodded and checked it's power leveles. "Yes, yes it's up; all three ZedPM's functioning at full capacity."

"What if they run into us?" Woolsey asked, fearing the worst as he watched the beeping red dot that was the oncoming hive get closer and closer to the green dot that was Atlantis, it's speed increasing. "Can the shield survive that?"

Rodney shook his head. "They wouldn't be that stupid," he said as he tapped his screen, whizzing though half a dozen programs at once all designed to up the city's power output. "Here come the darts!" he announced.

Sure enough, seconds later several dozen thuds and bangs sounded outside as the first wave of darts made it's kamikaze run on Atlantis and impacted with the city's shield. Walking out onto the balcony, Elizabeth looked up at the orange rings that spread out from the various points of impact like ripples coming of a pond.

"I never thought I'd see this again," she whispered under her breath as her eyes darted about, taking in all of what was happening around her.

Woolsey joined her, his hands behind his back. "I had hoped to never see it," he said softly.

Elizabeth nodded and glanced at him before retuning her gaze upwards to the shield.

"Ah guys," Rodney called out loudly, his palms growing sweaty and his eyes widening in horror as they looked at his screen.

Elizabeth and Woolsey abandoned their posts on the balcony and returned to the control room, both coming up behind Rodney and looking over his shoulder to see what was going on.

"What the…" Woolsey muttered, his eyes growing wide. He looked down at Rodney. "I thought you said that they wouldn't do something this foolish?"

Rodney ignored Woolsey's question and immediately began turning off all non-essential systems within the city in order to send all available power to the shield generators. Sitting back in his chair and holding up his hands he said, "That's it, that's all the power we've got."

Elizabeth's mouth thinned. "Let's hope it's enough."

Woolsey nodded. "Yes, let's hope. Chuck," he turned to the young man who at loyally maintained his post in the control for as long as Woolsey had been here. "Patch me into the city wide communications system."

Chuck nodded and tuned the city to the correct frequencies before nodding back to Woolsey.

The man cleared his throat. "Attention all personnel. There is a hive headed straight for us who mean to, we believe, crash directly into us. We have done all can be done and channeled all power into the shield however; it would be best if you all braced yourself for impact and pray, to whomever might listen, that we survive this."

Chuck turned the city's speakers off and put both hands on his control console, bracing himself while, around him everyone else did the same. Rodney began to count down the time remaining until impact and Elizabeth, Woolsey and countless other people closed their eyes and waited.

The hive collided with the shield and broke apart on impact, bits of the wraith vessel splintering off and flying every which way, splashing down into the ocean and creating huge waves that farther rocked the city to and fro upon the water's surface. Those who were standing as the hive crashed, were thrown from their feet to the floor, some knocking their heads against walls or control consoles, others simply becoming entangled in their neighbors. When it was all over, and the city stopped rocking, those that were still conscious all pulled themselves up and looked around.

Atlantis was still standing, but one look outside revealed that the shield, which had begun to flicker, was failing.

"Rodney!" Elizabeth called, dragging herself up into a standing position and staggering over to the scientist's terminal. "The shield!"

Rodney blinked, dazed, and whipped blood out of his eyes that was currently oozing from a laceration on his forehead. "I know, I know!" he shouted, quickly performing a scan after hitting his laptop in order to turn it back on. "I'm working on it."

"You might want to work faster, Dr. McKay," technician Banks called out, righting herself and sitting back down at her post, ignoring the splitting headache that was pounding away inside of her head. "According to my sensors, another hive is breaking formation. They're making another run on us."

Rodney panicked. "No, no, no!" he screamed, desperately looking for more power somewhere inside of the city. "There's no power! That last hit drained us dry, we've got nothing left to punt into the shield."

Woolsey hefted himself up off the floor and half crawled half walked over to his head scientist. "Isn't there anything you can do?" he asked despairingly, clutching the back of Dr. McKay's chair in order to keep himself from falling over.

Rodney shook his head. "No," he wailed. "There's nothing, no way I can…" he trailed off, an idea occurring to him. "Zelenka!" he screamed into his radio, abandoning his chair and running haphazardly from the control room. "Radek!"

"What Rodney?" his fellow scientist responded, sounding weary and hurt; he probably was.

"Is the ZedPM recharger still in the ZedPM room?" he asked, bolting around a corner on his way to the central power station in the lower levels of the city.

There was a pause and then, "Yes, it is but I don't see -"

"Plug it in and pull the ZedPM's!" Rodney ordered, sprinting around another corner and al but jumping down a flight of stairs. "There's another hive headed straight for us!"

A curse sounded on the other end of his radio, one that Rodney had heard Zelenka say a lot in his native tongue and still didn't know what it meant. "I'm on it," the physics replied in English. "But get down here, I'm going to need your help if we are to power the ZPM's in time."

Rodney huffed and slid around a bend in one of Atlantis' curvier corridors, banging into a wall before pushing himself off and continuing on in his mad run. "I'm on my way," he answered. "Just be ready when I get there."

Zelenka confirmed that he would and then terminated radio contact as Rodney slammed into the transport, closed the door and pressed the correct part of the screen. The instantaneous travel couldn't get there soon enough and Rodney steadied his erratic breathing as the doors opened and he went sprinting off down another corridor again.

~xXx~

Hissing in frustration, Todd growled as he turned to his communications officer. "Well?" he demanded. "Did Atlantis survive?"

The junior wraith nodded, tapping his screen and pulling up the most recent scan taken of the planet below. "Yes, commander."

Todd let out a sigh of relief; Katherine was safe at least for now. "Do we have communications yet?" he inquired of his bridge officers.

Again, the wraith inclined his head. "Yes, Commander," he answered. "Would you like me to establish a -"

"Patch me in to Atlantis," Todd ordered and then stepped down from his helm pedestal and over to his broadcasting devise. "Atlantis, please respond."

There was a gargling noise and then Mr. Woolsey's voice answered his inquiry. "Todd," the human hailed him. "We're still here."

Todd harrumphed but before he could reply, was cut off by another voice, this one the irritated Dr. Rodney McKay. "Thanks for the warning by the way," the human scientist complained. Todd thought he sounded stressed. "Our shield is down and we've got another hive on it's -"

"What!" Todd interrupted him, growling. "There is another -"

"Commander," one of his weapons officers called out. "The fleet is fracturing, breaking apart in order to surround our individual ships and prevent us from continuing to uphold our blockade."

Todd snarled. "Never mind that," he snapped, crossing the bridge and shoving his weapons master from his station, taking over from him in the monitoring of the positions of the other hives in the space around them. "There," he pointed, indicating the second hive that had set itself on a collision course with Atlantis. "We must stop it."

"We cannot," Kenny replied. "Our long range weapons are out. We have no way of -"

"Then set a collision course, we will do the same to them as they would do to Atlantis."

Kenny's eyes widened. "Commander," he said. "We would be unlike to survive such a -"

"DO IT!" Todd screamed, his eyes flashing red. He would defend Atlantis to the best of his ability and if that meant sacrificing his own life then, at least Katherine and her city would be safe.

Kenny nodded and input the new directions into the hive's navigation systems and, steered the ship towards the enemy; leveling their course with the queen's hive so that they would crash into the rival hive's left flank. There was a greater chance of survival in this point of impact than in any other.

Todd returned to his helm, standing behind it proudly while ordering all power to be diverted from non essential systems and redirected to hull regeneration and shields. His second was right, they were unlikely to survive this but, his decision stood sound. He would protect Atlantis, he would protect her.

_"Katherine,"_ he whispered with his mind, calling down to the woman who lay sleeping on the planet below. _"Forgive me. Katherine, Katherine…Forgive me…"_

As his ship neared the descending hive, Valloran, eldest of wraith, closed his eyes and braced himself for impact.

~xXx~

_"Katherine, Katherine…Forgive me…"_

Kate woke screaming, her pulse high, her heart racing inside of her chest, a feeling of utter loss and deprivation clenching around her heart and squeezing, causing ache and a pain more profound then she had even before known to take over her. Crying out in anguish, she sat up and looked frantically around the room she was in, her eyes meeting nothing but darkness and the sterility of the infirmary's isolation room. Gulping a huge breath of air inwards to her greedy lungs, she tried to calm her erratically beating heart but failed. Something was wrong, something was desperately wrong and she had no idea of what it -

_"Katherine…Katherine…I shall miss you. Goodbye, my Katherine. Forgive me, Katherine, Katherine…"_

The voice echoed inside of her mind and Kate felt her blood turn to ice. A deep, mournful scry erupted from her mouth and spilled forth, consuming her with regret and the deepest, darkest despair that she had ever known. "Valloran," she whispered. "Valloran…no!"

Shutting her eyes as tears came to them, Kate threw her covers back and tried to get out of bed only to stumble on weakened legs and collapse to the floor. A loud boom sounded around her and, startled, Kate raised her head and then pushed herself up, steadying herself as she staggered over to the door. Opening it, she moved forwards as if in a trace until she came to the infirmary proper and, moving over to the widows along it's east wall, looked upwards, her mouth falling open and her eyes growing painfully wide.

Above her, the city's shield glowed brightly, while still farther up, in orbit, a large explosion streaked through the sky turning the surrounding atmosphere first orange and then red as it burned with fire. Kate felt her throat constrict, more tears coming to the back soft her eyes and pooling, threatening to fall.

"Valloran," she whispered with her voice before adding mentally_, "Valloran, answer me. Please answer me. Please, please…I can't lose you."_

There was no immediate response but, then, in the deepest part of her mind a tiny, almost unheard echo of Todd's mental voice answered her. _"Katherine?"_

Kate sobbed in relief and reached out a hand to steady herself with, resting it against the min entrance to the infirmary. Her cry, evidently, was heard by some of the nurses who were not outside on the infirmary's balcony looking upwards with all the others. Marie turned at the sound of someone weeping and took in the very much awake and relieved looking Major Sheppard who was standing behind her, opening crying.

"Jennifer," she called, coming out onto the balcony and grabbing the woman by the arm. Pulling her inside, she nodded towards the newly awakened woman in concern.

Jennifer's eyes widened and she walked over to her friend, both relieved to see her awake and worried at the state she was in. "Kate?"

Kate looked up at her. "What's happening?" she asked, holding Jennifer's eyes steadily with her own. "What's going on?"

Jennifer sighed. "It's a long story," she said softly, reaching out to take Kate by the arm and gently try and get her to lay back down. "Why don't you rest for a bit and then I'll tell you -"

"No!" Kate said angrily, jerking her arm out of her friend's grasp. "Tell me now. What's going on?"

Jennifer shot the stubborn woman a look of resignation. "We're under attack. The queens," she explained tiredly. "Todd came to warn us and he's up there now, trying to defend us. It's not going so well…"

Kate's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, it's not going so well?"

Jennifer opened her mouth, not really sure of what to say, and then closed it; looking down at the floor.

That was all Kate needed to know. Turning around, the woman made to exit the infirmary but Jennifer held her back.

"Kate!" Jennifer called out desperately. "Kate, wait. You just woke up, you need to -"

"I can't do nothing!" Kate screamed at her, backing away from her friend who she knew was only trying to help. "I have to do this Jennifer," she said pleadingly. "Please."

The doctor in her yelled and screamed at her to tie Kate down and make her stay out of the fight but, the friend in her knew that the young woman standing before her was right; she wasn't meant to sit back and do nothing while the people around her fought for their lives. She had to do this. "Be careful," Jennifer beseeched her, pleading with her eyes to her friend to be caution and to not do something stupid.

Kate smiled and reached out to lay a hand reassuringly on the doctor's shoulder before she turned on her heel and ran towards her room.

~xXx~

On the Daedalus' bridge, John, Ronon and Teyla watched in a mix of horror and fascination as Todd's hive broke away from their blockade formation and made a beeline for the kamikaze hive. When the two wraith ships crashed into each other, John felt his eyes go wide and his heart rate speed up, his mouth dropping open.

"Holy shit!" the colonel yelped, turning to his equally disbelieving and surprised teammates. "Did you see…? Why the fuck would he do something stupid like that?"

Ronon shrugged, his own eyes wide as well. "Maybe his weapons were out?" he suggested, staring out the window at the sight; wholeheartedly stunned.

John turned to Caldwell. "Can we hail them?" he asked, "Make sure they're okay?"

Caldwell nodded. "Open a channel," he ordered before asking. "Daedalus to Todd's hive, if you can hear this, please respond."

Silence followed the attempt to communicate and John anxiously bit his nails wondering how he was going to explain Todd's death to Kate is his sister ever woke up. Then, just when he was beginning to lose hope and Caldwell had repeated his plea, the hive responded.

"Colonel Sheppard," Kenny's voice came over their channel loud and clear. "We can hear you."

John felt some of his worry bleed away. "Where's Todd?" he asked, curious to know if the wraith had survived the impact and, however reluctant he was to admit it, worried that he hadn't.

There was a pause and then, "The commander has been injured. I have had him transported to the medical bay."

John's stomach dropped down to his toes. "Will he be okay?" he asked, anxious.

"You need have no worries about him dying, Colonel Sheppard," Kenny responded. "At least, not due to the injuries he has sustained form the crash. All of our systems save for short range commutations are offline. We cannot defend ourselves."

Caldwell sat up straighter in his chair. "We'll see what we can do about that," he said before opening another channel to the Apollo. "Ellis, this is Caldwell. Todd's hive is dead in the water, we need to form a defensive barrier while they try and make repairs."

"Copy that, Daedalus, will do. Ellis out."

Caldwell nodded and returned to talking to Kenny. "Will that do?"

"Yessss," the wraith hissed on the other end of the open channel. "Your efforts on our behalf are…much appreciated."

John crossed his arms. "Well, we're all in this together now so it'd be kind of stupid to let you all fend for yourselves now."

"Yes, it would," Kenny replied and then the channel went dead.

John turned to Caldwell and bowed his head as the Earth made ship joined up with its sister ship and took up their protective positions around the defenseless hive.

~xXx~

"Well?" Woolsey asked, his voice pitched in worry. They on Atlantis had all been stunned to see Todd's hive veer off course and collide with the attacking hive. Now they were all waiting to find out if he and his crew at survived the impact or not.

It would be a pity if they didn't. Woolsey had come to understand in the past few months that Todd and his wraith had every potential to be the best and truest allies that Atlantis would ever make.

They also had the potential to be the best friends.

Rodney tapped hurriedly away at his scans before stilling his hands and looking up to his director's eager face. "All life signs accounted for on Todd's hive, minimal life signs detected on the other one."

Woolsey let out a sigh of relief. "That's…" he took a deep breath. "Good to know."

Elizabeth agreed. After all that Todd'd done for them and now with this, her reservations about how much faith Atlantis had in the wraith had vanished. She had been as worried to know if he'd survived as everyone else had been. 'What else Rodney?" she asked, peering over his shoulder. "Can you tell how much damage has been done to his hive?"

"They're dead in the water," the Canadian replied, bringing up another set of scan results. He frowned, "Whoa."

Woolsey eyed him. "What is it?" he asked, worried that something else was about to happen in the skies above atlantes.

Rodney twisted around in his chair. "Atlantis' sensors can distinguish between normal wraith like Todd and drones," he gestured at his screen which currently showed all ten remaining hives. "These seven," he pointed at the seven hives that made up the first line of attacking ships, "Are all manned by drones and only drones." He pointed to the other three hives that sat behind the long line of seven. "These three, there the only ones with signatures on them from normal wraith."

Elizabeth straightened up and turned to Woolsey. "Those must be the hives that the queens are on," she concluded. "They're controlling the other seven hives. That's why they made those suicide runs; they're not worried about loosing anyone important."

Woolsey nodded, his own mind working furiously. "So if we can destroy the three hives in control then the ones with drones on them will loose directive and fail. Rodney," he turned back to the scientist. "Can we communicate this to the blockade?"

Rodney shook his head. "No, unfortunately not."

Elizabeth frowned. "Why not?" she asked. "Are our communications out?"

Again, Rodney shook his head. "Our communications are fine," he said sourly. "It's everyone else's that are shot. I mean, even if we wanted to we couldn't get a message to them short of -"

"But we need to take out those hives," Woolsey interrupted him. If we don't, then Atlantis is done for."

Rodney scowled. "Well don't look at me," he complained loudly. "I'm fresh out of stupid, crazy deranged ideas that could possibly save all of our -"

"I've got one."

Everyone is the control room froze and turned simultaneously towards the owner of the voice. Everyone's eyes widened. Major Sheppard stood there, geared up and in uniform looking particularly menacing and yet somehow diminished all at the same time.

Woolsey took a step towards her. "Major Sheppard," he greeted, looking her over. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be -"

Kate's glare cut him off. "I said I've got an idea," she said, walking towards him, Rodney and Weir. "You want to hear it or not?"

Elizabeth looked at her in sympathy. She knew that the young woman was just like her brother in that, even having just awoke from a coma, she couldn't just sit around and do nothing. "You shouldn't be here," she said gently. "I know you want to help but you can't -"

Kate turned her steel grey eyes onto the auburn haired woman and silenced her with a look. "Fucking try and stop me," she challenged. "You'll fail."

Elizabeth gulped and shrank away from the woman around whom violence hung like a shroud.

Woolsey sighed. "Major Sheppard," he implored before switching his tactics. "Kate, I can't let you -"

"Um, you might wanna let her do whatever it is she's wanting to do," Rodney interrupted, looking around at the two people who were just plain idiots for trying to stop Kate from trying to have a part in this fight. "One of Todd's hives just blew up and anther one isn't doing so well either. We're losing the battle here so, maybe it wouldn't hurt to let her try."

Woolsey considered this and decided that, Rodney was right. "Very well," he turned to the still somewhat pale woman. "What's your plan?"

Kate smiled and walked forwards, stopping behind Rodney between Woolsey and Weir and pointed to the screen. "We take a jumper, cloaked of course, up to these three hives, plant explosives and detonate. Problem solved."

Elizabeth shook her head. "That's crazy, it'll never -"

"Actually," Rodney said thoughtfully. "It might," he looked around at everyone. "The hives are busy fighting one another. A clocked jumper could easily get past their defensive line and make it to the queened hives. It could work."

Woolsey let out a deep breath, at this point in the game, willing to try just about anything. "Take a team," he instructed Major Sheppard. "Good luck."

Kate nodded and retreated, calling to Cadman on her radio and already making a beeline for the jumper bay.

"You really thing her idea has a chance? "Elizabeth asked Woolsey as soon as she was gone.

The director of Atlantis shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know," he said wearily. "But, right now, it's the only plan we've got."

~xXx~

"You know, you're brother's gonna throw a fit when he finds out you went straight into battle the moment you woke up."

Kate snickered and threw a glance towards Cadman who was in the jumper seat next to her, a smirk on her face. "Well, John's just gonna have to get over it," Kate said as she steered the jumper in and out of the fighting going on around them. So far, her plan was going well and they'd been able to move freely about undetected. She just hoped that things kept going well.

As they cleared the line of seven hives and what was left of their cruiser escorts, Kate thought that it looked like it might and so, made a beeline for the dart bay of the nearest hive. They were in within ten minutes and out even faster, the first of the charges set in the forwards most battery station. Guiding the jumper out of the first hive, Kate pointed it towards the next one. Landing in the dart bay and cloaking the ship, she got up from the pilot chair and turned to her team.

"Alright," she said. "We do this same as last time; go in quietly, set the charges and then get out," she started walking, "Now let's go."

Cadman, Sergeant Waters and Lieutenant Cole followed her, all of them on alert and tense, just waiting for part of their plan to go wrong because they all secretly knew that it would. Nothing was easy in this galaxy, nothing and so far they'd sailed though this plan without even a hiccup. Something was bound t go south either while they were on this hive or while they were on the next one. Hopefully, though, they were able to set their charges and rig them to blow before that happened.

All four of them crossed their fingers.

Kate pressed her back against a wall and leaned cautiously around a corner, checking the hallway outside the main artillery's power room for any wraith patrols that might be coming by. The coast was clear and so she waved her team onwards, she and Cadman taking up defensive posts at the doors while Waters and Cole duck out their supplied of C-4 and wired the explosives together and then to the detonator.

"We're done, Major," Cole whispered, grabbing the rest of the C-4 and getting to his feet.

Kate inclined her head and then looked to Cadman who gave her the 'all's clear' signal to move out. Stealthily they exited the battery room and began to head back to the dart bay. They almost made it, coming around the last corner, they ran smack dab into an oncoming patrol of drones who, upon seeing the humans, immediately opened fire.

"Down!" Kate screamed, ducking behind a organic formation that was protruding from the mist covered floor. Pulling out her Traveler made gun, she peered around the growth, took aim and fired. She hit one drone in the chest and felled him but it wasn't enough. They were outnumbered five to one and Kate knew that she had to make a decision if any of their efforts were to be worth something.

"Cole, Waters," she called out over the din of weapons fire. "Go back to the jumper, Cadman and I'll cover you. Get clear and then detonate, it's the only way."

Waters shook his head. 'We're not leaving you Major," he vowed. "We'll get through this together we just -"

"Kate's right," Cadman argued. "It's the only way. Go, we'll draw their fire. Go!" When the men still didn't move she put on her best commander face and screamed, "That's an order Air Men. Go, now!"

Cole and Waters shot both women regretful looks but did as they were told, scrambling out from behind the protective growth at the same time as Cadman and Kate stood, fired two shots at the drone each and then turned tail and sprinted off down the corridor.

As planned, the drones followed and Kate and Cadman made sure that their turns were erratic as they races through the halls of the hive. They were almost convinced that they might just be able to circle back around t the dart bay and grab a transport when they came around a corner and ran right into the hive commander, his second and the queen.

"Shit!" Kate exclaimed as she and Laura skidded to a halt and became surrounded. The three elite wraith to their front and the drones to their back, the two women had nowhere else to go.

Hissing at the two female humans that had come to be on her hive, the queen stepped forwards and looked carefully at both of them before focusing her eyes on the darker haired female. "Katherine of Atlantis," she growled softly, drawing out the female human's name. "So pleased to finally meet you."

Kate sneered at her, her lip curling. "Charmed."

The queen laughed a little before whipping the mirth from her face and returning her attention to the defiant female. "What are you doing on my ship?" she asked, compelling the weaker human with her mind to obey her and answer her.

Kate hissed through her teeth and stood fast, pushing back with her own mental prowess and forcing the queen to withdraw from her mind with a painful squeal of protest. "Oh," she answered cavalierly, "Just thought we'd stop by for a visit. Say hi…"

Cadman snickered; even when faced with certain death, teasing the wraith was a hell of a lot of fun.

The queen snarled as she was expelled from the human's mind in a show of force that she had not counted on. Spitting angrily, she glared back at the female hatefully, resenting her her strength and abilities even as she knew that these were the qualities that had made Katherine of Atlantis so very well known to the wraith. It was these traits that had caught the Eldest's eye, these traits that held his attentions and these traits that had managed to do what no female wraith had ever managed in over seventy-eight thousand long years: tame Valloran.

"My sisters will delight in punishing you for your defiance," she informed the prideful female who could well be used to bring down the Eldest once and for all. Katherine of Atlantis was of more value to him then the whole of the city around which she and her sisters orbited. It was this human that she now had in her custody that could bring the mighty Valloran to his knees.

"Commander," the queen said aside to her lord. "Have this one and her companion transported to the primary's hive. My eldest sister will know what best way to use her to our advantage."

The male nodded and bowed to his queen and mate, ordering the drones to capture both females and drag them after him to the dart bay. Once they were on board his transport, a short communication was sent to the primary hive to inform them of both their coming and of their capture before he ignited the engines and took off.

They were met, in the dart bay of the first hive by both its queen and it's commander.

"Ah," the primary said, stepping forwards and regarding the two human females that had been brought before her. "So you are the Eldest's whore," he looked the dark haired female up and down. "You are not very much to look at. I wonder, what his eyes see in you?"

Kate snarled and struggled against the drones that held her but, weakened as she was form her coma, she could not pull out of their grasp. Still fighting, she silently prayed that Cole and Waters would hurry up.

Her prayers were answered and, as the primary queen continued to hiss and come towards her, a loud explosion rocked the ship they were on and, from outside the dart bay doors, Kate, Cadman and the wraith all saw the two hives that they had placed explosives on blow up, the explosions temporarily blinding all that watched.

"No!" the queen wailed as soon as the flashes faded from her vision and she could see once more. Angrily, she rounded on the two humans, they were smirking, looking quite pleased with themselves. "You both will pay for this!" she screeched in furry. "Bring them!" she ordered and turned, trusting her order to be obeyed without question.

She would make the one called Katherine suffer most keenly for this. She would make the Eldest pay by bring down harm onto the only female to have ever brought him to heel .She would have her revenge. Turning to the drones that brought along the black haired female, she smiled cruelly. "Tell me, human," she asked. "Can you run?"

~xXx~

They were out of options and had nothing else to try. Every trick had been pulled, every avenue explored; they were losing and there was nothing they could do about it.

"So what's the plan?" Ronon asked Sheppard as, around them, the Daedalus' lights flickered on and off and sirens wailed, screeching out the melody of their impending doom. It was annoying and so not the last thing any one of them wanted to hear before kicking the bucket.

John shook his head. "I don't know, Chewie," John answered forlornly. "I think we're at the end of the road here."

Teyla sighed. "We tried our best, john," she said softly. "It was all we could do."

John and Ronon both nodded, even Teyla's reassuring words not making them feel better.

"So what now?" Ronon asked again.

"We give it all we've got," Caldwell replied, sitting up proudly in his control chair. "Navigation, set a collision course for the nearest hive. If we're going down, we can at least take as many of them with us as we can."

"Navigation set Col -"

"Sheppard," Ronon called, nodding out the front window of the ship as two of the three hives that had stayed behind the main defensive like for the whole of the battle, suddenly exploded.

"What happened?" Caldwell asked, taking in the sight. "What's going on?"

"Who cares?" John asked as he stepped up to the window and looked out, turning his head left and right in awe. "The whole fleet is going down. They're running into each other!"

Sure enough, the remaining hives that had formed and held up the line during the fight were now lost and were literally steering off course right into one anther like drunk goldfish. John wasn't going to ask how it was happening but he was glad. The one remaining hive jumped into hyperspace as all the ones that were left crashed and burned. Miraculously, the blockade had won.

How was still up in the air but, at the moment, nobody seemed to care.

Caldwell sagged in his chair, relief flooding. "Run a full diagnostic," he ordered before turning to his co-pilot. "Are communications up?"

She shook her head. "No colonel, they're not.

"Well get them up we need to be able to talk to everyone else."

Captain Evans nodded and began the proper procedures. "Power levels are climbing colonel," she announced.

"Good," Caldwell sighed, getting out of his chair and turning to Atlantis' military leader and his team. "Com you have command," he said before adding. "Beam us down."

A bright flash of light engulfed them and then the four of them where in the control room. A much banged up looking Todd, Woolsey, Elizabeth and Lorne were waiting for them.

"What's up?" John asked, grinning from the joy he was currently feeling at not being dead. "We won!"

Woolsey's mouth was pressed into a thin, grave line. "Yes, we did, but at a high cost."

John waved it all away. "Yeah but, we're still here so that's gotta be worth some -"

"John, there's something you should see," Elizabeth interrupted him, looking at him gravely. "something you all should see."

John frowned and looked at Todd. The wraith hissed and glared back at the human. "Do not look to me. I was informed that my presence was required in the city. No one has yet specified to me why."

John's frown got deeper. "Guys," he looked around, Teyla, Ronon and Lorne looking as confused as he was. "What's going on?"

Elizabeth sighed. "This way," she said and started walking. Todd, Teyla, John, Lorne and Ronon followed her. Once they were within sight of the infirmary, Elizabeth could tell based on various gasped, whispers and groans that everyone now knew that there was something disastrously wrong.

"Here," she said, stepping back and showing them into the main infirmary. They entered and Lorne let out a yelp as he espied Captain Cadman lying in a bed, the color gone from her face, her eyes red from crying and a large, white bandage wrapped around her waist.

"What happened?" Evan demanded, rounding on Elizabeth.

Jennifer came forwards, a clipboard held in her hands. "She's been stabbed. In the side, twice. Thankfully, the blade missed all her vital organs but she's lost a lot of blood and is very, very weak."

The group blinked at her.

"Jennifer," Cadman called weakly, opening her eyes and straining to sit up. "Jennifer I need to talk to Colonel Sheppard. I need -"

Jennifer went back to her side. "Laura, he's here. They're all here," she whispered soothingly. "Tell them what you need to say."

Cadman nodded at the doctor and turned her eyes forwards, seeking out her commanding officer. She found him, Lorne, Teyla, Ronon and Todd looking back at her and she choked back a new onslaught of tears. "Colonel," she whispered breathily. "Please forgive me. Please, please forgive me."

John came forwards, upset by his soldier's apparent anguish. "Forgive you for what, Cadman?" he asked gently, coming to a stop at the foot of her bed.

Cadman sobbed openly and uncontrollably. "For not being able to s-save her."

John frowned, confused. 'Save who?" he questioned.

Cadman was unable to keep going and dissolved into tears while John, his team and Todd all turned towards Elizabeth for the explanation.

Elizabeth took a great, deep breath and prayed that they'd all take the new well. "Kate woke up about two hours ago," she explained, watching as all of them but John and Todd in particular, looked suddenly very relieved. She was sorry to have to tell them this. "She woke up, saw what was going on and -"

"Wait, "John cut her off. "Are you about to tell me that my sister, who just woke up from a coma, went and did something stupid like jump head first into our little war?" he shot Elizabeth a pleading look. "Please tell me she didn't -"

"She did," Elizabeth interrupted him, the colonel and Todd the unhappy looking, bleeding wraith's eye widening in horror. "She and Cadman took a team and a jumper up to the three hives behind the main line. We figured out that those were the only hives with queens on them, the rest were crewed entirely by drones."

John swallowed, he felt like there was cotton in his mouth. "So…" he struggled to make himself form actual words and not to mumble incoherently. "So we won because my sister…where is Kate anyways?"

Todd looked around and wished to know that as well. He could sense her, feel her presence in the back of his mind but only barely. He did not see her and so he, too, looked questioningly at the one named Elizabeth. "Yes," he spoke, his voice coming out somewhat strained due to his recent injuries. "Where is Katherine?"

Elizabeth opened her mouth, found she couldn't answer them and fell silent; her eyes dropping to the floor.

John and Todd looked at one another. "Will someone please tell me -" the colonel began only to be cut off my a weak sounding Laura Cadman.

"The primary queen…wanted to make…her suffer," she gasped out, the effort to speak taking its toll. "They…made…they made…" Cadman broke off and tried to muster up the strength to tell them what cruel twist of fate had befallen Kate. "They…made…"

"They made her what?" John asked, his sanity hanging on by only a thread.

Cadman swallowed and summoned up the last ounce of her strength and answered him. "They made her a runner," she gasped out, her voice gargling with the tears she tried so very hard to swallow.

Colonel John Sheppard gasped and felt his heart nearly come pounding to a stop while, besides him, Todd the wraith's blood turned to ice in his veins and his eyes widened.

No.

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**A/N:** Reviews are how fanfiction authors get paid. Please click the button and reward me, I do so love hearing from you all and, this close to the end, I desperately want to know what all of you are thinking. Cheers!


	24. Seekers

**A/N:** Here you are my peeps, the next installment. As I mentioned in the author's notes portion of the last chapter, this one is relatively short so, for those of you who really like the mammoth chapters I apologize but in order to make three separate episodes, I had to break them somewhere and at the end of this one is the best place I could find to do it. That being said, I sincerely hope you all enjoy it and look forwards to hearing about how much you did or did not like it when I receive your reviews. I just know, deep down in my heart that every single one of you will pay me for this one and click the little rectangular button down there eat the bottom. Read, review and enjoy everyone! Cheers!

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**Episode XXIV: Seekers**

Pain. Desperateness. Sorrow. That was all she was capable of feeling, all she knew and all she had known for days now, possibly weeks, she wasn't sure. Time had no more meaning for her, day or night, it made no difference, it was all the same. The suns beat down on her while the moons and stars lit up the paths she ran. No matter where she was or what world she traveled to, despair controlled her, fear drove her on and only the barest echoes of his presence inside of her mind kept her from surrendering completely.

_"Katherine, Katherine…Do not give up hope. Do not give in. I am coming for you, I am coming. Katherine, Katherine…"_

Thunder boomed menacingly outside the crevice that she huddled in; lightning screaming angrily across the sky. The sounds of nature's elements doing their worst caused the woman to press herself more tightly into the tiny cleft between two huge rock formations that she had found when first the sky had begun to loose their furry. It was a pour shelter, the small space was too shallow to keep her dry, but it was the only one that she had found and the rock walls were round enough to trap at least some of her body heat; she wouldn't freeze to death and that, at least, was something.

The wind changed and the rain stopped beating against the rocks under which she had found shelter. Kate allowed herself to let go a sigh of relief as she felt some of the numbness that had come with being battered by gales of water leave her limbs. Wrapping her arms more tightly around her legs which she had brought up to her chest for warmth, she flexed her bare toes and sat her chin on her knees, looking down at herself. The wraith had removed everything from her that could have been used to her advantage before they'd set her loose. Her shoes were gone, her feet were covered in lacerations and bruises from her runs and at least one of her toenails was missing from each foot if not more; it was hard to tell under all the blood. All of her weapons had been confiscated, her radio was gone, her IDC device had been taken so she couldn't dial Atlantis even if she'd wanted to just to tell them that she was alright and the rest of her body was in just as bad a shape as her feet. The only thing she'd been allowed to keep were her pants, her underwear and the tank top that she'd been wearing underneath her BDU's. Even her bra had been taken away from her as the underwear in it could have been fashioned into some sort of weapon if she'd needed it.

Her situation was dire and, as the rain continued to pour down around her, the clouds roaring their torment at the loss of so much water, Kate let out an anguished sounding cry as she buried her face into her knees and rocked back and forth.

_"Katherine, Katherine. Do not give up. I am coming. Katherine, Katherine…I am coming…"_

"Hurry," Kate whispered into the night, her voice lost in the thunder before it could reach even her own ears. "Valloran, please, hurry."

~xXx~

When Laura Cadman had explained to them that Kate had been made into a runner Sheppard had, predictably, freaked and completely lost it. The military leader of Atlantis had been silent for all of thirty seconds before he'd grabbed the nearest thing he could find, which had happened to be a stool, and flung it out the infirmary window. Several people had then tried to calm him down and while everyone else was busy trying to make Sheppard feel better with reassurances that they would find his sister, Ronon had been looking at Todd. The wraith hadn't screamed, hadn't thrown anything and hadn't actually said anything at all. All he had done was stand there, a blank look on his face, for about a minute before he'd turned on his heel and left the infirmary.

Ronon had followed and he'd found the wraith one corridor over, standing with his hands behind his back while looking out of a window. Approaching cautiously, he'd stopped just a few feet short of the alien and looked at him.

"Yes?" Todd had inquired, his eyes never leaving the window.

Ronon had grunted. "They're going to go look for her," he told the wraith who, still, did not react.

Todd hissed. "They will not find her."

Ronon knew that, knew it because one, Atlantis didn't have the resources and/or abilities to track a runner this soon after having been attacked and, two, because he knew that Kate would be far harder to follow then even he had been. The woman knew how to survive, how to avoid detection and how to stay ahead of anyone who was hunting her. Her skills would keep her alive but, they would also make it nearly impossible for her friends to find her.

"No," Ronon had agreed, possibly for the first time in his life on the same page with Todd the wraith. "They won't. But we could."

Todd's head had turned from the window then and he'd looked at the Setedan a man who, on most days, tried to kill him at least once. "We?" he'd asked and Ronon was finally rewarded with some sort of reaction from him. There was hope in his voice, it was tiny and almost un-measurable, but it was there and so Ronon had kept on with his plan.

"I was a runner for seven years and you're you. I figure that, together, we have a decent chance of tracking her."

The wraith had considered this. "What makes you think," he'd said after a while, "That I need you?"

Ronon had taken a step towards him. "You're a wraith. If Kate runs into any people which, I'm sure she will, they're not gonna want to tell you anything. They will, however, talk to me."

Slowly, his eyes darting back and forth with the possibilities of this proposal, Ronon had seen Todd give in to his idea. "Very well," the wraith agreed. "You and I will track her but, I warn you human, slow me down and I will not hesitate to leave you behind."

Ronon had nodded, accepting the wraith's terms and held out his hand for the alien to shake. Todd had eyed him curiously and cocked his head to one side but, in the end, had extended his own hand outwards to seal their deal. It had been like this, the both of them still holding on to one another's forearms, that Sheppard, Woolsey, Weir and the others had found them. The new arrival's eyes had all opened wide in shock and their mouths had dropped open in stupefied astonishment. Ronon attributed the ability to explain their plan and then get quickly out of the city without anyone stopping to ask them questions or ask to come along with them to the fact that everybody was so stunned to have found him and Todd willingly touching each other after having agreed to work together in order to achieve something to protest.

The look on all of their faces had been priceless.

"Setedan."

Ronon's thoughts shifted away from the past and focused on the now. Todd, who was in front of him, had crouched down to examine something on the ground. Leaping over a fallen tree, Ronon went to join him and also crouched in order to see what it was that the wraith had discovered. "She's barefoot," he noted, looking down at the footprint pressed into the damp forest dirt. "And she's injured," he reached out and traced the outside of the impression without actually touching it. "She's running with the balls of her feet to keep the pressure off of her heels."

Todd grunted and stood, looking about him at the surrounding trees, trying to imagine Katherine running through them whilst being hunted by three or more wraith. He snarled and shook his head to clear it, the image was not something that he wished to dwell on; it would only make him angry which was something that he could not afford to be at the moment. All of his energy must be channeled into tracking Katherine, into correctly interpreting the clues that she left behind. He could ill afford to let rage detract him from his focus.

Ronon, too, stood. "They took her shoes," he frowned. "They let me keep mine."

Todd turned to him. "Katherine is not the same target that you were, Setedan. The wraith hunting her are not doing it for sport, they are doing it for revenge. I assure you, had you been found, you would have only been killed. If the hunters find Katherine before we do, death will not be the thing they offer her."

Ronon nodded, understanding. Death would be too easy; Kate was the sister of Colonel John Sheppard, not just some human that was stronger than most. She had value, importance and was a far greater conquest to the wraith then a normal runner would be. Ronon knew that if they did not find her first then rape would be the kindest of the many horrors that would be done to her before the wraith who found her brought her back to his queen and had her executed. For that reason, neither he nor Todd could afford to linger or to rest and more then was absolutely necessary in order to continue; they were racing against every other wraith in the galaxy and they had to find her first.

"Come," Todd said, moving on from their most recent find and one of their only ones. "We must go, Katherine cannot afford to have us stay."

Ronon took a deep breath and followed, his steps matching the predator's as the two of them continued to follow after Kate in her own footsteps.

_"Katherine,"_ Todd whispered with his mind to the heavens as he and the Setedan ventured on. _"Katherine…Do not give up. I am coming. I am coming. Katherine, Katherine…I will find you, I promise. Katherine…Katherine…"_

~xXx~

Kate ran, her arms and legs pumping quickly propelling her body forwards at an almost breakneck speed as she tore through the underbrush and thickets of the planet she had journeyed to. The wraith had been present on the last planet she'd gone to, they'd been there for a culling and Kate had unknowingly, literally, walked in on it. She had tried to hide, but the wraith on the ground had seen her and known her for what she was, _who_ she was, and they had followed; abandoning their harvesting of the humans native to that planet and chasing after her. Kate had ran for the gate as quickly as she'd been able and dialed a random address, not caring where the astria porta took her so long as it was away from here. Darting through the wormhole as soon as it'd been established, she'd come through the gate on this world and kept running, the wraith from the previous world following after her.

Branches and trees reached out their limbs to touch her, their twigs scratching her cheeks and arms, cutting her and drawing blood which ran down her face and other limbs without her heed to it. She couldn't afford to stop, she had to keep running, always running. She could hear the sounds of her pursuers coming after her, their heavy, pounding footsteps urging her to keep going and to ignore the burning in her lungs and the pain in the rest of her that was currently the least important of her worries.

She had to keep running and she did, weaving in and out of the trees around her so as to make it more difficult to follow her, jumping over logs and stumbling over rocks, never stopping, always running.

Always.

Jarrett and his brothers had been hunting for some time now. The woods around their village had always provided well for them in the past but now, for some reason, the animals that they searched for did not seem to be out and about. It was troublesome but, they could not return home without an animal into which to make a meal. Their father was too old to hunt and so providing for their family fell to them.

A sound stopped them and all three of the brothers stilled, their eyes darting about, their weapons held at the ready. A woman suddenly appeared, a terrified woman who ran wildly, constantly looking back over her shoulder for some as of yet unseen pursuers. Jarrett put himself into her path so that, when she stumbled, he was there to catch her and keep her from falling.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, helping her to stand upright as he looked into her fear filled unusually colored eyes. "What is it that you run -"

"Let me go!" Kate screamed, pushing herself away from the man who had caught her, that she hadn't even known was there until she'd collided with him. "Please, you have to let me go; you have to!"

Jarrett looked to his brothers confusedly. The girl, for she was a girl and could not be any older then twenty-five summers, perhaps twenty-six, was obviously afraid of something and he wished very much to know what it was so that he might protect her from it. She looked to be in bad shape, cuts and lacerations covered her exposed arms, face and throat, her bare feet were blistered and brushed and in need of bandaging. What could possibly have done this to her and what, was she so afraid of.

"I'll not harm you," he told her soothingly, clutching her shoulders tightly to keep her from running away. "Just, please, tell me what you are so afraid -"

"You don't understand!" she screamed at him, pushing away from him or at least trying to. "You have to let me go, they will kill you -"

A loud snarl echoed through the trees and Kate turned, still held in the man's grasp, to look behind her. Her eyes widened in fear: two wraith appeared in the distance, running straight for her. Turning back to the man whose eyes were now also wide with terror, she used his surprise to her advantage and wretched herself from his grasp, turning to face those that hunted her because she knew that now, having caught sight of her, there was no other way out of this.

The three brothers grouped together and hid, watching as the woman met the first wraith who came to her and, with deadly effectiveness, twisted past him and grabbed from his belt his own weapon, bringing it up in front of her and wielding it expertly. With but two blows the wraith lay dead at her feet and she turned the stolen blade onto the other one. This one was not so easy for her to fell and it took some effort. The wraith was able to cause injury onto her first, several times, before she was finally able to twist out of his reach and strike him the killing blow. Breathing heavily, the woman lowered the weapon and turned, taking one step before collapsing from exhaustion and the overwhelming pressure of the fear she had exhibited when first they had met her.

Slowly the brothers came out of hiding and approached her and the wraith she had killed. Few humans and even still fewer women were capable of doing what she has just done and with such viciousness and dangerous grace. Cautiously, Jarrett lowered himself down besides her and reached out to touch her face, his had drew back immediately upon the first brush of his fingers to her skin.

It was ice cold. The woman was in desperate need of care, her injuries had to be seen to and she needed a warm place to sleep in order to regain her strength. Carefully, Jarrett bend forwards to pick her up.

"What are you doing!" his elder brother, Kaylen, hissed furiously. "That girl's got wraith after her, we can't take her home with us. We don't know what she is!"

Jarrett stood, the woman now held carefully in his arms and turned towards Kaylen. "And what do you think she is brother?" he asked, narrowing his eyes reproachfully. "Some runaway worshiper or perhaps a companion?" he shook his head and nodded down at the dead wraith. "Do you know of any worshiper or wraith's whore that could do that?"

Kaylen shut his mouth and bowed his head. "No," he admitted resentfully.

Jarrett nodded. "Then she comes with us," he said, daring his younger brother Jaylor or Kaylen to argue with him. "Whatever she is, she's killed wraith and she's in need of some care and attention. Do you want it to be on your conscious if we were to leave her behind?"

Kaylen said nothing and Jarrett began to walk back towards their village while tightly cradling the unconscious woman to his chest. The journey back was made in good time and Jaylor ran ahead to inform their father and mother of what had happened. As such, Jarrett was met at the door to his house by both his wife, his mother and his aging pa. They all stood aside as he entered and lay her down on a bed by the fire that was always set up for when visitors came. Releasing her, he stood back and turned to face his family.

His wife, Sara, started in on him. "You go out for food and you come back with an injured woman?" she looked at him, her hands placed firmly on her hips angrily. "What good are you as a provider if -"

"Enough," Jarrett's pa said, turning to his middle son's wife and giving her a look as to quite her. "Your husband's a god man not to leave a lass such as this out in the forest alone. Be proud of his for it, don't condemn him."

Sara snorted and crossed her arms. "Any girl that's got the wraith after her can't be a god person to bring home," she glared at her husband's sire. "We don't know who or what she is."

"She's a runner," Jarrett's mother announced and all of her family turned to her. As soon as her son had relinquished the girl from his arms she'd gone to her and gently begun to wash her wounds and dress them. She'd had to turn the girl onto her side in order to get to one of the more serious gashes that covered her and that's when she'd seen it, the telltale mark that scared all runners; the place where their tracking chips had been put into their backs.

Sara scoffed at her motem-in-law. "There are no female runners," she said confidently. "The wraith don't have no sport in chasing them."

Ma turned to her and looked at her darkly. "She's got the mark, girl," she admonished her son's wife of whom she had never been fond. Sara was a beauty to be sure but she was foolish and often spoke without thinking first or considering the impact her words would have on those that heard them. "She be a runner, I'm sure of it."

Kaylen reared his head back in alarm. "Then we must be getting rid of her," he said. "She must be -"

"We'll be doing no such thing," Ma shouted, standing and placing her stout body in front of the unconscious girl protectively. "Any girl that's been made into a runner is no friend of the wraith and any girl that can kill 'em like you lot say this one has deserves to be cared for. She stays."

Sara and Kaylen knew better then to argue with Ma when she got like this so they left. Jarrett left too to tend to his wife while Jaylor took over the fixing of dinner leaving Ma and Pa and their only girl to tend to the woman.

"She's in bad shape, husband," Ma whispered sadly, tending to the girl's blistered and bruised feet. "Bad shape."

Pa nodded at his wife and reached out a hand to gently smooth the hair from out of the young lass' eyes. "She won't be making it much farther on her own," he said, stepping back and looking down on her in contemplation. "Mayhap it would be better if she didn't have to run alone?"

Ma looked up. "You thinking about going to fetch Kiryk husband?" she asked before returning her gaze down to the girl. "That'd be good for her. Kiryk would look after her, keep her safe."

Pa nodded. "Aye, he would," he sighed and headed for the door, his decision made. "You bathe her and get her warmed, I'll go and get Kiryk."

Pa left his house and headed to the tavern in town where he knew that the man would be. Ma watched him go and then went back to her bathing of the poor young woman who had done something so horrible as to anger the wraith enough to have this done to her.

~xXx~

She was warm, so warm, and the bed she lay on was soft, comfortable and inviting. Kate woke up in a panic after her fuzzy mind swam back from the realm of the unconscious and realized these things. Breathing heavily she sat up in the bed she was laying in and looked around. She was in a house, in a bed and by a fire which burned brightly. Panic continuing to course though her, she threw back the blankets that had been wrapped around her and looked down. Her feet had been bandaged as had her arms and shoulder, she had been bathed and she was currently wearing only a soft, finely woven linen shirt and her underwear.

Now, she thought to herself, would be a really good time to really panic but she didn't get the chance. A soft, gentle voice spoke to her and called her out of her terror induced state.

"Do not be frightened child," a kind womanly voice called out to her and Kate turned to see a portly middle aged woman and an equally rotund older looking man standing not too far off from her bed.

Kate drew her knees up to her chest in protection and looked around the modest looking house before returning her eyes to the couple. "Please," she said, her voice desperate. "You have no idea what you've done, you have to let me go. You have to -"

"We 'have to' do nothing," the man said to her, taking one step towards her. When she shied away from him he stopped moving and sighed. "Look, girl, we know what you are, we know you're a runner and we took you into our home anyways. My middle son found you while he and his brothers were out a hunting; we weren't gonna leave you outside for the wraith to find."

Kate blinked at the old man and let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. "But," she began, not having thought that there were people out there that'd go this far for a runner; nobody that Ronon had ever met had. "By letting me stay here, you might as well have invited the wraith -"

"That's enough girl," the woman interrupted her, understanding her fear and wishing for nothing more than to take it from her. "Like Pa has said, we know what you are and, if you were a man it might have been different but you're not. There's never been a female runner before and so we figure you must of done something bad to them to have them make you one. In our book, anyone done something that bad to the wraith deserves a hot meal and a change of clothes."

Kate swallowed and dropped her eyes to the foot of the bed where a bundle of clothing lay. Lifting her gaze back up to the couple, she mumbled out a response. "T-thank you," she said weakly.

The man nodded. "Good girl," he said, laying a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Ma, you get her dressed and give her the things he got for her. I'll be waiting downstairs with Kiryk and the boys; Sara's making something for her to eat."

Ma nodded and turned from her husband as he walked away, fixing her eyes on the girl who sat, unsure and cautious, in her marriage bed. "Here," she said, approaching the young woman and taking up the first of the clothes that she had brought for her. Holding out the fresh undergarments, she implored the pour child to take them with her eyes. "These be clean. I hope they fit."

Kate took the offered clothing and examined them. They were made out of softest linen and came in two parts; the Pegasus equivalent to a bra and panties. The bra was very much like the ones Kate knew Teyla wore and was a bandeau type top complete with underwire and that laced together at the front. The panties looked more like bike shorts and had a drawstring waist so that they could easily be pulled down. Kate ran her fingers along both garments and then looked up at the woman hoping that her gratitude showed in her face.

It did and the woman smiled warmly. "You just get dressed child," she said in a motherly sort of way. "Never mind me."

Kate nodded and stood, pulling the shirt over her head and lacing herself into the bra and later the underwear before turning back to the bundle at the foot of the bed. Reaching out, she picked up another linen shirt, this one died a light grey, and found that it was slightly courser then the one she'd just taken off. She figured this was because this shirt was meant to be warmer and Kate pulled it over her head without complaint. The rest of her outfit consisted of a pair of leather pants, a bodice and two, sturdy leather boots. When Kate was dressed completely, she turned back to face the woman who stood there holding a belt and several pouches.

Kate frowned. "What are those -"

Ma smiled. "These be some things for you," she said and, without production, began to buckle the belt around the girl's slender hips. Tightening it, she stood back and handed her the first pouch. "There be soap in that for you to be washing with, all you need is water and the lining of that bag is water proof so if you get wet you needn't worry 'bout all your soap going away."

Kate took the little pouch gratefully and attached it to her belt. The next pouch, she was told, had both a flint stone and a striker in it and the third item she was handed was a small, plain but sharp dagger that the motherly woman told her to place in her boot. Kate looked at it for a second longer then she had looked at any of the other items and thought wistfully of her lotlorian blade before she stooped and slid the dagger into position and then stood, feeling much more prepared then she had when she'd gated to this planet.

"We've got one more thing for you," Ma said as she took the girl by the arm and led her down stairs. "Besides getting some hot food into ya, we've got someone that might just improve your odds when you're running."

Kate's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean you've got someone?" she asked, confused. "I don't under -"

She froze when and the older woman entered the kitchen and saw the man standing there waiting for her. He looked rugged, like Ronon and stood about as tall with shoulders maybe just a little bit wider. Kate stared, she could swear he looked familiar, like she's seen his face somewhere but she just couldn't place it.

Pa looked over the girl who was now clothed and turned to Kiryk. The man had once been a runner, like the girl, but had had his tracker chip destabilized. He ran now, moved constantly from place to place, never staying long because, Pa honestly thought he had forgotten how not to. He'd been in their village only a few weeks and, when Pa had approached him at the tavern the night before and told him about the girl, he'd agreed to at least see her.

Kiryk could feel Aiden staring at him and so turned his gaze onto the young woman, girl really, that had just walked into the kitchen. She didn't look like much but then, he supposed that might be attributed to how injured she'd been when Aiden and his wife had taken her in. He thought they were foolish to do so but, looking at her, he could see a certain level of defiance in her eyes that made him think that maybe he would have done the same thing.

"Well?" Pa asked, anxious to know if the man would agree to go with her or not.

Kiryk sighed and turned towards the eager Aiden. "She don't look like much," he said, throwing a glance her way and waiting to see how quickly she would anger. "You're certain she's a runner? I don't see why the wraith would bother with someone like her."

Kate's eyes flashed but her body showed no other outwards signs of anger. "Maybe if you asked me my name," she said darkly, "You'd understand why the wraith have bothered to bother with me."

Kiryk turned to her. "Alight," he said, liking her already, "So what's your name love?"

Kate smirked. "Sheppard," she said and watched a glimmer of recognition flare to life not only in the man's eyes but also in the older couple's and the woman at the stove. "Major Kate Sheppard."

Kiryk opened his mouth to say something but Sara, Jarrett's mostly worthless wife, stopped him. Coming out from behind the stove, she stepped up, wide eyed to the woman and blinked at her several times.

"Yes?" Kate asked, curious as to why the young woman was looking at her that way; like she was meeting someone famous.

Sara stared at her. "You're Katherine of Atlantis," she whispered, her eyes wide. "I've heard stories about you. You're Colonel Sheppard's sister."

Kate nodded slowly. "Yes."

Ma's hand flew to her mouth. "Then that would be why the wraith be hunting you with such malicious intent," she looked at the girl who was no longer an unknown to them. "You're a prize to them."

Kate looked down at the floor. "Then I should go," she said.

Kiryk took a step towards her. "You'll not go alone," he said, his decision having been made as soon as he'd seen her reaction to him ridiculing her. She's reacted as a solider would and it had let him know that if he went with her, he wouldn't so much be protecting her as guarding her flank. That he could do and would do, gladly.

Kate rounded on him. "You're not going with me," she said darkly. "I don't think you have any idea how many wraith'll be after me because of who I am, what I did. You'll be -"

"I was a runner for three years," Kiryk told her, stepping up to her and holding her gaze with his harshly. "Don't you worry about me."

Kate sighed and backed down, knowing that she'd just gotten herself a running partner whether she wanted one or not. "Fine," she bit out tersely. "Can we go now?"

Kiryk smirked; she definitely had fire, this one. Running with her would certainly never be dull.

"Ya can go after you both eat something," Ma said, coming over to the both of them and waving them to their seats at the table as Sara ladled out some hot, good stew into their bowels.

Kate ate and savored the meal never knowing when she might have another one like it. When she was done, and the dishes were cleared, she and Kiryk said goodbye to the family that had shown her kindness and disappeared into the night.

~xXx~

Wraith, two of them, lay dead on the forested floor of the world that Todd and Ronon had tracked Katherine's movements to. It was not a pleasant thing to find but, having seen it, the slit throats and punctured stomachs of the dead hunters was at least a confirmation that Kate was alive and doing somewhat well. Todd seemed to be more happy about it then Ronon was and the former runner moved off to look around the little grove as the wraith bent to examine the bodies. What he was looking for, Ronon had no idea nor did he particularly care but after he'd circled the clearing and then stood by and watched Todd tinker with one of the wraith's wrist devices for about ten minutes, curiosity got the better of him.

"What are you doing?"

Todd hissed and continued to punch in lines of code, trying to override the security measures in the wrist tracking devices. Each hive had their own unique coding that was used in the programming of these portable tracking units and, if he could just bypass the security details and access the mainframe, Todd could then determine which hive these hunters had come from and, quite possibly, discover if more than one hive was currently hunting Katherine. Given her connections to both Atlantis and Colonel Sheppard, it was very likely that she had at least two of the Triad's numerous hives on her tail if not more.

The thought was a terrible one; one that had prevented Todd from resting any when he and the Setedan were forced to stop for the night to recharge.

Ronon walked over to Todd and peered over the wraith's shoulder. He didn't understand what the predator was doing but it looked a lot like some of the things Rodney did whenever they hacked into somebody else's computers. "What are you doing?" he asked again, now doubly curious to know why Todd was doing this and what good it could possibly have. They were burning daylight just sitting here and it was beginning to grate on Ronon's nerves.

Todd snarled, not appreciating the Setedan's tone of voice. "I am attempting to - Ah, that is better," he broke off as the wrist device beeped and suddenly, he was in. Todd frowned, his worry mounting tenfold as the information concerning Katherine's runner status played out for him on the minute screen. "No."

Ronon opened his mouth to ask what was wrong but closed it and leapt backwards as Todd stood and angrily hurled the wrist device away from him. The mechanical gantlet sailed a good hundred yards before crashing against a tree and breaking into pieces. Ronon quirked an eyebrow and eyed the incensed wraith who was now turning in circles while hissing and snarling like an angry hellsa cat.

"Bad news?" he asked, watching the predator continue to pace.

Todd growled darkly and turned to face his fellow seeker. "I was prepared to accept that Katherine, with her status, would very likely have more than one hive hunting her," he snarled and clenched his fists together so tightly that his nails dug into his palms and drew blood. "I was not prepared to discover that she is being hunted by them all!"

Ronon's jaw clenched and the vein in his neck pulsed. "What do you mean, she's being hunted by them all?" he asked, growing more worried than he had been previously which was saying something.

The wraith standing in front of his hissed and let out a low, long, loud roar of frustration and anger such as Ronon had never heard before. "The queen's have set a bounty on Katherine's head, she is being hunted by every hive ship in the galaxy. It is now a race to see whom can reach her first and bring her to their queen; she had been made into the ultimate prize."

Ronon felt himself pale. "How many hives are there?" he asked.

Todd sighed. "Over a hundred; I control only twenty or so."

"So that's eighty hives out there with hunters going after Kate," Ronon did the math and then snarled himself. "We've got to find her."

Todd nodded, this they could agree on. "Then we best keep moving," he said, starting to walk away only to stop and turn back, his eyes trained on an impression in the ground that the Setedan was standing in.

Ronon looked confusedly at the wraith. "What?"

Todd moved forwards and shoved Ronon out of the way. The human fell backwards and landed on his ass but Todd paid no head. He crouched and reached out his hand, feeding slit open to taste the air. Ronon, after getting up and brushing himself off, walked over to him and crouched down beside him, eyeing the creature both in curiosity and annoyance at having been pushed to the ground. Todd could've just asked him to move.

"What is it?" he asked.

Todd closed his eyes for the briefest of moments before withdrawing his hand and standing, already beginning to stride through the trees before the human had even had time to get up.

"Todd!" Ronon called after him, now thoroughly irked at the alien for barding off and not telling him anything. "Todd! What is -" the wraith stopped moving and Ronon almost ran right into him. Stepping around the predator in order to avoid a collision, Ronon looked out at what had stopped him and found that they were at the edge of the forest, on the outskirts of a moderate sized village and that there was a two story house with smoke coming out of its twin chimneys not twenty yards to their left.

He looked at Todd. "Mind filling me in?" he asked scathingly. When they got back to Atlantis, he and Sheppard would really have to work on Todd's communication skills.

Todd let out a hiss and scanned the area in front of him before indulging the runner. "Katherine was carried here, in the arms of a human male," he pointed towards the human dwelling. "There; she was taken there."

Ronon followed the wraith's finger and frowned as the front door opened and an adolescent boy, a girl no more than eight and a young woman walked out of it. He looked at Todd to tell the wraith to stay hidden while he went to talk to the people only to find the wraith gone. Cursing to himself, he whirled around when he heard the young woman scream and saw that she was now clutching the young girl while staring at Todd with horror filled eyes. Growling to himself, Ronon hurried towards the wraith before he scared the girl to death and they ended up with nothing.

Todd, meanwhile, eyed the young female human and attempted to appear as non-threatening as he could. "Stop your screaming," he commanded her, his ears still ringing from her wailing. "I will not harm you."

Sara choked back her next cry of terror and held her tongue while wrapping her arms more tightly around her youngest sister. The creature standing in front of her was the absolute most terrifying individual she had ever seen and she shut her eyes tight to keep herself from letting lose the cry that was held at bay in the back of her throat. She had never been more afraid of anything in her life then she was of the wraith that had appeared out of nowhere and simply walked up to her.

"Sara!" Jarrett yelled, having abandoned the dishes in the sink as soon as he'd heard his wife's terrified screams. Looking to his sire and brothers, he'd grabbed his hunting rifle and run from the house only to come to a dead stop, his brother's, mother and sire running into the back of him, as soon as he come out of the front door and beheld the sight that had made Sara cry out.

Todd's head turned as a group of males and an elderly female suddenly came charging out of the dwelling. His nostrils flared as he searched their scents, looking for the one that he had found in the forest mixed with Katherine's. He found him, the male in the front and took a step towards him. The human's eyes widened in alarm and he raised his weapon so that the barrel of it was pointed directly at Todd's chest.

"Wait!" Ronon yelled, skidding to a halt and positioning himself between the man with the gun and Todd the very dumb wraith. "Don't shoot, he won't harm you."

Jarrett glared at the man who had stopped him from shooting the monster that had threatened his wife. "Won't hurt me?" he echoed, disbelief evident in his voice. "He is wraith!"

Ronon sighed. "He won't hurt you," he repeated again begging the man with his eyes to lower his weapon and take him at his word. It worked and the man brought down the rifle and put the butt of it on the ground.

Ronon took a deep breath.

Sara's eyes widened and her nostrils flared. "What are you doing?" she railed at her husband. "Shoot it! Kill it before it kills us!"

Todd rounded on her. "I am not an it," he told her, his eyes narrowed. The female gulped; he returned his eyes to the male whom he was assuming was her mate. "And, I have already said that I will not harm you."

Ma, who saw something in this predator that she was not sure of and that made her curious, stepped out from behind her sons and husband and looked to the wraith. "Then what do you here?" she asked, her own curiosity getting the better of her.

Todd turned his gaze to her. "You have had contact with a woman recently; a runner," he cocked his head to the side ad took a step towards the elderly human who gulped but did not back away. "I would know her of condition."

Before Ma could answer, Sara hissed. "You see," she said, gesturing at the monster. "I told you that you should have turned her out but instead you let her stay, provided for her and gave her clothes to wear. Now, you're stupidity has brought the wraith here!"

Todd growled, growing quite tired of the younger female's rants. He turned to her. "I am not all wraith," he took a threatening step towards the annoying woman. "Speak again and I will remove your tongue."

Sara clamped her mouth shut and tired very hard not to make another sound.

Todd hissed in satisfaction and returned his gaze to the woman of greater years. "It is true?" he asked. 'What this one has said? You provided shelter and care for Katherine?"

Ma nodded. "Aye," she confirmed, "We did."

Todd rumbled, the sound coming from deep within his chest. "Then I thank you."

Ma's eyes widened to their fullest; a wraith was thanking her, thanking her for taking care of a human woman, a runner. Never would she have thought to have such a creature show gratitude towards her or any human for the care of another. This wraith was different, and she felt emboldened by that.

Taking a step forwards and looking from the man that had prevented her Jarrett from shooting the thing to the wraith who stood off to the side, she leveled her eyes on the golden cat-like orbs of the most terrifying of beings. She gasped at the intensity she saw there but pushed onwards all the same. "What is it you be wanting with the girl?" she asked him. "Why are you looking for her."

Todd moved his head from side to side as he thought of a way to answer her. He decided on the truth. "Katherine is, important to me. I seek her so that I may save her."

Ma stared at the wraith. The girl was important to him, he'd said it with his own tongue and in his own words. His eyes told her, as alien as they were to her, told he that he was not lying and so she told him what she knew despite the whispers of caution her family made from behind her. "She left not a day ago. She is in the company of another, a former runner. We thought that, given her sex, it would be better if she didn't run alone. The wraith are after her with a vengeance."

Todd nodded and turned to the Setedan. "Come," he told him, turning on his heel and heading back to the trees. "We must relay this information to Atlantis."

Ronon nodded but did not immediately follow him instead, he choose to linger. "Thank you," he said to the family, letting his eyes personally thank each one of them before he turned to go.

"He loves her don't he?" Ma asked before the man could vanish like the creature before him had. "That's why he's seeking her. He loves her."

Ronon stopped and turned back to them. They'd guessed the truth or maybe, the old woman had seen it in Todd's eyes, he wasn't sure but, he knew that they needed to know it all if they knew any of it. "Todd is God to the wraith. They call him the Eldest because he's the oldest one of them to still live. He's more myth and legend then fact and he's the greatest warrior to have ever lived," he looked at the woman and her grown sons to make sure that she understood what he was and that, by loving Kate, what the implications of that were. "He'll go to hell and back to find her. He'll never stop, not until she's safe and he'll kill anyone that gets in his way. You could say that he loves her but love, the word, doesn't really cover it. It's more than that, he'd move the stars themselves to keep her safe."

The family blinked at him and nodded soberly, understanding. Inclining his head and casting them all one last look, Ronon turned and followed after Todd hoping that, when all of this was done, the stars were still in their proper places and that the prophecy he'd just made about Todd moving them didn't have to come true.

~xXx~

"I was not aware that you were skilled in the repair of a hive's central systems, Colonel Sheppard."

John stopped tinkering around with the long range communication equipment he'd been working on in the control room of Todd's hive and looked up, frowning at the wraith that stood there. The creature stood just about as tall as Todd if maybe one or two inches shorter and looked remarkably like him down to the shape of his nose. John squinted, "What do you want?"

Caavin walked farther into the room and stopped above the human that was Katherine's brother. "You are currently rooting about in the communications system of my sire's hive," he cocked his head to one side and studied the human who was on his side on the floor so that he might better reach the operating components of the terminal. "I believe, that I have a right to know what, exactly, you are doing and to what end."

John opened his mouth to answer, to tell him that he was trying to get the long range communications online, when he stopped and frowned. Crawling out from under the console, he looked up at the wraith in silent inquiry before asking, "Sire?"

Caavin sighed and rolled his eyes. Apparently, Major Lorne had not informed all of the rest of the Atlantians of his biological connection with the Eldest. The younger wraith silently wondered how many more times he was going to have to answer this question. "Yes," he hissed, somewhat annoyed. "The one you call Todd sired me and, therefore, is my sire as I am his son. You humans seem to have difficulty grasping this fact."

John rolled one shoulder and lay back down, once more inserting his head under the hive terminal. "Eh," he said nonchalantly, "It's not so much the fact that you're his son but more the fact that we're meeting you. Not many of us thought it'd ever happen."

Caavin considered this. He supposed that the human had a point, knowing about someone was not the same as meeting them and so, the human's reactions to him now made incredibly more sense. "The humans at your SGC seemed surprised," Caavin put forth, lowering himself into a crouch so that he could better see what, exactly, the human was working on. "They were, it would seem, under the impression that all wraith were produced in the same manner in which we create our drones."

John chuckled at that trying to mentally imagine Todd's son explaining wraith sex to everyone at the SGC; he would've paid money to see Mitchell's face. "Bet that was fun."

Caavin smirked. "Oh it was, very much so."

John snorted in amusement and clicked the last lead into place; the terminal lit up and turned on. Letting out a self satisfied sigh, the tech savvy colonel crawled out for under it and stood up, turning around to smile at the wraith. "There," he said. "Your long range comms are up and running."

Caavin cocked his head to one side. He'd risen at the same time as the human had and now, stood almost eye to eye with him but not quite. The human, after all, was considerably shorter then he was. "Impressive," he acknowledged before going back to his original comment. "As I said, I was not aware you were so talented in this…arena."

John shrugged. "I'm not as dumb as I look," he said causally before letting out another sigh; he seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "Besides, the search teams haven't brought anything back yet and I was going stir crazy in the city. Rodney suggested I come up here and do something useful so, here I am."

Nodding his head slowly, Caavin frowned just slightly. "Your searchers have found nothing?" he inquired. "No trace of her?"

John shook his head. "No, not a damned thing; physical anyways. Major Taldy's team got back about seven hours ago and reported that the village they went to told them a story about a female runner, but that they hadn't actually _seen_ her. Other than that, we've got nothing."

Caavin cast his eyes downwards. "My sire will find her," he said resolutely, believing it will every fiber of his being.

John looked at him. "Do you really think so?" he questioned, admirably curious as to where Todd's son's confidence in his dad's ability to find Kate came from. All of the wraith seemed to believe in him just as strongly and they didn't doubt for a second that Todd'd be the one to find her. John however, did.

Caavin hissed and inclined his head, looking the human male dead in the eye. "He has to."

John's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean 'he has to'?" he asked confusedly.

Caavin struggled for a way to explain the situation to the one called Sheppard without betraying the true depth of devotion that his sire had come to harbor for the male's sister. He could not see Colonel John Sheppard handling that explanation well if he handled it at all.

At the wraith's hesitancy to answer, John frowned and took a step towards him. "What do you mean by 'he has to'?" John repeated, a new and startlingly unsettling feeling beginning to creep up his spine.

Caavin looked up at him. "You must understand, Sheppard," the wraith began imploringly, "My sire cares a great deal for you sister. She has his amity and his respect; he cannot afford to lose her."

This had not been the explanation that John had expected and so he stared at the wraith. Somehow, he got the feeling that Todd was more invested in Kate then as just her friend and that his son was lying to him by omitting something rather then fault out being dishonest. "If Kate dies," John said and hated himself for the words but he had to know what was really going on here and this was the best way he could think of to do it, "Then I'm sure Todd'll find another friend."

Caavin snorted in discomfort at hearing someone speak of the very much undesired possibly outcome that was Katherine's demise. "I doubt it," he said, speaking honestly, "Her rapport with him means more to him than any other he has had or will ever have in his life. He will morn her and he will miss her; Katherine would not be replaced."

This, again, was not what John'd expected to hear and he stood there staring at the wraith for a good few minutes before his radio crackled in his ear and Rodney requested his help with something on the bridge. Still looking at the wraith in puzzlement ad more than a heavy dose of uttermost confusion, John left the control room and turned his steps towards where Rodney had told him he'd be.

Caavin remained behind to think, watching the human walk away before stepping up to the recently repaired terminal and activating it. Almost instantaneously, a missive loaded itself onto his screen and, reading it, Caavin's head reared back in alarm.

"No."

"What is it?"

Caavin turned on his pedestal and beheld Romulus standing behind him at the control room's entrance. Hissing, then younger wraith returned his eyes to the communications port and grasped the sides of the terminal tightly; his knuckles turning a lighter shade of green. "The queens," Caavin responded to Romulus' query, "They have set a bounty on Katherine's head."

Romulus felt concern and fear grip him as he moved through the control room and came to stand behind Caavin; his eyes scanning the missive. "This message," he began, reading it, every word of it, all the way to its conclusion. "Are you able to determine whom all have received it?"

Caavin nodded and began to run a trace on the message's origin. He keyed one last action into his terminal before a register appeared on the screen listing to which hives the message had been sent. A growl escaped him as his eyes watched more and more destinations fill his screen which was unable to hold them all and so, began to scroll downwards. "All of them."

Romulus frowned. "You mean to say, that every hive ship that is currently in operation in this galaxy now has this information?"

Caavin hissed darkly and turned form the terminal, facing Romulus. "Yes," he said. "Every hive, every cruiser, every queen. They all now know this."

Romulus fell silent and considered the impact this information would have if they were to reveal it to its fullest extent. The message was one of announcement, an offering made by the Triad of a reward for any other queen who brought them Katherine of Atlantis only, they had not called Sheppard's sister by that title. It would seem that the three oldest and most corrupt of the queens had seen fit to brand Katherine with a new name. In the message, they had called her Valloran's Whore. It was a epithet that was sure to generate a great deal of interest in her and whether or not those that read the missive understood that the Eldest and the mythical Valloran were one in the same did not matter. Labeling Katherine in such a way and creating an association between her and Valloran increased her value; because of this message every queen in the galaxy would dispatch her greatest and most skilled hunters in order to bring to her this human that was connected to the almost God-like Valloran. In one fell swoop, the Triad had insured that Katherine would be hunted, not only by their wraith, but every wraith that drew breath and breathed.

An ordinary runner had, at any given time, several dozen wraith hunting them. Katherine now had more than a hundred thousand. She would be lucky, very lucky indeed, if she lasted a single day under this new bombardment.

Caavin let out a long, low breath. "We must tell the humans," he said slowly. "Colonel Sheppard and the others. They will need to know -"

"NO!" Romulus shouted, interrupting Caavin and starling the younger with his violent protest. Snarling, he took a threatening step towards Valloran's first born. "We cannot tell them this, the consequences would be too severe -"

"They deserve to know the new danger that Katherine is in!" Caavin argued. "The more the humans, her brother in particular, know about her status the more likely they will be able to -"

"Sheppard thinks that the wraith hunt Katherine because of what she is to him, because she is _his_ sister and also an Atlantian," Romulus explained, remembering his conversation with the human in the aftermath of the Atlantis attack and the Setedan and Valloran's departure. "If he were to be told different, if we were to inform him that the reason she is being hunted so ardently by so many wraith has nothing to do with him or the city in which she resides but rather everything to do with Valloran and how important Katherine is to him then, rest assured, the human would never allow your sire near her again."

Caavin hissed. "And this would be detrimental because?" he asked, his tone dark. At the moment, he saw no reason to not tell Sheppard that his sire's affections for Katherine are what had landed her in this satiation and he thought, rather sinisterly, that perhaps it _would_ be better for the female - about whom he still cared a great deal - if her association with his sire was terminated and their interaction limited.

Romulus growled, incensed by Caavin's response. He knew that the younger wraith's point of view was clouded by the fact that, in part, he still saw his sire as a rival for Katherine's affections. It had taken the elder wraith several days of intense argument to convince Caavin to formally withdraw his suit for Katherine and to tell Valloran that he no longer harbored any desire to court her. The latter had been a lie and both he and Caavin had known it but, Valloran had believed it and that was all that had mattered. Now, however, it was obvious that the younger wraith was thinking ahead to his own gain if his sire's participation in Katherine's life were to be lessened or terminated completely. Caavin had everything to gain from enlightening the colonel as to why his sister was truly being hunted, why she had been made into a runner in the first place.

Valloran, however, had everything to lose including his life and his sanity.

The angry elder wraith advanced on the younger. "Do you not understand what Katherine is to your sire?" he asked, enraged. "do you not comprehend what her value is to him? Do you not!"

Caavin's eyes narrowed. "My sire has given her his heart," he replied, knowing this. "And while, I admit, that in itself is extraordinary, it is not an action that cannot be undone -"

"They are bound!" Romulus screamed, needing the younger wraith to understand this, to know this. "That cannot be undone, not so long as they both live!"

Caavin stared at him. His sire was bound to…no, it wasn't possible. I couldn't be possible. "A binding takes conscious effort, a ritual," Caavin argued, "My sire has not done -"

"There is more than one type of binding, Caavin and as a highborn, it is no surprise that you are unaware of that."

The younger wraith hissed. "My breeding has no bearing on -"

"Your breeding has everything to do with why you are ignorant to some of the greater aspects of wraith life!" Romulus countered him, silencing the younger wraith who stood there and silently fumed. Romulus continued to explain. "The highborn wraith have always sought out their mates out of necessity, not want and not desire. They bind themselves to partners that can either solidify their stations, provide advances in power or protect and form alliances that serve either or both of the former reasons I have mentioned. These marriages are not born out of affection for one another or mutual want and desire but for selfish reasons, reasons that protect them and only them and sometimes damn many others. For this reason highborn bindings must be forced, the connection between pairs taking a conscious effort to form and while there is a ritual involved to symbolize their joining, it is not necessary nor does it have any real effect. A binding can be done just as easily without a ceremony as it can with one."

Caavin glared. "The, you are saying that my sire has consciously put for the effort to -"

"No," Romulus interrupted him tersely. "As I said, there is more than one way to form a bond. The link that connections Katherine and Valloran has been forming, subconsciously and in the backs of their minds, for some time now. It is not yet complete nor will it be until their union is consummated at which time, it will become unbreakable, but it is there and it is strong."

Caavin blinked. "But -"

"Those bindings that must be forced are oft times weak and superficial whereas, in the case of a natural binding, the link between partners is much deeper. Your grandmotem and grandsire were forcefully bound and yes, they could feel one another and were always aware of the other's presence in the backs of each other's minds, but they could not feel each other's pain, could not share in each other's experiences and know one another's pleasures and hurts. A forced binding is only a binding of the mind, a natural binding, such as the one that has already begun to form and to solidify between Valloran and Katherine, is a binding of the essence, the soul. Your sire's life is now and forever tied to Katherine's."

Caavin blinked several times, trying to understand, to comprehend what he was being told. "But," he said slowly, "You said that they must consummate the union in order to complete the -"

"A consummation does not necessarily mean sex, Caavin," Romulus explained coldly. "All that is needed to complete the binding is acknowledgment. Once Valloran realizes that Katherine has his heart, concedes to that fact surrenders the rest of his being to her and she herself to him, then the binding will be complete."

Caavin considered this. "And if it is not?" he asked. "If their bond is left uncompleted, if my sire does not do as you say he must, then what? What will happen?"

Romulus let out a breath, confidant that what he was next about to say would drive the seriousness of the situation home in Caavin's mind. "A natural bond forms when two souls recognize the other and acknowledge the other as being their true mate. Therefore, once a destined pair has found one another and the bond has begun to take shape, neither partner will feel complete until the binding is completed. This feeling of incompleteness, of being only half of what and who you are can and has driven many wraith insane, sickening the mind until it can no longer function and the wraith dies."

Romulus paused for breath and looked at Caavin whose face had turned an odd color green. "If we inform Sheppard of this, if we tell him that Katherine was made into a runner not to punish Atlantis but to punish the Eldest and that she is being hunted not because she is Sheppard's sister but because she is of value to Valloran then, insanity and death is the fate that we would be resigning him to after the Atlantians sever all his connections to Katherine and forbid him to ever see her or have contact with her again. I am not sure how the unfinished bond would affect Katherine as, I have never known a human to be able to have the sort of marriage with one another that we wraith do. It is likely that the same fate will befall her only in perhaps a lesser, diminished capacity. Either way, if you care anything for your sire or Katherine as you claim to, then you will not tell the humans of this."

Caavin dropped his eyes to the floor and became very interested in the mist that covered it. "And my sire?" he asked, intently studying the water vapor that swirled and ebbed around his shoes. "Should we also not inform him of this?"

Romulus inclined his head. "Telling Valloran that Katherine was made a runner because of him and that she is now, being hunted by thousands also because of him would have the same effects as if we were to inform Sheppard."

Caavin understood. "My sire would withdraw himself from her, to protect her; believing himself to be a danger to her."

"Yes," Romulus agreed somberly. "But, in reality, he would be damning them both to a slow, agonizing spiral into madness and eventual death."

Caavin hissed, angry at fate and the hand that it had played to both Katherine and his progenitor. "Can we not simply explain to him what he would have to lose?" he asked, wondering why Romulus, who seemed to know all of this without having had his sire tell him anything, had not already told the Eldest what was happening to him. "Surely that would prevent him from pushing her away if he were to ever discover -"

"Do you honestly think that Valloran, who has only the examples of his motem and sire's binding and those other highborn pairs to go by, would believe any of what I have just explained so very carefully to you?" Romulus interrupted him, one eye ridge raised in honest skepticism. "Your idiot of a sire is currently suffering under the delusion that he has no heart to give to Katherine therefore, what in your equally delusional mind makes you think that he would believe, with any amount of readiness, that his soul - which I am sure he believes he is not in procession of either - has bound itself to Katherine's after recognizing it as it's true and unquestionable mate?" Romulus scoffed. "I rather think he would tell me that I have lost my mind and that you are an imbecile for believing me."

Caavin made an odd gargling sound in the back of his throat. "But it _is_ true, is it not?" he asked, curious to know if perhaps the tale that the elder wraith had spun for him and relayed to him in vivid detail was nothing more than a myth of romanticism invented by the lowborn caste of wraith whom, Caavin had to sometimes remind himself, Romulus was a part of.

The elder wraith nodded. "It is. I watched my eldest sister succumb to insanity, growing slowly madder and madder the longer she was kept apart from her bondmate. He was highborn and while I can assure you that he wished for nothing more than to bind himself to her formally, his clan's matriarch would not allow it. They both died a slow and tortured death that could have been prevented. The matriarch of his clan would not listen as the matriarch of mine, my own motem, explained to her what was happening to them and how their illnesses could be cured. The highborn matriarch decreed that such a type of bonding was not possible and she convinced the male that what was happening to him was the product of something else. His refusal to accept that which was killing him damned both he and my sister, who knew full well what was happening to her. I can see the same thing happening to Valloran and Katherine; she would believe us of that I am sure but your sire, his rearing and own professed emotional deficiencies would keep him from accepting the truth no matter how much evidence we were to give him."

Caavin shuddered a deep breath. "Then he cannot know," he looked up from the floor to Romulus. "I am curious, however, how you think the outcome will change if he is not told. You yourself have told me already, several times, that my sire has made the decision not to pursue Katherine in courtship. How, then, do you see their fate being averted?"

Romulus took in a deep, all consuming breath and leveled his eyes onto Caavin's. "Your sire has, recanted that decision," he steadied his gaze to that of the younger wraith's. "He has told me that he means to court Katherine; covertly of course, so as not to arouse Colonel Sheppard's suspicions."

Caavin stared at him. "And what, brought about this miraculous change in mind?" he asked, floored. The younger wraith could count on one hand the number of times his sire had changed his mind about something and never, had one of those alterations in thought revolved around something so important. The last time Valloran had changed his mind it involved which style of boot to wear for the next several centuries.

Romulus sighed. "I believe he came to realize that the regard that he has for Katherine is not as one-sided as he had deluded himself into believing."

Caavin stared. "It is not?" he asked having also believed that the only one whose heart was involved in this was his sire. Katherine's soul might recognize his sire as it's mate but the wraith had not thought that her heart had done the same.

Romulus shook his head. "No," he said. "It is not. Katherine's heart is as surely Valloran's as Valloran's is hers and, unlike your sire, she has acknowledged this."

Caavin swallowed, hard. "Then, there is truly no way to stop -"

"There is not," Romulus concluded, inclining his head. "Come," he said after a while. "We must see to the repairs in the rest of the ship."

Caavin nodded and followed. He did not erase the queen's message and, after a while, the screen simply went blank, the missive storing itself automatically into the ship's data reserve units and labeling itself with its date and time of transmission.

~xXx~

Travelling through the forest at night was difficult but, according to Kiryk, it was the best way to avoid the wraith. Kate was inclined to believe him based solely on the fact that he'd been doing this longer then she had. They hadn't talked much since their introduction in Ma and Pa's house and had more or less traveled together in companionable silence through most of the ten or so worlds they'd gone through since first leaving together. About the only lengthy conversation they'd had during that time had been after they'd run into some wraith and Kate, who was feeling much better and was fully recharged, had singlehandedly killed six out of eight of them. This had led to a discussion revolving around her extra abilities and while she couldn't be sure what Kiryk thought, exactly, about this new information she was pretty sure it'd impressed him.

Her travelling companion was almost as hard to read as Todd had been when she'd first met him.

Moonlight lit their way and the sounds of night echoed around them as they walked. For once, they weren't in a forest and were instead travelling on a great plain with grasses about knee high. It reminded Kate of the African savannas back on earth and, if not for the twin moons hanging low in the sky on her left, she could've well imagined that she was back on earth and that there was a lion lurking around here somewhere along with an elephant or two.

She smirked at the thought.

Kirk heard something behind him and turned, espying the expression on Kate's face. "What is it?" he asked, curious to know what she was thinking of. The woman was quite possibly the most intriguing one he'd ever met and he felt somewhat honored that he'd been given this chance to know her.

Kate looked up from her contemplation of the grassland around her and hopped and skipped until she caught up to Kiryk and fell into step beside him. "Nothing," she told him. "I was just thinking about a place on my home planet that this place reminded me of."

Kiryk eyed her. "Tell me about it."

Kate sighed. "It's a lot like this place except," she pointed upwards. "We only have one moon. I was thinking about the animals; the lions and elephants and maybe a gazelle or two."

Kiryk made a face. "What's a lion?" he asked, naming the first creature she'd told him of.

Kate giggled. "It's a big cat," she explained. "Weighs about three hundred pounds and has huge claws. The people on my planet call it the king of the jungle."

Kiryk thought about this. "Like a hellsa cat?" he asked, naming the largest and most common cat in the Pegasus.

Kate shook her head. "Yeah, kind of but bigger." Her face took a downwards turn then as she remembered how she'd come know what a hellsa cat was. After their trip t the Amazon, she'd asked Todd about them after hearing him comparing one to a jaguar. He'd drawn a picture for her and explained to her the cat's detentions. Kate sighed; she missed him.

Kiryk watched the expression on her face change but declined the chance to ask her about it. There were times when she'd get retrospective like this and Kiryk always thought it best to just leave her alone. Something about the way her eyes always turned a slightly darker shade of grey made him think that she was thinking about someone, someone special and while he itched to ask who that person was that seemed to come to her mind so frequently he never did. Whoever it was kept her going and gave her strength and that was all that mattered. It was god that she had memories of someone who did that for her; Kiryk had none.

Kate took a deep breath and shook all thoughts of Todd from her mind. Looking up at Kiryk she asked, "So, what's the plan? Where do we go from here?"

Kiryk considered this. "It's been a couple of days now since we ran into any wraith, I figure we've got a pretty god lead on them," he looked to her. "How'd you like a bath, a bed to sleep in and a warm meal?"

Kate smiled. "I'd love all those things," she squinted at him. "Where, exactly, are we going to find those things though?"

Kiryk grinned. "I know a place, a city that's not far from here. It's called Heterass and I'd explain it to you if I could but it's best if you just see it for yourself."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Not far from here huh?" she asked, turning so that she was walking backwards and could look at Kiryk in the face. "You planed this didn't you?'

Kiryk nodded. "Used to go to Heterass all the time when I was a runner," he said. "It's a port city, sits in the mouth of a bay and has a river running through it. It's an outlaw city, lots of people there who don't want to be found. Seedy types, criminals, wraith that had abandoned their queens. There's a wraith quarter on the other side of the river, that's where we're going. There's an inn there, for runners, and with all the wraith and wraith tech around it throws off the transmitting power of the beacon in a runner's back. Perfect place to hide."

Kate stopped walking backwards and faced the proper direction again. "So, how far away is this place?" she asked, curious to see it now that it'd been described to her. It sounded a lot like the Tortuga from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. She wondered if it was in any way similar.

Kiryk pointed up ahead of them. "Should be just over this next hill."

Kate quickened her pace and crested the rise quickly. A gasp escaped her throat as she looked out at the city that law sprawled below her. She'd been right, it did look an awful lot like the fictional Tortuga from the movies and she could even hear some of the noise coming off of the city from all the way up here. They were still about a mile away from it but it's lights burned brightly and ate couldn't wait to reach it.

"Well?" Kiryk asked, stopping besides her and looking at her as she gazed out across the city. "Look like the kind of place you wouldn't mind staying a couple of days?'

Kate laughed. "Looks find to me. Any place that'd take in a runner's got to be at least halfway decent."

Kiryk smiled; this was why he liked her, she had a sense of humor. "Well come on then," he called back to her as he started down the hill. "The faster we walk the faster we can get fed."

Kate chuckled and started after him.

~xXx~

"Heterass."

Todd scowled and glanced at his human traveling companion. "I am aware of the name of the city, Setedan, you need not announce it."

Ronon glared at him. "What's wrong with you?" he asked the wraith. Ever since they'd met that family and found out that Kate was with someone else, Todd's mood had been getting steadily darker. Ronon was at a loss as to why, he would have thought that the wraith would've been happy to know that there was someone with Kate guarding her back.

Todd hissed but did not answer. He was aware of what the Setedan thought and did not care to correct him. In truth, what was wrong with Todd was that he did not trust whomever this unknown male that was with Katherine was to protect her. He trusted no one with her safety other then himself and the fact that she traveled with another made him nervous. He wanted her found, wanted to see her once more and reassure himself that she was safe with his own eyes. He wanted to be the one that saved her, not someone else.

"So," Ronon asked when the wraith failed to answer his first question, "You think she's here?"

Todd rolled his shoulders and started down the incline that slopped downwards to the city's outermost limits. "We can only hope," he said tiredly. "This city is rife with rogue wraith and, therefore, the perfect place to hide. Their technologies and other devices confuse the tracking beacon making it difficult to find a runner so long as they remain near the city proper."

Ronon followed him and matched his stride to that of the wraith's. "So maybe she and the other runner decided to stay and rest here for a day or two?"

Todd grunted. "I desperately wish that is indeed the case."

Having gotten that confession out of Todd, Ronon kept silent the rest of the way into the city. Nobody stopped to look twice at a human walking along side a wraith down the streets of Heterass and, as the two of them achieved the inner city proper, Todd turned to former runner.

"Perhaps it would be best if we went our separate ways," he suggested, gesturing around at the busy, loud and exceedingly large metropolis around them. "We would cover more ground that way, yes?"

Ronon thought about it but agreed. Picking a direction, he began to walk off while Todd stayed behind and took a more calculated approach to choosing a direction to venture off into.

"Valloran."

Todd whirled around, his eyes seeking the being that had called his name. He found none and frowned, thinking that perhaps he had simply imagined it; he was tired after all.

"Valloran."

The voice sounded again and this time, as Todd once more turned about his eyes alighted on a tiny, minuscule, glowing ball of light that hung suspended in the air in front of him. He looked around, confused, wondering if anyone else could see the strange phenomenon. It appeared that, after he had scanned the crowds around him, that the apparition was choosing to appear only to him and so, intrigued and admittedly apprehensive, he took a step towards it.

The ball flitted backwards quickly and then came forwards again before repeating the move. Todd understood that it, whatever it was, wanted him to follow it. The wraith was not so sure he should but, at the same time, felt something from within him compelling him to do so. He took another step and the ball flitted off in another direction, waiting at a crossroads where three streets met one another for him to join it. Once he had, it took off again.

_You are following a floating ball of golden light through a city rife with the very worst of peoples of all races_, Todd thought to himself as he continued to trail after the bouncing ball of energy, _Either you have completely lost your mind, which id provable, or there is a higher power at work here._

"You have not lost your mind Valloran, of that I can assure you."

Todd stopped walking and froze. He knew that voice and, as recognition flooded him, he turned his eyes to the suspended light ball and glared at it. "Ganos."

The ball bobbed up and down in acknowledgement before taking off again. When he did not immediately follow, it stopped and made several small, impatient movements up and down. Todd sighed and began again to walk. He was being led somewhere towards something by an ascended Lantean who apparently did not understand her own rule of non-interference. He was tempted to ask where she was leading him to but thought better of it, it was unlikely he'd get a straight answer anyway.

"I am taking you to Katherine."

Todd very nearly missed a step but managed to catch himself in time to prevent himself from pitching forwards and ending up sprawled in the street. "Truly?" he asked, in awe of this fact. She was here, in this city, close. He sent his mind outwards, scrying for her and, after a few moments, found her. His eyes widened and he turned to the glowing orb of light.

"Why?" he asked.

"I cannot tell you that Valloran," Ganos' voice spoke to him from the ball. "Not yet. One day, I will explain it all to you, what your role and hers is and how important they are. For now, go to her and keep her safe but do not take her back to Atlantis."

Todd frowned. "Not take her back? " he echoed, confused. "Then what should I do for Sheppard will surely -"

"Katherine is being hunted by every wraith in the galaxy, you know this," the ball explained. "Returning her to the city would bring all those wraith hunting her down upon Atlantis who cannot yet, defend herself from such an onslaught. Take her, run with her and keep her safe, find another way to free her from her fate but do not take her back to Atlantis."

Todd hissed and growled but nodded slowly, understanding that to return Katherine to her city and her brother would spell death and destruction for all those that she had nearly died to protect. "I will not," he vowed. "I will find another way."

The orb bobbed up and down in what could be called a nod and then winked itself from existence leaving Todd alone. Feeling the weight of what he could not do settle on his shoulders, the wraith looked about him and found that he was standing at the base of a hill that overlooked the river. At the top of that hill was perched a small and besmirched looking establishment that stood several stories high. The wording on the sign hanging from the structure's entrance proclaimed its name to be 'The Runner's Inn'.

Todd snorted at the irony of it but began the climb. Soon, his steps brought him to the front door. Pushing it inwards, he stepped forwards and watched, his eyes darting back and forth as the humans within the building all stopped what they were doing and fixed their eyes onto him. Todd felt his lip curl upwards as he walked the length of the dwelling and came to a stop before the bar that ran the width of the back wall. Eying the human that stood behind it, he cocked his head to one side and let out a growl.

The man swallowed hard. "C-can I help you?" he asked, blinking at the creature in front of him. The wraith of Heterass were all intimidating but this one, this one looked like evil incarnate and was without a bout the single most terrifying wraith that the barkeep had ever seen. Power and violence hung about this one like a shroud and the man knew that he'd be killed instantly if he didn't do exactly what this creature wanted him to.

Todd let out a low, long hiss and placed both hands on the wooden counter, eyeing the human up and down. "I seek a female, a human, she is here and you will tell me where."

The barkeep gulped and fought back the urge he had to piss himself. The wraith's voice was almost as terrible to hear as the creature who owned it was terrible to look at. It was deep and the timbre of the multi-toned speech was laced with underlying threat as if to say, without actually saying, what his fate would be if he denied him. "T-there was a w-woman that came in here not t-too long ago," he informed the creature, visibly shaking as he pointed upwards towards the rooms on the second floor. "Sh-she's in that one."

Todd hissed in satisfaction and backed away from the bar, allowing his hands to fall to his sides. With great anticipation, he measured his steps as he climbed the stairs, aware that the whole of the humans below watched him. When he reached the landing, he made towards the door that the human had indicated and, venturing inwards, he closed it behind him and looked around.

The chamber was spacious and had one single bed occupying it's space along with a small table equipped with several mismatched chairs. There was a door standing slightly open along the west wall out of which steam seeped and Todd concluded that it must be a bathing chamber of sorts. He flexed his feeding slit and tasted the air. Katherine's scent hung heavy in this room and became stronger closer to the bathroom. Hissing eagerly, Todd took a step towards the cracked door but stopped when he felt something touch the back of his head and hold him in place.

"Turn around, very slowly," Kiryk hissed softly, so as to not alert or scare the bathing Kate. As instructed the wraith turned slowly about and Kiryk got his first good look at the predator. This one was tall, taller than most and broader at the shoulder and chest. Experience had taught the former runner that this usually was a decent indicator of age as the younger generations of wraith tended to be quite a bit leaner, not as stoutly built. Then, aside from his stature and build, there was the tattoo of a star around his left eye and the complete unkemptness of his hair. The wraith looked wild, dangerous and untamed; not smooth polished like most wraith Kiryk had seen. This one's intimidation and treat came from the aura of power and greatness that clung to him and Kiryk was honestly, although he'd never show it, terrified of him.

Todd did as he was told and felt irritation slide though him, clenching around his heart. He had been so close, so very close to seeing Katherine again with his own eyes and this human had stopped him and was now threatening him. "I mean you no harm," he tried to assure the human whom he was guessing was the other runner that the human family had told him of. "You or Katherine."

Kiryk frowned. "How'd you know her name?" he asked the monster, cocking his gun and preparing to fire as soon as he got some answers out of this one. "Didn't think the wraith cared about the names of their sport."

Todd growled and hissed angrily. "Katherine is not a sport!" he bit out darkly. "Lower your weapon and I shall explain myself to -"

"Todd?"

Todd froze. Her voice, after so many weeks of searching for her, he heard it not with his mental hearing but with his own ears. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard and, turning quickly, his hungry eyes fell on the face and figure of his Katherine standing before him alive and whole. Her hair was wet from her bath and cascaded down her back, she was clothed and in that instant looked more striking then he had ever seen her before, even in the gown she'd worn for her nameday.

Headless of the human behind him who still had a weapon raised to his head, Todd took a step forwards and let his starving eyes drink her in. "Katherine."

Kate felt her breath hitch. She'd just finished her bath and had been putting on her pants when she'd heard a voice that sounded so very familiar that she'd felt her heart literally leap to her throat. She'd laced her pants up as quickly as she'd been able and quickly left the room to find out if she'd imagined it or not. She hadn't and, upon coming out of the bathroom, she'd found Todd the wraith standing there, his back to her and his hands raised. She'd called out to him and, when he'd turned around and she'd seen the relief in his eyes at seeing her, she'd felt tears rise to the backs of hers.

"You found me," she whispered, coming forwards as her tears spilled and flowed freely down her cheeks. "You..y…" words failed her as she stood there, crying, the sobs washing through her body as she stood still. She was so happy, so relieved to see him that she couldn't move, couldn't go to him like she wanted to. He'd found her, he was here and she was safe.

Katherine's tears pulled at Todd's heart and, ignoring the other human whose presence had melted away at this point, the wraith moved forwards, bringing himself to her and lifting her face up so that she might look at him. "I will always find you, my Katherine," he told her, whipping away a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "Never doubt that."

Kate took a deep breath inwards and forced her feet to move, closing the distance between them. Todd caught her, wrapping her up in his arms and holding onto her tightly as she clung to him, honestly afraid to let go.

Another sob escaped from Katherine and Todd tightened his hold on her, pulling her body flush against his and clutching her to him as though she would disappear if he let her go. He could feel her body shake against his and, knowing that she was still unset, began to speak softly to her in an effort to calm her. "Katherine, my Katherine," he whispered to her as gently as he could, "I am here, I have found you. I have you, you are mine. Katherine, Katherine…"

Kiryk stared, his mouth slack and wide open in unabashed shock. Kate was hugging a wraith and said wraith, instead of eating her or trying to kill her or rape her, was _purring_ to her. As long as he lived, Kiryk knew he'd never forget this; it made absolutely no sense. What the fuck was going on here?

Kate and Todd pulled apart and stood back from each other but did not drop their hands away from one another, still needed the comfort of each other's touch to remain calm. Taking a deep breath, Kate turned and looked about for Kiryk. She found him standing some feet away looking utterly confused and shocked which might have been comical under any other circumstances.

Kate took a step away from Todd to try and reassure her friend. "Kiryk," she began, imploring his her eyes. "It's not what it looks like -"

Kiryk sputtered and turned disbelieving eyes onto her. "Oh it's not is it?" he glared at her. "Then, by all means, explain."

Kate opened her mouth and then closed it, not really sure of what to say.

Todd tried to answer for her. "I have been searching for her together with another human from Atlantis since we discovered what had happened to her," he looked down on Katherine. "Our search led us here."

Kate looked up at him. "Who's with you?" she asked. She knew it wasn't John, Woolsey would've made sure to keep him in the city what with being the military commander and all, he couldn't just pick up and chase off after her no matter how much she was sure he'd wanted to. This left Lorne, Teyla, possibly Rodney and not many others. She was curious to know who had volunteered to go off seeking with Todd as company.

Todd let out a hiss. "The runner."

Kate coughed. "Ronon!" she yelped in disbelief; she had so not seen that one coming.

Kiryk frowned. Ronon, he knew that name, Dr. Keller had mentioned him when he'd barrowed her and he himself had gotten into a fight with the man when they'd met last.

Todd smirked at the surprise on Katherine's face. It was so very good to see it again. "Yes," he said, still smirking. "I assure you, your brother, Teyla, Major Lorne and Mr. Woodley were equally astonished that we had made such an agreement."

Kate dropped her eyes to the floor. "I don't blame them," she said. "You two hate each other."

Todd rolled his shoulders. "He pointed out that, if I were to find any humans you might have had contact with, they would be unlikely to want to speak with me. I am wraith after all."

Kate snorted at Todd's attempt at humor. "Yes," she said, placing a hand on his chest. "You are a wraith and most people piss their pants whenever they first meet you."

Todd grinned smugly; Kiryk scoffed.

"So," he began, eyeing the creature dubiously. Despite the easy way in which he and Kate conversed, he still didn't trust the wraith as far as he could throw him. "Now that you've found her, what do you plan to do with her?"

Kate hadn't thought of that and looked expectantly up at Todd whom she thought looked slightly regretful about something. "Yeah," she asked, "What is the plan?"

Todd sighed, he was not going to enjoy explaining this to her but he had made a promise to Ganos and he intended to keep it. "I cannot take you back to Atlantis," he informed her and watched her face fall. "At least, not immediately."

Kiryk sneered. "Why not?" he asked.

Todd eyed the human who was beginning to annoy him. "Katherine is being every hive ship in the galaxy minus the ones that fall under my control. Atlantis has just recovered from an attack, they are not prepared to defend against that many ships and me taking Katherine back to the city would lead them all directly to Atlantis doorstep. The city would not survive."

Kate sobered, the elated feeling in her stomach evaporating. "So," she said unhappily. "You can't take me home?"

Todd looked down at her and shared in her sorrow. "No, Katherine, I cannot."

Kiryk snorted and crossed his arms. "Then what good are you?" he asked thinking that maybe, just maybe, the wraith would go away now that he was rendered useless.

Todd growled and took a threatening step towards the human only to had Katherine catch his arm. He looked at her and saw that, for some reason that was not known to him but made him slightly angry, the male was of value to her. He relaxed and told her silently that he would not kill her companion before turning back to the aforementioned male and staring him down.

"I have alive in this galaxy for longer then you," he informed the human with a snarl. "I know better then you where to seek shelter and where to go for respite. I will provide for Katherine until such a time arrives were we can either return safely to Atlantis or can have the tracking chip removed. Your services are no longer needed."

Kiryk made a noise of protest that showed just what he thought of being dismissed by the life-sucking fiend that instead he was a friend to Kate. Kiryk doubted it and knew, just knew that he was only doing this for some other reason; he just didn't know what it was yet, wraith were selfish creatures by nature and he saw no reason why this wraith would be any different. "Like hell I'd leave her alone with you."

Todd hissed and felt Katherine's grip on his arm tighten. "You cannot come with us," he said, glaring at the stubborn male who just would not leave.

Kiryk crossed his arms. "Well, nether can you," he snapped in retort. "You're a wraith; not only will you probably eat us both in our sleep but you can't be trusted _and_ you're conspicuous. She's not going anywhere with you."

Todd opened his mouth; Kate got between the two arguing males and held out both her arms to keep them from attacking on another. Honestly, the there was enough testosterone in the room to choke a whale and Kate was tired of it. She could make her own choices and it was high time both Todd and Kiryk were told this.

"She is standing right here and she can make her own decisions," she eyed the both of them and both wraith and human had the decency to look at least slightly guilty; Kiryk more than Todd which she supposed was to be expected.

Once she was sure neither one of them was going to interrupt her, Kate continued. "Now, she is going to go to bed and in the morning, she is going to leave. If neither of you trust the other to keep me safe, then I guess you'll just both have to come along and keep an eye on the other. Is that understood?"

Todd growled and crossed his arms but inclined his head and Kiryk nodded. "Yeah, he said, "It's understood."

Kate sighed. "Okay," he looked at Kiryk. "Now, why don't you go get us some food form downstairs, for him too," she pointed at Todd. "We'll be right here when you get back."

Kiryk hesitated, not wanting to leave her alone with the wraith. "but -"

"I trust Todd with my life, Kiryk. That should be good enough for you."

Grumbling to himself, the former runner turned on his heel and walked out of the room. He'd gotten maybe six feet outside the door when he stopped and looked down fear washing through him. Hurriedly, he turned back around and ran back to the room.

Kate and Todd looked up as Kiryk came back and all but bolted through the door, slamming it behind him and then turning around to look accusingly at Todd. "The wraith are here, six of them," he informed them both, glaring at the green skinned being. "You set us up."

Todd growled. "I did not," he defended himself. "I no more want them to find her then do you.'

Kirk didn't believe him. "Why not?" he asked, reaching for his gun. "Why is Kate so valuable to you?"

Todd felt his fists clench. "She is important to me," he said, giving the human as much of an honest answer as he was able. Now was not the time to be having this discussion, he had to get Katherine out of her and quickly. He started forwards only to have the male block his path.

"Important how?" Kiryk demanded, stopping the creature from leaving. "Important like she's your ally or important as in she's your -"

"Now is not the time to discuss this!" Todd cried loudly, taking another step forwards. "Now move!"

Kiryk stood fast and handled his gun, lifting it to the wraith's face. "Fuck you!" he said. "you've been playing us from the beginning."

Kate saw what was happening and leapt into action, grabbing Todd by the arm and pulling him out of the line of fire as soon as Kiryk squeezed the trigger. The traveler made gun went off and Todd landed on top of Kate as they both hit the floor. Before the wraith could push himself up however, the human rushed him and grabbed him by the back of his battle-coat. Todd was pulled away from Katherine and flung backwards. His back hit the door and he spilled out onto the landing. The noise alerted the wraith below who Todd could all see were hunters and therefore, there for Katherine.

The wraith hissed and tried to get up only to get himself tackled by the angry and irrational human that was putting his own mistrust of Todd above Katherine's safety. The force of the attack knocked Todd off his feet and the both of them crashed over the railing, falling down into the tavern-like area below where Todd's fall was broken by a table. The eating surface, ill-suited for being the landing pad for a nearly three hundred pound wraith and the two hundred pound human that went with him, collapsed and Todd grunted as his back hit the floor. He could feel the ridges along his spine bruise from the impact and snarled at he shoved the human off of him only to be attacked once more as the human made a swing for him. Todd ducked and soon found himself embroiled in battle with a human that was not his enemy but clearly thought he was his.

Kate ran out onto the landing after hearing the sintering of wood, several yells and another crash. "Todd! Kiryk!" she screamed, coming to the place in the railing where the two males had fallen and then freezing. While Todd and Kiryk fought below, the wraith that the former runner had accused Todd of working with, had made it halfway up the stairs. At seeing her, the wraith all hissed loudly and rushed towards her. Kate screamed and jumped off the landing, crashing to the ground below and, weaving through the patrons at the Runner's Inn attempted to make it to the door. She didn't quite get there and felt herself get grabbed from behind by a wraith with tattoo's around both his eyes. Gasping in horror, she struggled but that didn't get her as far as it normally did; she was still not quite all the way up to par yet and, as Kiryk had said, these wraith were after her with a vengeance.

"Todd!" Kate cried out as she continued to struggle against the wraith that held her, that was dragging her backwards and that was fighting with his brothers to be the one to take her. "Todd! Kiryk! Todd! Todd!"

Her cried went unheard over the chaos of the Runner's Inn and the fight that Todd and Kiryk were currently engaged in. Kate bit, scratched and clawed at her captors until she finally managed to rack one of them. The wraith didn't take kindly to it and grabbed her by the throat, pivoted and slammed her down onto a table stomach first. Kate heard a noise and could sense rather then see what the wraith was about to do to her and so she creamed the only thing she could think of to save and make Todd hear her over Kiryk's attempts to kill him.

As the wraith grabbed hold of the lip of her pants and made to yank them downwards, Kate screamed at the top of her lungs, "VALLORAN!"

Everyone froze and Todd who had just managed to duck another one of the human males' attempts to shoot him, turned on his heel at the sound of his given name screeched out in terror from Katherine's lips and looked immediately around for her. He found her and, upon seeing what was about to be done to her, he roared in fury; lunging forwards. The wraith who held her had enough time to look up before Todd had grabbed him and thrown him off of her, sending the youngling wraith crashing down on the opposite side of the room.

Placing himself between the other wraith and Katherine, Todd reached out and pulled her up, tucking her securely into his side and he faced those that would dare harm her. Several of the wraith were eyeing him wearily, recognizing him and, having realized that he had answered to the name 'Valloran', were all backing away slowly. There were a few, however, that were not so wise and as they closed in on them, Todd put Katherine behind him and readied himself to defend her; he would not allow a single one of them to touch her.

The first wraith rushed him and Todd responded by grabbing the youngling's outstretched arm at the wrist and slamming his feeding hand down onto his attacker's elbow joint, forcing ti backwards and breaking it. The wraith howled in pain and Todd used his distraction to cleanly snap his neck. The wraith's body hit the floor and Todd stepped over it, twisting and ducking the blow that came at him from the second oncoming wraith. This one he impaled on a splintered table leg while the last of the three attackers he decapitated.

Blood spattered, his hands reddened from the carnage he had made, Todd turned when he heard a yelp from behind him. His eyes landed on the wraith he had first pulled away from Katherine and found him holding onto her once more, a sneer on his face. Todd hissed, baring his teeth and, as the youngster raised his hand to stroke Katherine's cheek, Todd barreled into him, knocking him clean off his feet. They both hit the floor and rolled away from each other, both standing and rising to their feet. The younger wraith snarled and circled him twice before he attacked; Todd stopped him by landing his feeding hand flat on the chest of the advancing whelp. The force of his blow threw the young one off his feet and Todd picked him up with one hand before slamming his back into the floor. Snarling in anger at the one who had dared to touch his Katherine, Todd proceeded to drain the stupid younger wraith dry.

When he was done and the body of his fellow wraith had been reduced to nothing more than a husk, Todd stood and turned to look about him. Everyone, wraith and human alike was staring at him; Kiryk's mouth hung open, Katherine looked pained. Todd hissed and crossed to her, helping her to stand from off the floor where she'd fallen and, without permission, wrapped one arm around her back to support her while pressing his hand down on her chest; feeding her the life and the strength he had taken from the youngling wraith.

Kate felt a rush of euphoria flood her as her injuries were all healed and her vigor was returned to her in full measure all at once. It was over quickly and, gasping for breath, she felt Todd release her and step back, looking over her as she, in turn, lifted her eyes up to his.

Todd grunted and took her hand in his, leading her from the destroyed ruin of the establishment. At the door, he turned and glanced back at the one he had heard Katherine call Kiryk. "Are you coming or not?" he asked and, after a few moments, nodded as the human rushed to follow.

Behind them, in the carnage and wreckage, several humans and five or so wraith stood stock still in shock, awe and horror. For the humans it was because of what they had all just seen, a wraith had killed his own kind to defend a human woman. For the wraith, it was much more than that. The eldest had answered to the name Valloran and thus, it was easy to conclude that Valloran was the Eldest's true name. Knowing this, they knew that they would stop their hunt for the woman was not so valuable as to risk Valloran's wrath should they harm her.

Nothing was worth that; nothing.

* * *

**A/N:** Reviews are the only way fanfiction authors get paid. Just a reminder, now push the button I command you! (makes weird face and attempts to compel you to review with her mind). Yes, I'm weird, I know. 'Til next time and remember, only one more to go before the season's over and then it's on to season eight. Cheers!


	25. Dark Angel

**A/N**: Here you are my faithful followers, the very last installment of season 7 is finally here! I'm so, so sorry about the delay and I apologize profusely for keeping you all waiting for so long. This chapter is huge, weighing in at a little over 26,000 words and I did quite a bit or trimming, rewriting and editing to get it down to that (it was MUCH larger, almost ridiculously so). But, nonetheless, here it is and I hope you all enjoy the conclusion; I worked so very hard on it for you all. As such, I expect reviews by the bucket loads so I'd best get one from each and every one of you. That having been said, please read, review and enjoy. The next time you read an author's not it will be at the top of the first episode for season eight. Until then, cheers!

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**Episode XXV: Dark Angel**

Atlantis, city of wonder, was still; subdued. Her towers did not bustle with exuberant life, her hallways did not bolster activity and her laboratories and other science rooms stood silent and empty. The people that called her home stayed in their rooms or sat quietly in the mess hall in groups of two or three, speaking softly to each other about how the search was going and whether or not the next search team would come back with anything or nothing at all. There was little hope now, that she would be found. It had been two months and more and more often the search teams that came back through the gate returned empty handed, no sign or trace or word of her at all. It was only a matter of time now before it was an accepted fact that Major Sheppard would never come back. She was lost to them and, soon, even her most persistent searches would come to realize that it was too late.

It was only a matter of time.

~xXx~

"They'll find her John, never doubt it," Teyla attempted to soothe the miserable colonel who sat across from her in the mess hall. "They will bring her home."

John sighed and fiddled with his coffee cup the contents of which had long since gone cold. "Yeah," he said hollowly, not really sure he believed what his friends all kept telling him. It was a big damned galaxy and as good as Ronon and Todd both were, there was statistically very little chance that they'd be able to find her and bring her back alive.

Alive.

John shuddered the thought but he knew that there was a very really possibility that he'd never see his baby sister alive again. At night, he'd started having nightmares where Todd and Ronon did bring her back but where Kate was already dead. As a result, John had stopped sleeping.

Around the table, the people assembled there all looked down at their hands or, in Rodney's case, his plate. None of them knew how to comfort the man at least not well. Teyla had tried to reassure him, Lorne and Cadman had tried to cheer him up and Jennifer had even offered to give him a sedative to take the edge off of things but, it was all for nothing. John just wouldn't be happy until he heard something, some news that Kate was alive and fine; as fine as a runner could be that is. All on them, even Rodney who believed to much in science to really put faith in a higher power, silently prayed day in and day out that something would happen, someone would come through the gate and then they'd all know.

"Colonel Sheppard."

John looked up and espied a nervous looking Williams standing at the end of the table looking at him. "Yes Sergeant?"

Williams swallowed hard. "Sir, Ronon just came back."

John was on his feet instantly. "And?"

Williams shook his head. "He came back alone."

John frowned. "Where's Todd?"

"He doesn't know, he lost him Sir."

John cursed and ran his left hand through his hair in agitation. "Well is that all?" he demanded.

Again, Williams shook his head. "No Sir. Ronon's in Woolsey's office right now talking to him and Dr. Weir, they sent me to come get you."

John nodded. "Right, I'll…I'll be right there," he took a deep breath as Williams saluted and walked off before turning back to the table and his teams mates. They were all looking at him expectantly. "I've gotta -"

"You'll tell us if there's anything right?" Cadman asked, her voice pitched just slightly higher then it normally was; it was desperate sounding almost.

John shook his head. "Of course I will but I gotta -"

"Go," Teyla told him and, without saying anything else, watched as John turned around on his heel and sprinted out of the mess hall at an almost breakneck speed.

He arrived in Woolsey's office in a matter of minutes. Coming in, he glanced to the right and saw Ronon standing off to the side. He turned towards his teammate and looked at him pleadingly. "Please tell me you've got good news," he begged.

Ronon grunted. "I've got good news."

John breathed a sigh of relief. "Well?"

Ronon took a deep breath. "We tracked Kate to Heterass, it's a city kind of like that one in the pirate movies you made us all watch."

Woolsey squinted. "What pirate movies?" he asked, confused. When Ronon had been briefing him, he hadn't mentioned this.

John turned towards Woolsey. "Pirates of the Caribbean," he looked back at Ronon. "You mean Tortuga? Why would Kate go there?"

Ronon let out another grunt. "It's a good place to hide. Rogue wraith, ones that don't or won't bow to a queen live there on the other side of the river. There's enough wraith technology there and spar tracking devices to confuse a runners signal for a couple days."

Woolsey looked up at the large man standing just to the left of his desk. "You sound like you know this from experience."

Ronon nodded. "I do. When I was a runner and I needed a place to rest for a couple of days, have a hot meal and get my strength back up, I'd go to Heterass."

John waved away the extra information. "And you found Kate there?" he asked, growing impatient. "Why didn't you bring her back to the city then it -"

"I didn't find her," Ronon interrupted the man feeling sorry that he was the one that had to tell him this. "She was gone by the time I found the place she was staying."

John was silent for a few moments before he yelped and exclaimed, "That's not good news! You said you had god news!"

Ronon pitied him and, knowing the situation he was in and what he must be feeling, didn't care at all about the way that Sheppard was talking to him. "I do. We found out that Kate's not going it alone. She stayed with a family on another planet and they asked a guy they knew that used to be a runner to go with her. They figured that because she's female and she's your sister the wraith after her would want her more. So far, from what we've been able to tell, he's taking pretty good care of her."

John felt only slightly better upon hearing this information which, while good to hear, wasn't exactly what he'd consider 'good news'. "Anything else?" he asked, desperate for there to be more to Ronon's return then what he'd already been told.

The former runner nodded. "Yeah. I lost Todd, but he found Kate."

John felt all the air leave his body at once. "He…he did?" he stared at Ronon before realizing that there was a flaw in his logic. "Wait, how do you know?"

Woolsey agreed with the colonel. "Yes," he said, leaning forwards over his desk. "How _do_ you know?"

Ronon looked around him at the other people in the room. Woolsey and Sheppard looked incredulous and Elizabeth looked hopeful. He finished his story. "Todd and I split up when we got to the city so that we could cover more ground. I went north and Todd headed towards the river. I was doing my search when I heard somebody talking about a fight down on the water at an inn called the 'Runner's Inn'."

Woolsey sniffed. "Aptly named I'm sure."

Ronon grunted , flicking his eyes towards the balding man before he continued. "When I got there, the fight was over but it got what happened out of the bar man. Kate and the other runner had gotten rooms there and Todd had found them but then the hunters had shown up. The other runner didn't believe that Todd wouldn't hurt Kate and so he attacked him and while they were fighting, the hunters went after Kate. Todd saw and defended her. The bar man said that most of the other wraith looked afraid of him and backed out of the hunt as soon as they saw him but there were a couple that didn't. Todd killed them, he even drained one of them dry, before he grabbed Kate gave her the gift and then left."

When Ronon was done, he took a deep breath and looked around the room again to see how everyone took the news. Sheppard was looking at the floor, his face screwed up in an unreadable expression, Woolsey was looking at his desk and Elizabeth was looking at him.

"So," she said after there'd been silence in the officer for a few minutes. "I think it's safe to assume that Todd's with Kate and that she's a lot better off now then she was before," she stepped out from behind Woolsey's desk and walked towards John. "John," she said, laying a hand on his shoulder. The man looked up at her. "You and I both know that Todd won't let anything happen to her. He'll find a way to bring her home."

John was about to open his mouth and agree with her when Ronon interrupted him.

"I've got bad news," he deadpanned.

John glared at him. "You said you had good news!"

Ronon looked at him. "You asked me if I had good news and I did so I told you that first, but there's also some bad news."

John made a whimpering noise and sank down into a chair. Woolsey looked up at Ronon from over the rim of his glasses. "What's the bad news?"

Ronon sighed. "Kate's not just being hunted by one hive," he looked pointedly around at everyone. "She's being hunted by them all."

Woolsey made a noise that was half cry half yelp. "_All of them_!"

Ronon inclined his head. "The queen's have set a bounty on her head, every hive in the galaxy is after her right now."

Elizabeth took this in. "Which means that Todd won't be bringing her back to Atlantis," she looked around and then looked down on the utterly defeated looking John Sheppard. Squeezing his shoulder tightly to show him that he had support, she continued. "Atlantis is still recovering from the attack, Todd knows that if he brings her here he'll be essentially leading every wraith in the galaxy right to us. They'll have to keep running."

Woolsey nodded, the gravity of the situation sinking in. "Then there's nothing we can do."

John cried and dropped his head into his hands.

Ronon made a noise. "I wouldn't say that."

Woolsey looked up at him. "What do you propose?" he asked, willing to take anything right now. The alternative was to let despair win and Richard Woolsey wasn't about to give up, not when somebody, anybody had a plan that had even the smallest chance at succeeding.

Ronon uncrossed his arms and took two steps towards Woolsey's desk so that he was now in the middle of the room. "Todd can't bring Kate to us, but we can go to her. If we can find them -"

"Then we can remove the transmitter and bring her home," Elizabeth concluded. She frowned. "How are we going to do that? We don't have access to the new runner devices, only a wraith can track a runner."

Ronon looked at her. "She's with Todd right?" she nodded and he went on. "So we track Todd."

The room was silent for all of three seconds before John sat up straight and smiled, a look of gleeful joy on his face. "Todd's transmitter!" he yelled in triumph. "We can get his wraith to turn it on."

Woolsey nodded. "Do it," he said, hope swelling in him for the first time since he didn't know when. "Take a jumper, Todd's son's hive is still in orbit as too, I believe, is the fortress commanders. Tell them what's going on and ask them to activate Todd's sub-space transmitter. Once you have a location, you and your team have leave to go."

John nodded enthusiastically and literally skipped from the office. "Come on, Chewie, I promised everyone I'd tell them what's going on. Then we can go have a chat with the wraith."

Ronon smirked at Sheppard's enthusiasm and followed. As excited as he knew his friend was about this somehow, deep down in a place he couldn't describe, he had a feeling that it wouldn't be that easy.

Nothing ever was.

~xXx~

Wraith stunner fire whizzed past Kate's head as she ran flat out through the thick woods of the planet she was on. The wraith currently hunting her were older Todd had said, not quiet his age but close and as such, had not been scared off her trail by his presence or the fact that she was under his protection. Instead, knowing that, seemed to only increase their want for her capture. These wraith were working in cohesion whereas the majority of the others that hunted her worked alone and fought quiet frequently with one another over who got to claim her. Todd said that the former hunters were more dangerous and Kate, as she ducked a branch and nearly tripped over a log, was inclined to agree.

_"Turn left, Katherine, bring them to me,"_ Todd's mental voice directed her and Kate obeyed. They had been doing this for some time now because outrunning them all simply wasn't feasible. Todd, as much as he abhorred the idea, and Kiryk who had come up with it would let the wraith chase Kate over whatever terrain there was while they lay in wait. She would bring her pursuers straight to them where they and she could then eliminate them the idea of it all being that a dead wraith couldn't track and that for every wraith she, Todd and Kiryk killed, there was one less hunter out there after her.

The snarls of her pursuers spurred her onwards even as Kate's legs and arms begged her to stop. To stop was to die and so she kept running, never looking back as she led the wraith closer and closer to Todd and Kiryk's position. _Only a few more yards left, _Kate chanted to herself, forcing herself to keep running, _Almost there, almost there, almost -_

Kate cried out in pain as a clawed hand grabbed her from behind and sank it's finger guards into the flesh of her back. The force of the attack was enough to upset her balance and Kate fell to the ground. She landed on her belly and tried desperately to crawl away from her assailant only to feel his hold on her tighten, his fingers digging deeper into her back and staying her attempts at retreat. She hadn't been fast enough and now, her failure to execute the plan was going to cost her. She could feel the wraith crouching over her breath and nearly cried when she felt him reach out and grab her with his other hand in order to turn her over so that she could face him. A terrified sob came to Kate's throat and lodged itself there as she felt her body be forcefully turned onto it's back. She shut her eyes tightly and then, there was nothing.

The wraith was pulled off of her and Kate, freed, scrambled into a sitting position and reverse crawled backwards, away from her attacker. Her bleeding back hit a tree and Kate pressed herself into it trying to get away only to feel herself get pulled to the side and brought around to face whoever it was that held her now.

She screamed.

"Kate, it's me," Kiryk called out loudly over her cries and struggles to get away from him. She stilled and then stopped, her eyes opening to look up into his frantically.

"Kiryk," Kate breathed, a feeling of relief now flooding through her as she looked at him. "I'm sorry I didn't make it," she stammered. "I just wasn't -"

"It's not your fault," Kiryk interrupted her, grabbing hold on her with both hands now and trying to lift her to her feet. She was halfway up when her legs gave out and they both collapsed back to the moss and leaf littered forest floor.

Kate took a deep breath. "I'm -"

Kiryk cut her off. "Don't say it," he ordered her, settling her back against the tree stump they were currently hiding behind. Peeking around it, the former runner watched in awe intermingled with fascination as the wraith that Kate had told him he could call Todd grappled with the wraith that had grabbed Kate before she'd been able to reach their hiding place. Kiryk had to admit, as he watched the two wraith fight, Kate's Todd was very skilled; very.

"He's good," Kiryk muttered, more to himself then to Kate or anyone else in particular but she heard him anyway and, as she continued to breath heavily, still clearly exhausted from her run, he saw a smile settle on her lips and twist the corners of her mouth upwards.

"He is," Kate agreed, smirking in light amusement. "He's very -"

A growl interrupted her mid-sentence and suddenly, she and Kiryk were ripped apart the latter being flung backwards away from Kate and into a tree. The man's back cracked against the wooden trunk of a large everblue and he rolled to the side, pushing himself up just in time to see the other wraith, the hunter that Todd was not currently engaged in fighting, reach down and grab Kate by the throat, lift her up and then slam her backwards into the tree they'd been using as shelter. She struggled of course but, this wraith was nearly as large as her Todd and he held her firm, pressing her backwards, his fingers tightening their grip on her neck and squeezing harder. Kiryk could see the blood being drained from her face as precious amounts of air were bled from her lungs.

Kate thrashed about violently trying to wriggle out of her captors grasp but to no avail. She could feel the blood leaving her face, could feel him choking her and, even as she scratched and clawed at his the hand that held her by her throat, she could feel her body weakening. In one last desperate attempt to free herself, Kate angled her head downwards and bit down hard on the wraith's wrist. He snarled in pain and dropped her; Kate landed on her ass and slumped against the tree behind her, gasping for breath and gulping in huge lungfulls of much needed air.

"KATE!" Kiryk yelled.

The wraith's head turned towards him and Kate used the opportunity to force her body to move, to get up and try and run. The wraith who had dropped her growled in fury and took up the chase, catching up with her easily. This time, however, when he grabbed her and Kate went flying into the earth, she didn't wait for him to kneel and to turn her around but did so herself and, grabbing up a fistful of dirt and debris, threw the whole of it into the wraith's face.

His head reared back and he clawed at his eyes with his hands trying to clear them. While he was doing that Kiryk tackled him, the both of them falling to the ground with Kiryk on top straddling the hunter. Within moments it was all over and the wraith was dead.

Kate let out a ragged breath of relief.

"Katherine!"

Todd, newly finished with his own battle, had turned to look for Katherine before his opponent's body had even hit the ground. His eyes had found her a short ways off, laying on her back on the forest floor whilst the human male, Kiryk, sat atop his kill. Her eyes flashed up to his in worry, a bewildered and frightened look to them that cast a shadow of lingering fear over her whole being. Concerned, Todd went quickly to her side and crouched down besides her, reaching out to cup her cheek with his feeding hand.

"Katherine," he spoke gently, his golden gaze locked onto her face. "You are well?"

Kate gasped and choked back a sob, nodding. "I-I'm fine," she lied, knowing that she was anything but. She was tired, her whole body ached and her face, neck and arms were covered in scratches and abrasions from her last few encounters with her hunters. This last one had been the worst to be sure but, there had been others before them that had occurred since she, Todd and Kiryk had left Heterass that had left her with injures. Some of those injures had been pretty severe and hadn't all healed yet which is why she'd been unable to outrun her hunters today and make it all the way to the place where Todd and Kiryk had been laying in wait for them. It was her fault and her own weakness that had almost gotten her killed today and she wasn't about to show anymore by admitting to being less then well.

"You are not fine," Todd countered, calling her bluff with a statement of unequivocal truth.

Kate turned her head from him and dropped her eyes, sitting up and backing away a bit, distancing herself from him. "I'm fine," she repeated stubbornly.

Todd sighed. "Katherine," he implored, reaching out to her only to have her draw away some more. "Katherine, look at me."

It took a moment but, eventually, her eyes shifted and focused on his. Todd continued. "I do not see your human-ness as the weakness that you clearly do," he informed her, his normally piercing gaze softening as he looked at her. "You are not weak, you are tired. That is all."

Kate shook her head, her bottom lip quavering. "I wasn't fast enough today," she argued, "I was slow and that's why -"

"No, Katherine, do not blame yourself," Todd interrupted her, grabbing hold of her face with both his hands and forcing her to look at him, not giving her the option to look away. "This is not your doing, none of this is. You have been constantly under attack from numerous individuals for the past several weeks now, your body is fatigued and you are tired; it is natural. It is not a weakness, you simply need rest."

Kate snapped. "And where and I supposed to get this rest that I need!" she screeched. "We can't stop moving which means that I'll never recover my strength; not all the way. It's my fault, my inadequacies that prevent me -"

"You cannot find fault nor blame in your own biological shortcomings anymore then can I," Todd argued, his deeper voice overriding hers and forcing her to quiet. "Now, I have said that you are tired and that you need rest," he looked closing at her. "There is a place to which we can go where this may be achieved."

Kate remained silent and said nothing.

Kiryk looked at the wraith. "And where might this place be?" he inquired, curious.

Todd sighed. "There is a wraith I know who deals his trade on the ground; his hive is nearly always in the same location save for when it must move to a safer resting place for hibernation."

Kiryk's left eyebrow went up. "You want to take us to a hive?" he asked, uncertain and more than a little bit incredulous of the idea. "A grounded hive?"

Todd nodded. "You will come to no harm so long as you are with me, this I can assure you."

Kiryk believed it. If there was one thing he'd learned since leaving Heterass almost three weeks before it was that even the other wraith were afraid of Kate's Todd to the point where, when the majority of them saw him, they gave up the perusal of Kate turned tail and ran away. If he said that his reputation would protect them if they went to this hive then, Kiryk was inclined to go along with it. Kate needed a soft, warm, dry place to sleep for at least one night and she needed a good meal and a warm bath all of which could be provided for her if they went along with Todd's idea.

"Okay," he said after having thought about it. Standing up, he got off of the dead wraith he was still sitting on and looked expectantly towards Todd.

Todd inclined his head and rose to his feet, pulling Katherine up with him and then holding her securely to his side. He looked down on her as she tiredly lay her head on his shoulder and took several deep, steadying breaths inwards. "I trust you have no objections?" he queried, wrapping his arm more tightly around her waist in order to provide as much comfort for her as he could in this brief moment of contact.

Kate shook her head weakly. "No," she whispered, closing her eyes for just a few seconds. "I trust you."

Todd nodded. "Then let us go, quickly, before more hunters are able to find our location."

The two humans gave their consent of the plan in the form of two very slight nods. Todd hissed in approval and dropped his arm form Katherine's waist only to feel her catch his hand as it fell back down to his side. Curiously he looked at her but she did not meet his eyes. Instead, she simply interlaced her fingers with his and held onto his feeding hand more tightly then she ever has before.

Todd dismissed the oddity and began walking.

~xXx~

Oft times when there are an over abundance of choice, it is difficult to reach a decision upon any one thing. The wraith currently walking down the double line of individuals was faced with that dilemma, of which one to take, and he was growing frustrated.

"Take your time," another wraith said calmly, standing off to the side and watching as his fellow paced back and forth with indecision. "There is no hurry."

The first wraith inclined his head ever so slightly towards his benefactor in this endeavor, the wraith whom had spoken, and continued his appraisal of the many specimens of human females he could choose to have as his companion.

"My Lord," a soft female voice called and, together, the two wraith turned to watch as the graceful and ever poised Loranna came towards them, stopped and bowed her head.

Emmagan stepped away from the companion line and over towards his concubine. "You know better than to interrupt me when I am watching a choosing," he hissed, looking down on her as displeasure for her actions began to well up inside of him.

Loranna kept her head bowed but said, "My Lord, forgive me the interruption but, the Eldest bid me to fetch you and I…I dared not say no."

Emmagan's eyes widened. "The Eldest?" he questioned, peering at her. "He is here?"

She inclined her head. "He is my Lord, he and two others."

Turning to the commander whom had sought out his services, Emmagan resisted the urge to show his agitation. The commander was an elder although, not of the Eldest's alliance, and he had paid handsomely for this session. Were it any other wraith, Emmagan would have them wait but, he could not ask that of the Eldest; to do so would spell punishment and possibly death. The Eldest was not known for his forgiving or lenient disposition.

"You will forgive me," Emmagan said, looking to the visiting commander and forcing himself to smile pleasantly. "But I am afraid that there is a matter to which I must attend."

The commander hissed darkly. "A matter more pressing then the choice I am about to make?" he inquired. "Did I not reward you well for this!"

"I assure you that I do not interrupt our session together for anything less than absolute need," Emmagan countered. If he could only get the commander to agree to wait for him to return after dealing with the Eldest; it would be a shame indeed and a great nuisance to have to cancel this transaction altogether rather than simply suspend it.

The commander was not appeased. "Whatever other business you must conduct I am sure that it can w -"

Emmagan lost his false pleasantness and took a step towards the visiting commander. "Perhaps you would like to be the one, then, to tell the Eldest to wait."

The expression on the commander's face changed and he eyed Emmagan dubiously. "The Eldest," he echoed. "What manner of transaction does the Eldest have to offer you?"

Emmagan snorted. "I doubt very much he is here for any of this," he waved his hand about the room in which all his females that were available for selection were housed, lined up in two neat and orderly rows. "Believe me, I know all too well his abhorrence for my trade. He is likely here for some other reason, a reason that I must go and discover presently so, if you will excuse me?"

The hosting wraith did not wait for his visitor to utter a response before he turned on his heel and left his companion's hall, Loranna following obediently along behind him. "Tell me," he hissed to her as he made his way up through his grounded ship to the audience chamber by the bridge. "What reason has the Eldest for coming here?"

Loranna answered meekly. "He did not say," she said, her steps always one behind her lord and masters. "He said only to go and fetch you to him, that is all."

Emmagan hissed and nodded, coming around the last corner that separated him from the chamber in question, stepping inwards and prepared to face the greatest and most deadly of wraith. He did not expect to see, upon entering, the two humans that accompanied the great one nor did he expect the female one of them to be the woman he had once traded to Commander Caavin. Despite his shock, however, Emmagan knew better then to comment on either of the human's presences and so, he bowed respectfully towards the Eldest and greeted him as formally as he could.

Todd sniffed and looked down his nose at the wraith that now stood before him. "Emmagan."

The younger wraith's head snapped up and his eyes narrowed. The Eldest had just spoken his name, his given name, aloud and in the presence of two such lowly individuals. "You dare," he hissed angrily, affronted and angry at the Eldest's gall.

Todd snorted, slightly amused. "Your identity is well known amongst a fair many humans, Emmagan and is therefore, not something which I should even bother to try and keep confidential."

The Eldest's avowal did nothing to improve Emmagan's mood. "What humans know -"

Todd silenced him with a look. "I have had the fortunate pleasure of meeting and, upon occasion, working with a descendant of yours," he said, smirking, enjoying the knowledge and the power that he held over this lesser one. "Her name is Teyla and she bears your given name as her sir name thus, my statement."

Loranna, whom at the mention of her granddaughter could no longer keep quiet, stepped out from behind her master and looked hopefully upwards to the wraith that had spoken of her. Emmagan made a sound of protest for her actions but she ignored him, feeling rebellious for the first time in many years. "You know of Teyla?"

Todd turned his golden eyes towards the once proud and defiant woman that had, over the centuries, been reduced to nothing more than a terrified, simpering slave. "I do," he said, his head tilting to one side. "How is it, that you know of her?"

Loranna's bravo failed her at being asked so direct a question from one such as he. She fell silent and dropped her eyes to the floor.

Kate took pity on her. Stepping out of Todd's shadow, she turned her eyes towards the broken woman. "She's met her," she said. Loranna's eyes rose to meet hers as she spoke and, Kate could see that the woman was surprised to see her.

Todd looked down on his Katherine. "When was this?" he asked.

Kate let out a sigh that had nothing to do with the story she was about to relay and everything to do with how tired she was. "When I got made into a companion for the first time, Teyla and Ronon were captured with me. She," she nodded towards Loranna, "Convinced him to let all but one of us go. I volunteered to stay behind and was -"

"Given as a companion to my eldest, yes I know," Todd ground out, agitated by the reminder of it. He looked back around to Emmagan. "Never mind that," he said impatiently, "I have a…favor to ask of you."

Emmagan, who found the Eldest's exchange with the human female odd, lifted one brow ridge and replied, "And what service may I render?"

"Shelter," Todd replied.

Intrigued farther but unwilling to probe too deeply, Emmagan repeated the request that had been asked of him. "You wish for me to shelter you and your…travelling companions?"

Todd nodded stoutly. "I do."

The younger wraith considered this. "And what is in it for me if I comply?" he asked, curious to know what he could and would get out of this.

Todd growled. "You get to live."

The threat in his voice was very clear and Emmagan gulped down his own foolishness for even daring to ask such a stupid question. What the Eldest asked of you you did, without question and without expectations of reimbursement; your reward for submitting was the Eldest's goodwill. To have that was to be untouchable.

"Of course," Emmagan stammered, afraid of this wraith for not the first time. "I shall prepare rooms for you," his eyes swept over the two humans; the male had yet to utter a word. "All of you."

Todd nodded but, before Emmagan could give instruction to Loranna, added. "We are in need of only two chambers," he informed their host who, in obvious question and curiosity, turned to look back at him in confusion. Todd hissed and pulled Katherine back into his side, surrounding her with the cloak of his presence and power. "Katherine stays with me."

Emmagan's eyes widened so greatly that they hurt. He blinked and looked again, sure he had imagined it only to find that he had not. The Eldest, known far and wide for his abhorrence of the companion trade, for the complete and utter lack of attraction he found in human females and his hatred for the various practices that involved them, was standing in Emmagan's own audience chamber holding tightly to one such a female wearing an expression on his face of such deep and consuming menace that Emmagan pitied the wraith stupid enough to try and touch her. He would have liked to have thought that none of his brothers or their brothers or theirs would be so brainless as to try such a thing but, the way in which the Eldest held her, the way he lorded over her not in dominance but in protection, the way she in turn pressed herself to him, drawing strength from the contact he gave her, afforded Emmagan the knowledge that more than one wraith probably had.

He shuddered the thought of what the Eldest would do to him if he had as much lack of sense as so many other of his brothers seemed to have.

Wordlessly, Emmagan nodded and turned to give instruction to Loranna before turning back and requesting respectfully that the three of them follow him. They did and, it was not long afterwards that the male had been sent off to one of his unused crew rooms whilst the Eldest and the female had been let into the stay room that Emmagan reserved for his clients. Since the visiting commander was not going to stay for any length of time, the room sat empty and unused. Emmagan showed the Eldest and his female into it, closed the door and then left to return to his transaction with the other commander.

Within the room, alone, Todd considered the wisdom in his insistence that Katherine remain with him. He supposed that, knowing what had befallen her the last time she had been exposed to Emmagan and his whore trade, he felt some need to have her remain close but even Todd knew that that was hardly all of it. In truth, he trusted no one and knew that the only way to be certain that Katherine was safe was to have her forever remain by his side and in view of his eyes.

"Valloran."

His considerations of the implications of their rooming arrangements vanished as Todd turned to look at Katherine. "Yes?"

Kate took a step towards him. "What's wrong?" she asked him, worried. There had been a look to his eyes just now that scared her.

Todd sighed. "There is nothing the matter, Katherine," he told her. His eyes searched hers. "Tell me," he said after a while, "What is it that you wish to do first? Bathe? Sleep?"

Kate considered her options. "Sleep, I think," she said, suddenly realizing how tired she really was, how much her body ached. Stifling a yawn, she turned and wandered over to the bed that had been grown out of the floor and graced the left wall by the windows. Sitting down, she moaned at how soft the cushioning was as she began to unbuckle and unlace the ties on her boots.

Todd watched her now knowing the flaw in this plan. While his presence with her while she slept was nothing new, whilst they ran Katherine often found the warmth and comfort she needed in order to sleep at his side or in his arms, their current situation was difference. In this one, Katherine was offered the opportunity to undress and be more comfortable, in this one she would be in a bed, the only bed, and not on the hard ground in a cave somewhere or in the prickly moss under a tree.

Todd swallowed his uncomfortableness and crossed the room, coming closer to her. He would handle this with grace and, as Katherine removed her bodice and placed it with her boots, he choked down his rising desire for her in favor of the overwhelming need he had to protect her and keep her safe. "Katherine," he said gently, stopping before her and looking down. "We are at an impasse."

Kate stopped trying to take her belt off and looked up, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Todd turned his head to the left and to the right, indicating the room around them. "There are two of us, this room was made for one."

Kate was still confused. "So?" she finally managed to get her belt off and, adding it to the pile of discarded clothing, began to work on the laces at the front of her pants.

Todd's eyes widened. "This situation is different than when we are travel -"

Kate stepped out of her pants and tossed then aside, sitting back down on the bed. "No it's not," she said not sure, exactly, where Todd was going with this. "We sleep together all the time while we're running. How is this any -"

"You are half dressed," Todd deadpanned, barely able to keep his want for her from coloring the undertones of his voice.

Kate looked down at herself. It was true, what he'd said, she was half dressed but even with most of her clothes gone she was still modestly covered. She was still wearing the long sleeved linen shirt that Ma had given her and the undergarments, the bottoms of which covered more than of her then her normal panties did.

She looked back up at Todd. "I trust you."

Todd let out a long, low hiss and contemplated what the effects would be if he admitted to her that he did not trust himself. He decided against it and sat down heavily on the bed besides her. "What is it you wish to do?" he inquired, curious to know what her expectations for this arrangement were.

Kate looked at him and shook her head, he really was a silly wraith sometimes. "Get undressed," she told him, her smirk festering when she saw the look of horror flash across his face. "Not all the way, just so that you're comfortable. It's a big bed, I'm sure we can managed to sleep together and not end up cuddling."

Todd didn't like this idea because, for starters, he didn't trust himself not to want to hold her at some point later in the night when he knew she was asleep and also, because if he disrobed, his skin would be exposed and if Katherine touched it, in any way no matter how innocently, it would put him in an awkward situation. He said nothing however and did not object because that would mean disclosing his reservations about this course of action to her and Todd did not wish to have to do that. Instead, he bowed his head to her logic and stood, begging to work on the fastening to his battle-coat.

Kate watched him, smiling to herself. She liked looking at him, that was no secret. Todd was beautiful to her, perfect and so wonderfully male that it was hard not to like looking at him. The tattoos that he sported only increased his physical appeal and made him look that much more attractive in a primal, dangerous sort of way that, on more than one occasion, had reduced Kate's insides to butter when she saw them. As Todd pulled his undershirt over his head and exposed his back, with its spinal ridges and tribal markings that stretched from shoulder to shoulder and down to his waist, Kate had to bite back the groan that threatened to spill from her throat. She wanted him, wanted him badly and neither her exhaustion nor the complete inappropriateness of the situation could keep the heat of need from beginning to pool in her belly.

Forcefully, Kate pulled her eyes away and crawled over the cushionings to the far side of the bed. Settling down, she pulled the covers up over her and turned onto her side, facing away from Todd, closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep.

Todd came to the bed as soon as he was done undressing and as soon as he had mentally readied himself for the physical torture that this sleeping arrangement was going to cause him. Katherine was already snuggled into the many coverings that adorned the bed and, slipping under them himself, Todd positioned himself as far away from her as he could manage. It was not long before he heard the soft, even breathing of his bedmate that signaled to him that she slumbered.

Knowing that he was now safe to observe her, he rolled over and propped himself up on one elbow. Katherine was beautiful when she slept, not that she was not when she was awake but, there was a calmness to her when she slumbered, an innocence, that bade him to look on her intensely and for long periods of time. When she slept, Todd was able to see how very young she truly was and he mourned for her the loss of so much of her innocence so early in her life. The damage that had been done to her had been done by her own kin, her own kind and the government that she had pledged her life to serve. It was cruel, the fate that had been given to her but, Todd could not find that he wished for her not to have been given it. Her fate had lead her to him and the ancient wraith could not find himself wishing for it to be otherwise even if it would spare her past pains.

Katherine's breathing changed and Todd stared, prepared to move away from her and pretend to be asleep so that she would not catch him observing her, only to stay himself as he realized that something was wrong. Her body began to shake, to jerk back and forth and to writhe in an almost pain, a small gasp of some terror escaping her lips as her hands balled into fists. Katherine was having a night terror as she often did and Todd reacted to it in the same manner as he always did. When they were travelling and she shook from her dreams, Todd would more times than not, tighten his hold about her, soothing her in her sleep until she quieted. Instinctively, he reached out to her, bringing her to him and holding onto her tightly to assuage her subconscious' fears and offer her comfort.

His ministrations worked and Katherine quieted, falling back into peaceful slumber. After several moments of listening to her peaceful breaths however, Todd did not release her or make to move away. Now that he had her in his arms, the warmth of her pressed firmly into his chest, he found that he could not relinquish her no matter how much or how strongly he knew that he should. In a moment of absolute clarity, Todd realized that it was not desire that he felt for her right now at least, not a desire for her body. Here and now, his only want of her was to be hers, to have her and to hold her for as long as he lived.

As he succumbed too to slumber, Valloran, greatest of wraith surrendered what little of himself he could still call his own to the female that slept softly in his embrace. Within them both, on a level that neither one of them was aware of or even knew existed, the bond that had begun to form betwixt them, binding them to one another, strengthened and took on an even stronger hold. It was almost complete, it was almost whole.

Almost.

~xXx~

The soft and almost innocuous knocking of someone at the door woke Todd from his sleep and dragged him back into the realm of the conscious. Opening his eyes, the wraith immediately took stock of his surroundings and became aware of the female nestled securely in the circle of his arms, her head at his shoulder, her body pressed into his, her hand over his heart. Stirring, careful as so not to wake her, Todd extracted himself their entanglement and crossed the chamber to the door. Opening it, he found Emmagan's companion on the other side.

"Yes?"

Loranna looked up at the wraith her master so feared and held his eyes. "I brought these, for her," she explained, holding up the clothing that she had procured for the woman's use.

Todd eyed the offering. "Did your master bid this of you?"

Loranna shook her head. "He did not," she replied, setting her lip stubbornly. "This I do for her. She has strength where I do not and so, I wish to thank her for it; for being stronger then I."

Todd hissed, reaching out to take the gift. This opened the door more widely and, as the female's eyes took in his state of dress more accurately described as a lack thereof, Todd hissed and let out a sigh. "It is not what you think," he tried to explain.

Loranna's eyes flashed inwards, searching what expanse of the bed chamber she could see. They landed on the bed, it's state and the woman that still slumbered within it. She looked back to the wraith fearfully. "You are no different -"

"I am nothing like the one that broke you!" Todd hissed angrily.

Loranna held her ground. The woman he was with had the love of her granddaughter, this she knew; Teyla had spoke well of her and highly of her during Loranna's time in the village of New Athos. For this reason, the shattered woman felt some sort of obligation to the one called Kate that she was honor bound to heed. "You bed her," she retorted back to the old one, her lip trembling in fear of her own audacity.

Todd snarled. "Would that that were true," he admitted hollowly. "I sleep with her yes, but I do not bed her. She was in need of comfort and I provided it for her. That is all."

Loranna looked upwards at him in curiosity, stunned by what he had said. "You desire her but do not take her," she frowned. "Why do you abstain?"

Todd looked at the ground. "Because I do not deserve her."

Loranna stared at him. "How can you not?" she asked, the world as she knew it seeming to no longer make sense; a wraith had said that they were undeserving of the affections of a human. "You are wraith."

Todd growled. "And she is beyond me," he looked down on her, finding it odd that he would feel it necessary to answer any of her inquiries into the nature of his and Katherine's relationship at all. In some effort to regain control, he reached out and took the bundle of clothing that was still being held out, aloft, between them. When he had it in his possession, he looked down on the very confused human female. "I will give these to Katherine," he assured her and then turned to go.

"Katherine?" Loranna questioned, a memory coming up through her mind of a story she had heard several of the newest girls her master had acquired to train for his trade speak of and whisper back and forth to themselves. "As in Katherine Sheppard, sister to Colonel John Sheppard? Katherine of Atlantis?"

Todd nodded slowly, not understanding the relevance of this line of inquiry or why it mattered. "Yes," he responded. "Why does her name mat -"

"Many of my Lord's newest acquisitions have told me stories, tales, of a human woman named Katherine of Atlantis. It is said that she is beautiful, that she is strong, is sister to Colonel Sheppard and that," she stopped and looked up at the Eldest, "And that she has captured the heart of a powerful wraith," she peered at him, examining him more closely. "I wonder, how much of the tales I have heard are truly fancy?"

Loranna retreated and Todd was left standing there in open mouthed shock, his eyes wide, his body frozen. Emmagan's companion's query rang in his ears and, as Todd closed the door and crossed back to the bed to look down on the still sleeping Katherine, he, too, wondered over how much truth there was in what he had just been told. _A great deal_, his consciousness told him as he watched her continue to slumber, his eyes tracing her body's contours, _A very great deal. _

"Valloran?"

Todd's attention removed itself from its current line of thought and focused entirely on the now awake woman that was blinking up at him in her first moment's of wakefulness. "Katherine," he managed to speak her name, still reeling from the dawning of his own realizations into the amount of true care he had for her.

"Good morning," she whispered before stretching, lifting her arms above her head and extending her body to its fullest length.

Above her, Todd swallowed, hard, and turned away forcing himself to look away from her as he set Loranna's gift of clothes to the side and reaching for his own garments; the sooner that they were both clothed the better. "You slept well?" he asked, trying to sound as casual as he could.

Kate nodded and got up, throwing the covers to one side and stretching once more before turning around to look at Todd. "Thank you," she said to him and watched his hands, which were fastening his long, leather coat still. "For last night."

Todd nodded mutely, not trusting his voice if he were to speak.

Kate smiled, still a bit dreamily, and walked over to him. Stopping in front of him, she reached out and laid her right hand on his chest, directly over his heart while at the same time she looked up at him. "Really," she whispered. "Thank you."

Todd gulped. "You are welcomed," he hissed softly; he could feel the warmth from her hand through the leather of his robe.

Kate nodded and moved away from him, towards the bathing chamber. "I'm going to take a bath," she told him as she disappeared into the adjoining room and began to run the water.

Todd nodded dumbly, the blood in his veins calling to him to follow her. He repressed the desire and focused on finishing his dressing of himself, completing the task and then stilling his actions to think for one moment. It was now obvious to him that Romulus was right: he was an idiot. Katherine was everything to him, his world and his life and, knowing this, Todd knew that he would stop at nothing in order to keep her safe.

Sighing heavily, Todd took his leave of the room and went to inquire after Kiryk leaving Katherine to bathe in peace while the ancient wraith came to grips with the fact that the heart he had not thought himself to have was, and always would be, hers.

~xXx~

"How can you consume that?"

John paused, his fork halfway to his mouth, and looked up from his lunch towards the wraith that nobody had come up with a name for yet. The wraith had agreed to turn on Todd's transmitter but couldn't do it from any of the hives still in orbit because their long range sensors were still down. This had prompted Rodney to suggest they load up all the necessary equipment onto a jumper and try and configure Atlantis's own scanners to work with the wraith tech so that they could track Todd that way. Kenny had agreed and because he was, apparently, the only one of the three wraith that were still hanging out in orbit around Atlantis that had any real technological skills, he and Rodney were in the process of frankifying the city's scanners and the wraith's equipment together into one big, massive long range sub-space receiver.

So far, it was going well in that Rodney and Kenny seemed to work together better then Rodney and Todd did and the project was making headway. This, of course, left the other two wraith, Todd's son - John had decided to call him TJ for Todd Jr. - and the fortress commander from the prison planet, with nothing to do. As a result, John, Teyla, Ronon, Jennifer, Cadman and Lorne had invited them both to come eat dinner with them. Surprisingly, the wraith had gone along with it and now, the fortress commander was eyeing John disgustingly whilst the colonel shoveled spaghetti into his mouth with the aid of a fork and a spoon.

John swallowed and grinned up at the wraith from across the table. "It tastes better the it looks," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Todd likes it."

Romulus' left eye ridge went up in incredulous inquiry. "The Eldest is willing to consume such as that?"

Lorne slurped up a noodle and glanced towards the wraith. "Don't knock it 'till you've tried it. Here," he speared a meatball with his fork and held it out to the dubious looking alien, "Eat this."

Romulus eyed the offering darkly. "I do not -"

"Perhaps you should humor the humans," Caavin suggested, crossing his arms whilst leaning back in his chair. There was a smirk of epic proportions on his face as he gazed sideways at the elder wraith sitting next to him. "Unless you wish to concede to the fact that my sire is more brave at trying new substances then you are."

Romulus glared at him. "Your sire is not more courageous then am I."

Caavin snickered. "Oh, I believe he might be."

While vaguely aware that he was allowing the much younger Caavin to bait him, Romulus couldn't really find in himself to either resist or to care. "Give me that!" he snapped, grabbing the utensil from the one called Lorne and the ball of meat that was still speared on the end of it. Whilst Caavin smirked wildly and looked on, the elder wraith put the bit of food in his mouth, chewed and swallowed before handing the fork back to the major.

"Well?" the table full of humans chorused in unison, all eyeing him expectantly.

Romulus considered telling them the truth, that the morsel had actually been quite tasteful, before deciding that he would not give Caavin that satisfaction. "It was palatable."

The Atlantians all snickered, Colonel Sheppard laughed outright, while Caavin simply grinned at him. "You are very brave," the young wraith conceded with a smirk, bowing his head towards his sire's closest companion and truest friend.

Romulus glared at him. "You will be silent."

Caavin inclined his head and turned towards Sheppard only to sit up straight as he espied both his sire's second and the one called McKay coming towards them. "You succeeded?" he hailed them when they were both within normal speaking range of the table and its occupants.

The humans all twisted around just as Kenny and Rodney came to a stop at the end of the table. "We were," Kenny informed the gathered group of individuals. "And we have a location."

John leapt up and was followed by Lorne, Ronon, TJ and the other one; he really had to come up with a name for him. "Let's go," he looked back and nodded to Cadman. "You're in charge Captain, until we get back."

Cadman nodded. "If you find her, bring her home, Sir."

John gave his promise in the form of a sow nod. "We will," he turned to look at his second in command and the two wraith. "I take it you two are coming with?"

Caavin nodded. "We are."

John sighed. "Then let's go."

They left and made it to the jumper bay in record time. They were gone and on the planet where the signal had come from in under fifteen minutes and, when they landed, they walked for a bit before coming out of a dense forest on the edge of a valley in the middle of which was perched a grounded hive that didn't look like it'd flown in several centuries.

"Well this is new," Lorne commented, eyeing the thing.

Caavin nodded. He knew of course whose hive this was but, could not for the life of him think of why his sire would've come here.

John took a deep breath. "Right, so Kenny and McKay said that Todd's signal is coming to them with a time delay so, let's all cross our fingers and pray that they're still here or that, at least, whoever's hive this is knows where they went."

John started down the ravine with Lorne, Ronon and the wraith following him. "So what's the plan?" Lorne asked his commanding officer. "We just gonna walk up to their front door and ring the doorbell?"

"That's the plan," John said because, really, there wasn't much else they _could_ do.

Lorne shook his head. "That's a crap plan. We're going to get eaten."

Ronon silently agreed. Walking up to random hives was almost never a god idea and no matter how much he knew that Sheppard wanted to find his sister, the former runner couldn't help but agree with Lorne on this one.

Caavin snorted. "I shall not allow you to be eaten," he promised the humans, amused slightly by their antics. They were a theatrical lot these Atlantians.

John glanced back and looked at TJ before turning to look at Lorne. "See? The wraith'll protect us."

Lorne sighed and rolled his eyes but none the less continued to follow his commander. This, he could tell was going to end badly.

~xXx~

Emmagan was, again, busy, overseeing another choosing when Loranna came to him and informed him that, not only was Commander Caavin here but that there was another elder with him as well as a group of humans that included _the _colonel John Sheppard. The wraith had growled softly to himself and, after giving the visiting commander an excuse that was admittedly not one of his best, he followed his companion from the hall and up to the waiting room of his hive entering angrily and glaring at the large group of individuals that he found in it.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, crossing his arms and glaring at the person that happened to be the nearest to him; a dark haired male that looked vaguely like the Eldest's Katherine.

John eyed the wraith who looked a lot like the late Steve only about ten times vainer. "I'm sorry," he said, not sounding sorry at all, "Did we interrupt something?"

Emmagan snarled. "As a matter of fact, human, you did, now," he broke off and looked about the gathered persons until he found Commander Caavin. "Commander," he said respectively, even in the mood he was in he didn't dare treat an elder disrespectfully. "What service may I give to you?"

Caavin hissed. "We are tracking my sire and, according to our calibrations, his last known transmission was from this location. Have you seen him?"

Emmagan shook his head. "With all due respect, elder, I do not know who your sire -"

"Aw come on!" John shouted, interrupting the wraith and rounding on TJ whom he proceeded to glare at in irritation. "Does nobody know who your dad is?"

Caavin crossed his arms and eyed the human in annoyance. "To those of importance, the connection is known but, amongst others, I can assure you that the topics of genealogy and whom is related by blood to whom is not widely discussed."

John harrumphed and promptly smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand before turning back to the wraith whose hive they'd literally walked right up to. "Okay, so his dad, sire or whatever you call him is about this tall," he made a gesture at a spot roughly a six inches above his head, "has green skin and white hair like the rest of you and is -"

"My sire is the Eldest."

John rounded on him. "You interrupted me."

Caavin snorted. "Your description was lacking sufficiently in substance. My way was more direct and faster."

John huffed irritably. "Kill joy."

Emmagan's left eye twitched. "You…" he peered at the commander with whom he had traded with frequently for many centuries. "You are the Eldest's -"

"I am his first born," Caavin filled in more of his identity and then, losing patience with the other wraith, snapped. "Now, have you or have you not seen -"

"He was here," Emmagan replied in answer. "Two days ago and in the company of two humans; a male and a female. The male I do not know and have never seen and the female was the one that I gave to you in exchange for your assistance."

John made an unhappy noise. "But he's not here now?" he asked, angry that they were still playing catch up. He had been so hoping that Todd and Kate were still here, he'd crossed his fingers and toes and everything. He sighed and was about to ask another question when his brain froze and latched on to something that the wraith had said. Wordlessly he turned and eyed TJ darkly. "What does he mean he _gave_ Kate to you?"

Caavin sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He had known of course, as soon as he realized that his sire had gone to Emmagan, that Katherine's brief roll as his companion might come to light but now that it had, he found himself at a loss to explain the situation in a way that the humans would accept. "She was given to me," he began only to be cut off by the brother of the female in question.

"Yes, we got that part," John snapped at the wraith irritably. "Why?"

Lorne raised his hand. "I know."

John rounded on him. "Well by all means, enlighten me."

"Remember when Kate got made into a companion the first time and was only held for like two days?" Lorne explained looking pointedly at the colonel who, at the reminder of that particular ordeal, whirled around and fixed Todd's son with a look that could've wilted a flower.

"That was you!" he screeched angrily, pissed. "What is it with your family and my sister?"

Caavin balked. "I do not know -"

John ignored him and began to rant. "I mean, Kate was your companion for two days and she was Todd's companion for three months during which time he -"

"My sire took Katherine as his companion?" Caavin cut the ranting human off, his eyes wide.

John stopped talking and deflated. "Yes, well, he kind of had to," he explained. "It was either he take her or she would've been given to some other…you know what? Ask him!" John yelled, pointing at the fortress commander who, since they'd gotten here, hadn't said a word and had just stood there hovering in the background.

Caavin took the human's advice and rounded on Romulus who had the gall to look bored; as if nothing out of the ordinary had just been disclosed and that Valloran's taking of companions was something that happened often. "Well?" the younger wraith demanded of his sire's closest friend.

Romulus heaved a dramatic sigh and eyed Valloran's son. "While your sire was incarcerated in my prison there was an incident and Katherine was brought before me to be given judgment upon. My second suggested that she be given as a companion to break her of her sprit and, for reasons that were not known to me at the time but that are obvious now, your sire could not allow that to happen and so he petitioned for her. She was given to him and she stayed with him until we were rescued and removed from that hell hole."

Caavin digested this. When he had found out through a slip of his sire's tongue, or perhaps it had been simply carelessness, that Katherine had been a companion to another wraith since having been his, Caavin had been enraged by the thought. While he himself would not have forced her indeed, he had planned to court her had he been allowed to keep her and had made an offer to court her even after he had released her and their paths had crossed again, he knew that there were few other wraith who would have sustained. Learning that she had been taken by his sire and that it had been done to save her made the younger wraith feel only slightly better about the issue. Knowing of his sire's disposition towards Katherine, he found himself curious over one thing.

"And," he began, hoping quiet reverently that he would be given a negative answer top his inquiry, "Did anything -"

"I hardly think it is any of your concern what transpired between your sire and Katherine whilst she was under his care," Romulus cut the younger wraith off with a look while he inwardly sighed; this would all be so much easier if Caavin did not care for Katherine as much as he did.

Caavin dropped his eyes and John peered at him. The colonel wasn't actually as pissed at the wraith as he'd come off as being. This probably had something to do with the fact that he _knew_ that TJ hadn't touched Kate whereas Todd most certainly hadn't had the same control. There was also the fact that he was fairly certain that TJ cared about Kate and that, if he found out all that his dad had done to her, he'd give Todd hell for it. This alone was enough motivation for John to tell him what had happened. Maybe if Todd got enough flack for his actions from someone whose opinion of him he actually cared about he'd get the picture and leave Kate the hell alone.

Romulus took a deep breath and turned back to Emmagan. "Now, I do not suppose you know or were told in what direction -"

"They had to make it look like they were sleeping together," John cut in, turning so that he could look directly at TJ so that the wraith knew he was talking to him.

Caavin sucked in a breath of air that burned on its way down to his lungs. "And?'

John shrugged. "Oh, he did all sorts of things. He'd touch her face, play with her hair, lay his hand on her arm or on the small of her back. He kissed her once while they were out on a walk up on the battlements," he paused and tossed aside his casual demeanor before continuing again in deadly seriousness. "And then he actually tried to sleep with her; got all the way to third base before Rodney knocked on the door and interrupted them but not before he bit her. Kate's now got a lovely bite mark on her shoulder have you seen it?" Caavin made a noise and John continued. "You have? Well, it's a perfect impression of your dad's teeth."

Caavin stood there in shock, silently seething, while Romulus turned to colonel Sheppard and glared at him. "Was that entirely necessary?" he asked the human darkly.

John nodded. "Yes, yes it was; I feel better now."

Romulus curled his lip and returned his attention to Emmagan who had taken to standing off to the side with his arms crossed, the expression on his face one of intense amusement. "Do you or do you not know where they have gone?" he ground out, angry at both Sheppard and Caavin and needing this whole situation to be over so that they could move on.

Emmagan, who had enjoyed the theatricality of the tale he had just been told unfold before his eyes, shook his head with mirth still in his eyes. "No, I do not."

Romulus huffed and straightened, turning back to the others. "Come, we must return to Atlantis," when nobody but Major Lorne moved, the elder wraith snarled and fixed both Caavin and Sheppard with a heated glare. "Now!"

Both human and wraith snapped out of the trances they'd been inhabiting and began to walk, retracing the path they'd taken that had lead them to the anti-chamber in the first place. With one last sigh of annoyance, Romulus followed and Emmagan was left alone in his hive still greatly amused by the apparent drama that was the life of the Eldest and his kin.

"Milord."

The wraith turned and found that both Loranna and the commander whom had come to choose standing behind him. His eyes shifted to the right and he saw that the commander had with him a young female human with reddish hair. "You have chosen?"

The commander nodded. "I have. I will take my leave."

Emmagan nodded. "Of course," he gestured towards Loranna. "My companion will see you to your transport."

The commander inclined his head and then left leaving Emmagan alone to contemplate all that he had just witnessed and all that he had heard.

~xXx~

The Commander was pleased. Not only had he a new companion courtesy of Emmagan but, he also now knew that the female runner, Katherine of Atlantis, was with the Eldest. All was going according to plan and once he returned to his hive he would tell his Queen of his discovery. The runner's tracking device had a time delay in it and could not be tracked in real time while, the sub-space transmitter that the Eldest had implanted within himself could be. Oh yes, he smiled inwardly to himself, his queen and her sisters would be pleased. Soon they would be rid of the Eldest once and for all, he and his human whore.

~xXx~

The moon on the planet they were on wasn't bright enough or at least, Kate didn't think so. For the hundredth time or so she tripped on the ground and stumbled, pitching forwards and catching herself against the solid trunk of a tree. Breathing heavily, she pushed herself back up and continued walking. She was at the back of the line of three with Kiryk in the lead and Todd between the two of them. They'd been on this planet for a little over a day now and were just now looping back around and to head back towards the gate. Kate was tired and she wanted to ask the boys to stop so that she could rest but she didn't dare. Her weakness had already cost her dear during her run and she wasn't about to let it do so again. She would go on.

Her foot caught on a root and she fell forwards again only this time there wasn't anything around her that she could catch herself with. She hit the ground on her knees and let out a little cry of despair that was almost inaudible before she got up and brought herself into a sitting position and proceeded to attempt to stand. She couldn't do it and so she remained sitting on the ground and temporality let herself dwell on how tired she was, how much her head hurt and how very cold and miserable she was.

"Katherine?"

Kate looked up. "Todd," she breathed at seeing the wraith hovering over her, looking down on her in concern. "I just need a minute."

Her voice was weak and unfocused, coming out in an almost breathy quality and Todd frowned in worry. Crouching, he studied her. "Are you certain?' he inquired, reaching out a hand to touch her face and lift her chin up towards his. He started as his fingers brushed her skin. "You are warm Katherine," he told her concernedly. "Your temperature is elevated."

Kate jerked her face away from his touch. "I'm fine," she insisted stubbornly. "I just need a couple of minutes to rest and they we can keep- "

"What's wrong?" Kiryk asked, coming to stand behind the kneeling wraith before crouching down himself so that he could be on the same level as Kate who, now that he thought about it, looked a little pale. "You don't look so good."

Kate hissed and growled. "I'm fine."

Todd ignored her protests that she was indeed well and moved closer to her, grabbing hold of her arm in order to stay her whilst leaning forwards to cup her cheek with his feeding hand. "You are not fine," he told her, looking steadily into her eyes. "Your skin is warm to the touch and your color is less than it should be," she looked away from him and he continued. "You have not been feeling well for same time now. Why have you said nothing?"

Kate ground her teeth together. "We haven't had the time to stop," she bit out tersely.

Todd let out a low, soft hiss before gathering Katherine to him and standing. He could tell from the way her body leaned into his that she was having trouble remaining upright and so he lent her his strength and support by wrapping an arm around her waist. "We would have made time, Katherine, to stop and rest for you," he told her quietly as he felt her head lower to rest on his collarbone.

Rather then continue to protest, Kate stayed silent and simply let herself be held. Todd was warm and he made some of the aches her body was suffering from bleed away. Todd stood still and seemed to understand what it was that she needed from him right now and so, together, they stayed that way until Kiryk cleared his throat and they moved apart. Kate's legs were a bit unsteady but they held and she didn't fall. Todd continued to hover near her anyways; his concern and worry for her almost tangible and that, like his embrace, made her warm.

Kiryk looked over his traveling companion and, not for the first time, begrudged her the closeness that she had with the wraith. The predator was as cold and indifferent as the rest of his kind accept when it came to her and that, was just unnatural. It made Kiryk uneasy. "She needs a bath, a hot meal and a bed to sleep in," he said, shrugging his resentment of the relationship she had with the wraith and focusing on the situation at hand. "I saw a house a little ways back ."

Todd nodded. "Lead the way," he offered the human who turned and began to walk back the way that they had come. He turned to Katherine. "Lean on me."

Kate was too tired to argue and did as she was told. It took some time but eventually they came to the dwelling that Kiryk had said he'd seen and their leader stopped and turned back to the wrath and the woman.

"You're gonna have to stay here," he told the wraith, indicating the woods around the house. "They won't help us if they know you're here."

Todd inclined his head in acquiescence. "So be it," he turned to Katherine and lifted her face up towards his. "Sleep well, my Katherine. I shall be watching over you."

Kate swallowed thickly and shook her head before backing away from Todd and following Kiryk towards the house.

Behind them, Todd hunkered down to wait out the night.

When Kiryk knocked on the door it was opened by a young woman who looked surprised to see him and who had a small child with her that peeked out curiously from behind her skirts. "Yes?" the woman asked, looking over both the man and the young woman that stood on her doorstep.

"We need shelter," Kiryk told her, appealing to the woman by indicating Kate. "We have been traveling for some time and she has become ill. Please, we only ask that you provide for us for one night."

The woman's eyes widened as she took in all of the young woman that had to be supported by her companion. "Of course, come in," she said and stood back s that they could enter her home. She led them over towards the fire and called out to her husband. "Rolland, these travelers will be staying the night. Have you any objection?"

The man, who looked to be about John's age, looked up from the doll he was whittling for his daughter to see the two people his wife had invited into their home. He took one look at the woman and was on his feet, immediately helping her to sit down by the fire. "No," he answered his wife as he searched and found a blanket to wrap around her shoulders, "I have no objections," he looked at the young woman, she looked frightfully pale. "Are you alright miss? How long has she been like this?"

"Too long by the looks of it," his wife said, bustling out of the room to the kitchen so that she could fix the pour woman something to eat. "Here," she said upon returning as she handed the girl some leftovers from their own evening meal. "It is a little cold but it is hearty and it will do you good."

Kate accepted the food gratefully and looked up at both the woman and her husband. "Thank you," she managed after some effort. "I -"

Rolland shook his head. "Never you mind, child," he told her before he stood and looked around to his daughter. "Come with me Sara. We need to fix this nice lady a bed to sleep on here by the fire."

The little girl nodded and went with her father while the mother turned to the man who had come with the girl. "I'm afraid that we only have enough spare bedding to fix a spot for her," she said sadly. "I'm sorry that we cannot provide -"

"It's fine, I'll make do," he assured her, smiling at her kindly. "You do more than enough by allowing us to stay here."

The wife nodded and moved off, going to help her husband locate the extra blankets since he didn't know where to look for them; men never did. She sent Sara to go and keep the visitors company while she helped her husband search.

The little girl wandered back into the man room and sat some ways away from both Kate and Kiryk before she focused in on Kate and studied her. "You look like her," the girl said, her innocent voice sounding almost mystified. "The woman from the stories."

Kate looked up. "What woman?" she asked, curious.

Sara smiled. "Katherine of Atlantis," she answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "They say that she's beautiful in a real sort of way, whatever that means, and that she's got eyes like storm clouds before it rains," she looked at Kate. "Like yours."

Kate was dumbfounded. There were stories about her? Since when? And they said that she was beautiful; Kate didn't consider herself a beauty and actually thought that she was quite ordinary. She was attractive enough she supposed and she could even pass as pretty if she put in the effort, did her hair and put on some make-up but, just as she was, she wasn't anything special. The only one that had ever called her beautiful was John and he was as biased as they came; not even Todd has ever said that she was beautiful. He'd said she was desirable but being desirable wasn't the same as being told you were beautiful.

Kiryk shook his head at Kate's own ignorance of her appearance and turned towards the little girl just as both her mother and father came back with armloads of bedding materials and blankets. "What do the stories say?" he asked kindly, trying to keep the little girl entertained.

Sara smiled and her mother looked over to her. "Here now," she said, eyeing her daughter. "What stories are you telling our visitors?" she asked before giving her daughter a stern look. "You aren't about to tell the one about the woman and the wraith are you?"

Sara dropped her eyes and her smile faded. "No mama."

Her mother inclined her head. "Good because a more ridiculous story has never been told and it will not be repeated by a daughter of mine. You should know better now, get on off to bed. You can tell our visitors more stories in the morning."

Sara nodded obediently and scampered off to her bedroom leaving Kiryk and Kate alone in the company of Rolland and his wife.

"I you don't mind me asking," Kate said, now overly curious having heard the word wraith. "What story was she about to tell us and why is it ridiculous?"

The woman looked at her. "You haven't heard it then?" she asked and, at Kate's shake of her head she sighed. "It's been going around for a time now. It's silly really, purely a fantasy; there's no truth to it."

Kate frowned. "No truth to what?"

Rolland shook his head. "Stop dancing around the subject Martha and tell her, she obviously hasn't heard it so she can't know that it's just make believe."

Martha huffed and turned back to the girl who looked a bit better now that she'd eaten but was still pale and sickly looking. "There are always stories out in the worlds about women who are stupid enough to let themselves fall in love with wraith. Sara and I were at market the other day and we heard one such as that only it was different. There is this woman, apparently, named Katherine who comes from the city of the ancestors. She is strong of body and strong of mind and very beautiful or at least, that's what they say and the story goes that she, unlike the women in all the other stories, not only loves a wraith but that her wraith loves her back."

Kate blinked and felt her mouth fall open. Kiryk nodded her so that she'd close it before Martha or Rolland asked her about her reaction. "That's…" she tailed off, not really sure what to say. She knew the story was about her and she was pretty sure that the wraith in the story was supposed to be Todd. Hearing that he loved her, or that at least, the people in the Pegasus galaxy seemed to think so, made her almost giddy with happiness but at the same time it made her sad because she knew she wished that that part of the story was true.

Kiryk snorted. "I can see why you'd not want your daughter to tell that story," he said, masking his own surprise to having been told a fable about the woman sitting next to him and the wraith that he was sure was outside right now prowling laps around the house by reacting in a way that he was sure was expected of him.

Rolland chuckled. "Yes, it does her no good to have such false hope that the wraith are anything other than monsters. It still surprises me that there are so many that swear that the story is true."

Martha sniffed. "More the fools are they," she said before finished her making of the bed and turning to look at the girl. "Your bed is ready dear," she said before frowning slightly. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe I asked for your name."

Kate set the plate of half eaten food down and went to the pallet by the fire to lay down. "My name's Kate," she told the kindly woman who didn't believe that Todd loved her anymore then she did. It was a nice thought though and maybe she'd dream about it when she slept tonight.

Martha smiled down at her. "Well then Kate, sleep tightly and I pray for your health in the morning."

Kate nodded her head in thanks and lay down. She was asleep almost instantly and about her, the others moved off to also seek slumber while Todd, whom was outside, stood by the window and peered inwards to watch his Katherine while she slept.

Morning came and the people in the house stirred and awoke all except Kate who did not move or stir as those around her busied themselves with the making of the morning meal. When Kiryk sent to wake her, her skin burned at his touch and even after shaking her for several minutes she did not wake.

"What's wrong?" Rolland asked as he g=came to stand besides the man who and stooped in order to wake his friend. "Will she not wake?"

Kiryk sat back on his heels and looked up at the man who had opened his house to them. "No," he said, worried. "And her skin feels like fire."

Rolland made a face and knelt so that he could feel eh forehead. He drew his hand away quickly. "You are right," he said in concern, "Her skin does burn."

Kiryk shook his head worriedly. "I don't understand," he said. "She shouldn't be -"

A scream erupted from the kitchen followed by the sound of breaking dishes and both Kiryk and Rolland looked up to see Martha standing some feet away, looking utterly horrified while staring at the door. Sara cowered behind her and clung to her mother's skirts, her little eyes wide and terrified.

Rolland and Kiryk stood and walked to within sight of the door. Kiryk groaned as Rolland immediately leapt the distance between himself and his family and put them protectively behind him.

"Nice entrance," the former runner scolded the wraith who stood framed in the doorway looking as wholly frightening as he always did in the dark before dawn. Rolland, Martha and even Sara frowned and turned to look questioningly at Kiryk who ignored them. "I trust there's a reason you just decided to barge in here and -"

"Katherine will not wake?" he interrupted the human, taking several more steps into the house, ignoring the sounds of terror that his entrance elicited from the owners of the home as he strode past them and Kiryk and began to seek out his Katherine. He found her resting on a pallet of blankets and other bed coverings on the floor by a dying fire and, with a soft hiss, went to her and crouched down to examine her.

Kiryk glared at him as he walked by. "How the hell do you know?"

Todd growled softly and reached out to touch Katherine's face, starting at how warm her skin was before he began to check over the rest of her, measuring her pulse and counting her heartbeats before he answered the human. "I can feel her," he informed Kiryk as he felt her pulse flutter weakly against his fingertips. "Her presence is a constant in my mind. During the night I felt it weaken."

Kiryk stared at him. "How.." he began, now completely lost. "Does that work?"

Todd growled. "That is not any of your concern human, you need only know that it exists and that through it I may gage Katherine's health and condition."

The former runner didn't want to let this whole link thing go but knew that they had bigger problems to worry about now besides the fact that Todd and Kate were somehow connected. "So why won't she wake up?" he asked, taking a few steps towards the wraith who was now starting to look quite panicked.

Kiryk took that as a bad sign.

Todd let out a breath through his nose and looked up at the human that traveled with both he and Katherine. "She is dying."

Kiryk felt the blood leave his face. "She's…we have to fix her!"

Todd snapped at him. "Why do you think I am here?" he snarled before returning his attention back to Katherine and readying himself. What he was about to do was not a particularly wise thing to do and if Romulus was here he would tell him that it was outright stupid but Todd didn't care. He would _not_ let Katherine die while it was within his power to save her.

Kiryk frowned and eyed the wraith quizzically. "What are you going to…" he trailed off when he saw the wraith place his hand on Kate's chest and press down. The family gasped in horror but Kiryk knew that Todd wasn't going to feed on her no, he was going to do something else. He was going to give her the gift of life.

Again.

The process took perhaps two minutes during which time Todd could feel his energy draining away from him so that when he was done and the transference was complete he was quite tired and very near to collapse. He stayed himself though, from succumbing to his own weariness and focused his eyes onto Katherine's face, watching as she opened her eyes; her cheeks now more near to the color that they should be.

"Va -" Kate remembered where she was and stopped short, restarting with, "Todd?"

The wraith swayed were he sat and was forced to brace himself by placing a hand on the ground besides him. "Katherine," he hissed, his voice weak and barely audible. "You fell better?"

Kate nodded and sat up, scooting back until her back hit a wall. Blinking sleep out of her eyes she gazed at the wraith in front of her and, at seeing how shaken he looked, how weak, she looked down at her chest and saw the evidence of what he'd done staring at her glaringly. Her eyes snapped back up to his. "You haven't fed in days how could you possible afford to give me the gift when you don't have any energy to sp -"

"I gave you energy from my own life Katherine, to heal you and make you well."

A collective gasp rang out through the house as everyone in it - Rolland, Martha, Kiryk, Kate and even little Sara - stared at the wraith in complete and utter shock.

Kate reached out and touched his face with her fingertips. "But," she started as she felt Todd lean into her caress. "It could've killed you."

The wraith hissed and fought to stay conscious. "Your life is more important to me, Katherine, then mine."

Another round of gasps sounded out and, after speaking, Todd's strength gave out and his eyes rolled up into the back of his head as he collapsed forwards. Kate caught him and pulled the wraith into her embrace, wrapping her arms around his torso and moving just a little so that his head lay pillowed on her shoulder. "Stupid wraith," she whispered both angry at him and touched that he would do that for her at his own risk. On impulse, she kissed his forehead before turning her head to rest her cheek on top of his head.

The house was quiet until Sara, stunned by what she had seen but still curious, stepped out from behind her mother's skirts and looked at Kate and the wraith. "The story's true isn't it?" she asked, looking up from the sight and turning towards the man that had come with Kate. "She's Katherine of Atlantis and that's her wraith."

Kiryk, who knew that there wasn't really anyway he could deny the accusation after what they'd all just witnessed, nodded. "Yes," he said. "That's Katherine of Atlantis and that's her wraith."

Sara looked leased with herself. "He loves her," she said in a small voice that Kiryk was sure only he, the little girl and her parents heard.

Kiryk again, could do nothing but nod. "Yes," he said slowly, certain that had he not seen what had just happened with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it could ever, possibly be true. "Yes he does."

Sara smiled and looked back at the two of them. "Good," she said, looking up at her mother and father who both looked absolutely stunned. "I'm glad," and with that she turned around and skipped into the kitchen to set the table leaving the grownups to stand and stare at the beautiful lady and the wraith that loved her.

~xXx~

Todd recovered somewhat from his nap and Rolland even offered to let the wraith feed from one of the family's stock animals. The wraith took up the offer and was only slightly better off then Kate was by the time that they left and continued their trek towards the gate. As soon as they were on another world once again, Kate's condition backpedaled and with Todd still too weak to even attempt to give her gift aging - although he did offer - Kiryk suggested that they find the nearest settlement and have Kate get checked out of a doctor. Todd gave in because they didn't have a choice and while Kiryk took Kate into the village that they'd found about a miles hike from the gate, Todd went hunting for something with a bit more substance to it then a goat.

As Kate and Kiryk entered the village, the people skirted away from them and Kiryk thought that that was probably because of the way Kate looked, she was white as a sheet and was having trouble walking. He told her to ignore it and they found the healers soon enough, not even bothering to knock as they walked in and then sat down to wait.

And old man waddled out from a back room within minutes and, upon taking one look at Kate, shot the both of them a saddened look like he knew she was getting ready to die. "you have my sympathies my child," he told her gently, patting her hand before looking up at Kiryk. "But there's nothing I can do for her."

Kiryk glared at him. "But you just saw her!" he exclaimed. Todd was not going to like this.

The old healer sighed and looked at them both. "I've seen her condition many times before on many worlds. What she has cannot be cured by anything but the will of the ancestors. Not even the wraith's gift can undo the toll the disease takes on those that contract it."

Kiryk snorted. "Yeah, we know," he muttered under his breath.

The healer frowned but went on. "You, my child, have what we on this world at least call the Sangarian fever. It is a disease that weakens the body and caused those who have it to experience chills and fatigue even whilst their temperatures rise rapidly. In the end, you will burn from the inside out and you will die."

Kiryk cursed. Todd really wasn't going to like this. The wraith, he'd learned, didn't like accepting defeat any more then Kate did.

"But I'm stronger than most people," she protested, not willing to yet accept that she was on death's doorstep; not on top of everything else. "I could get better -"

The healer looked at her sadly and bowed his shaggy head. "Hold on to that hope my dear, you will need it in the coming days. It will keep you warm."

Kate scowled. "I won't just give up."

The healer smiled. "I am not asking you to," he said. "I am simply telling you the truth. What kind of medicine man would I be if I offered my patients false hope?"

He had a point and so, after thanking him for his time Kiryk helped Kate to stand and together they hobbled out of the village back towards the gate.

Todd met up with them as soon as they were no longer within sight of anyone in the village. "Katherine?" he asked, his voice pronouncing that he, at least, had been successful and was feeling once more up to par.

Kiryk shook his head. "There's nothing that can be done. What's she's got is incurable."

Todd's head reared back and his nostrils flared wide. "Impossible! No illness cannot be cured -"

"There are some Todd," Kate said weakly. Now that they were away from the village, the healer's words were starting to sink in and she was starting to see that he had a valid point. There was a very real possibility that she was going to die.

Todd snorted. "I refuse to believe that," he looked at Katherine and reached out to her to lift her face towards his. "I will find a way to make you well again. I -"

"Ah, Todd," Kiryk interrupted the vowing wraith and pointed skywards. "We have a problem."

The wraith looked up and felt his eyes widen as they took in the oncoming darts. "How did they -"

Kate cut in over him. "Never mind how," she screeched. "Run!"

Todd grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, picking her up and then taking off quickly back towards the gate. Kiryk followed and both he and Todd made certain to not travel in straight line so as to confuse their pursers but, the darts always remained directly over them; following their every move.

"This is impossible," Todd complained as they took shelter in a cave to rest as the darts flew by overhead. "A runner's tracking device does not operate in real time and is not so accurate that they would be able to so proficiently follow us and…" he trailed off, a peculiar look settling on his features.

Kiryk looked at him. "What?"

Todd hissed angrily and, in the place of an answer, crouched and retrieved a dagger from his boot. Standing he held it out to Kiryk. "I need you to do something for me," he said before placing the knife into Kiryk's hand and turning around to indicate the exact place on his back where the human should begin to cut.

~xXx~

"I'm tired of playing catch up!" John yelled, throwing his hands up as he paced the length of the briefing room for what had to be the eightieth time or so. "Why can't Todd just stay still!"

Woolsey eyed the man in sympathy. "I would imagine that he continues to move around because he is trying to protect Kate and he knows that lingering in any one place for too long isn't a good idea."

The irritated colonel growled but made no response because Woolsey was right, Todd couldn't just sit still and wait for them to come and find him, he had to keep the both of them moving. That didn't mean that John had t be happy about it.

"Well, at least we know that he's taking his job seriously," Elizabeth tried to comfort John who she knew felt absolutely helpless right now. Lorne, Ronon and the two wraith were off world tracking down Todd's last transmitter coordinates and they, the three of them, were waiting for them to get back with the results. "It means that he's doing everything in his power to keep her safe."

John sorted and collapsed into a nearby chair. "Not _everything_. I'm sure there's something he hasn't done yet that he could try."

Woolsey and Elizabeth looked at each other, not quite sure what to say to that or even if there was anything that could be said to it at all. Just as the both of them were about to try and console the military leader once again the gate activated and they were all on their feet, their eyes trained towards the doors.

Ronon appeared and he had a grim expression on his face. "Bad news I take it?" John asked scornfully and with a scowl. "Let me guess, Todd wasn't there?"

The Setedan shook his head. "No he wasn't but his transmitter was."

John yelped and nearly fell out of his chair. "What do you mean 'his transmitter was'?"

Ronon sighed and took something out of his pocket, tossing it to Sheppard who caught it, looked down at it and gave out a horrid sounding wail of despair. "We found that on the ground in a cave."

John struggled against the sudden urge he had to cry. "So…so then," he gulped and swallowed hard, a lump he couldn't shake forming in the back of his throat. "We have no way of…this is it?"

Ronon looked sorrowfully at his commanding officer. "Sheppard," he said. "I'm sorry."

John could no longer fight back the tears and let them fall. As they slid down his face he sat back down and realized, with a heart wrenching tug of his heart, that he would never see his sister again. Katie Beth was lost to him and now all he could do was mourn.

"I've got to tell David," he said, standing up and making his way towards the door. His feet on autopilot towards his office.

Woolsey's voice stopped him. "We don't know that she'd dead, colonel. She could still be -"

"Yes we do," John said brokenly. "I'll have the funeral arrangements on your desk by tomorrow," and with that, he left while he knew he could still walk; before the real despair had a chance to set in.

Ronon hung back and looked at Woolsey. "Please tell me that you're not gonna give up yet?" he begged earnestly. Sheppard might have let it all go but he wasn't ready to do the same and he needed to know that at least one person wasn't ready to either.

Woolsey shook his head. "No, I'm not and I won't. Not until he have proof that she's dead will I tell the search teams to stop looking."

There was conviction in his voice and Ronon nodded his head in satisfaction before turning on his heel to go give the others the news.

~xXx~

"She is hot, her temperature is rising rapidly. If we do not get it down soon then she will -"

"Do you know how many people die from the Sangarian fever each season?" Kiryk irritably asked the wraith who seemed to not totally understand that there was very little that could be done for Kate at this point. Even in its early stages, the disease that had taken hold of her body was hard to get rid of and Kate was well past the early stages. With the rate at which she was deteriorating, she'd be lucky to last another two days.

Todd snarled and kept up his ministrations for Katherine's benefit. Again, the three of them found themselves in a cave on some rotten, wet world and keeping Katherine dry and warm was his top priority. At the moment, she was sleeping securely before him in the space between his legs whilst he kept his arms wrapped around her for added warmth. She was shivering, her body shaking and shuddering violently, despite the fact that her body's internal temperature was alarmingly high and it was all that Todd could do to keep her comfortable enough so that she could continue to slumber; whiling away the hours until either he or the human could come up with a way to cure her.

From across the cave, which really wasn't any more than a recess - albeit a large one - betwixt two impressively large boulders, Kiryk eyed the wraith who had consistently and for the ten hours or so done nothing other than hold on tightly to Kate, soothe her and check her temperature over and over again. It had occurred to him quite a while back that the wraith had no idea how much trouble she was in as wraith, as far as Kiryk knew, never got sick. The former runner was quite sure that Todd was still suffering under the delusion that the illness that Kate was suffering from would run its course and that, in the end, she'd be fine. Someone was going to have to rid him of that idea and, since there was no one else around, the unfortunate task of telling Todd the wraith that Kate was, in all likelihood, going to die, fell to him.

And he was not looking forwards to it.

"Ah, Todd," Kiryk began, not at all sure of how to go through with this. The wraith said nothing and made no move so, he continued. "I don't know how much you know about the Sangarian fever but, at this point, there's nothing we can do for her. She's gonna -"

"Do not say it!" Todd hissed angrily, snapping his head up and fixing his angry gaze on that of the human sitting across from him. "Katherine is stronger than the rest of your race and can survive many things that would otherwise kill any other of you. She can -"

"But she's still human!" Kiryk interrupted him, glaring at him reproachfully. "Stronger than average or not, inside, under the skin, she's the same as me and I'm telling you that there is nothing we can do for her. She's too far gone. Maybe if we'd have caught it sooner, maybe then we could do something but it's too late. She's going to die and all we can do now is ease her suffering so that she -"

"I will not let her die!" Todd growled, tightening his arms around Katherine as much as he dared to do without harming her.

Kiryk scowled at him. "What are you going to do about it?" he demanded, kicking angrily at a rock that had the misfortune of being too near to his left foot. "You've tried the gift, twice, and nothing happened. She's still sick. Face it, this is out of your power, deal with it and move on so that you can at least be there for her in the end."

Todd hissed. "You want for me to accept the fact that I will lose her?" he made a noise that didn't quite constitute a growl but was more than a snarl. "That I cannot do. I will _not_ let her die."

Kiryk threw up his hands; stars on high this wraith was stubborn, probably the most stubborn out of the whole damned bunch. "Well then, " he eyed the creature from across the cave, "What miraculous thing are you going to do to -"

"Not me," Todd said softly, dropping his eyes back down to Katherine's sleeping face where it lay pillowed on his shoulder. She was out of options and so, too, was he. The human male was right, the ability to cure her of her condition was out of his power but, he knew of others who had with the capabilities to do what he could not. For her, for her life, Todd would do anything including ending his if he thought that the fates would accept the trade. Sacrificing his pride, therefore, was a small price to pay.

Kiryk blinked at him. "What do you mean, not you?"

Todd looked up at the male. "There are those, three individuals, that I believe may be able to save her."

Kiryk stared at him for a few long seconds before growing angry. "And you're just now mentioning this why?"

Todd snarled at him. "There is much hatred between them and I," he attempted to explain. "If I ask this of them, there is a good chance that they will require a great deal from me in order to secure their agreement."

Having said that, Kiryk thought he got the idea. Whoever these people were, Todd had waited until he knew he was out of other options before suggesting them and that, quite honestly, made Kiryk very nervous. Todd was the absolute last person any sane person would want to anger and so, the thought that there might be three people out there that had - so much so that the wraith _hated_ them - made those three people almost as equally scary as the wraith now sitting so benignly across from him holding an unconscious human woman in his lap.

Kiryk swallowed. "And you think that they'll help?" he asked, not quite sure that this plan would even work. If Todd hated them then it was a good bet to say they felt the same way towards him and if they did, then Kiryk wasn't so sure that the wraith asking nicely would get Kate the help she needed.

Todd nodded. "They will, they have a certain predisposition to the humans in this galaxy."

Kiryk sighed. "Well, if you think -"

Todd stood, carefully so as not to awaken the woman he held now cradled in his arms. "I do," he started to walk towards the mouth of the cave. "Come," he called back to the still seated human. "We have to go now, before Katherine's condition deteriorates farther."

Kiryk hopped up and followed Todd out of the miniature cave and out into the rain which, thankfully, was now nothing more than a light drizzle. "So, what's the plan?" he asked as they started back towards the gate.

Todd grunted and shifted Katherine so that she was held more securely in his arms. She groaned but didn't wake. "For this to work, we must go to them," he answered the male who easily kept pace besides him. "You will have to be the one to contact them, they will not answer to me."

Kiryk frowned. "And you think they'll go along with it once they find out you sent me?"

Todd inclined his head and shifted Katherine again so that he could dial. Once the gate had activated, he gathered her to him again and walked through. On the other side, he turned to Kiryk in order to give him direction before he started walking again, the human keeping up from behind.

Since it didn't look like Todd'd be answering him any time soon, Kiryk sighed and didn't bother to repeat his question. The wraith was doing this completely on hope and since that in and of itself was a miraculous and almost unheard of thing, Kiryk wasn't really ready to dash them just yet. He'd let Todd hold on to his optimism for now and be ready to tell him 'I told you so' later.

Before him, Todd lead the way up the side of the mountains they'd immediately started to climb as soon as they'd stepped through the gate and fixed his thoughts on what he was going to say in order to convince them to give him their assistance. He knew that he would do anything they asked of him regardless of what it was but, as always, Todd did not like not knowing what was going to happen and, at the particular point in time, he was walking into this completely blind.

It took a little over an hour to get to the top but, in the end, both he and Kiryk achieved the desired goal and came out of the forest onto a plateau halfway up the mountain's face. Around them, the ruins of an ancient city lay scattered and Todd sighed to himself as he looked on them; remembering the last time he had been here.

Kiryk eyed the stone columns and crumbling walls with disinters before turning to the wraith. "So, what now?" he asked.

Todd looked down on him. "You must go into the center of the stones, anywhere will do, and discharge your weapon."

Kiryk raised an eyebrow. "What am I shooting at?"

Todd shrugged. "Nothing."

The humans was confused. "But then -"

"Just do it!"

Kiryk sighed. "Fine," he said in a huff before trotting out into the middle of the ruins and then, with a glare towards Todd the I-speak-in-riddles wraith, pulled out his gun and fired off one shot straight up into the air. He waited and just when he was about to ask the wraith what was supposed to happen now, he was engulfed in a brilliant flash of light before vanishing entirely.

Satisfied, Todd began looking for a place to sit and wait. It did not take long and, with another flash of light, Kiryk reappeared this time in the company of one who was familiar to the wraith and he thanked whoever would listen that the one that Kiryk had gotten to come with him to investigate was this one.

Kiryk was feeling a bit dazed but quite a bit more confidant in the wraith's plan then he had been fifteen minutes ago. "She's over here," he said to the man that was walking besides him.

The man turned to him. When he'd agreed to help this young man he'd done it on very little information and without asking any questions as soon as the man had told him what the girl he was asking for help for was suffering from. The Sangarian fever was an unfortunate side effect of a project once tried by he and his brothers and so he felt responsible. Normally, he and his brothers didn't interfere with the lives of the humans but, given the circumstances, he made an exception. Now, he thought, might be the right time to make some inquires about the patient he was about to treat.

"And how long did you say, she has been suffering from the fever?"

Kiryk did the math in his head. "About a week."

The man stopped short. "A week?" he repeated and looked at the young man who had stopped walking and turned back to him. "No one who contracts the fever lasts a week, she should be dead!"

Kiryk looked at the ground, not quite sure what to say.

The man took a step towards him, his eyes narrowed, now wondering about the wisdom involved in accepting the plea for help without first knowing all the fact. "What aren't you telling me?" he demanded, scrutinizing the man standing before him looking very guilty about something. "What trick do you play for your own amusement?"

Kiryk opened his mouth to answer that he wasn't playing any trick when Todd the wraith did it for him.

"I can assure you that there is not fowl being executed here."

The man whirled around at the sound of the multi-toned voice and locked his eyes onto the face of perhaps the one being he hated more than any other. "You!" he screamed, glaring at the wraith who was still more than half covered his shadow, suddenly weary. "What reason have you sought us out, traitor!"

Todd hissed and stepped from the shade of the falling stones that he had sought refuge under in order to protect Katherine from the elements while he waited. "For exactly the reason that I am sure Kiryk has relayed to you," he said, refusing to be baited as he was sure the Lantean would like for him to be. "There is one that requires your help."

The Lantean sniffed and looked up at the creature now wholly visible to him fully prepared to tell him to go to hell when he stopped and felt his mouth drop open wide. The once High Commander of wraith and most heated being in all the stars to him and any other of his race, stood before him tenderly and carefully holding a woman in his arms. The Lantean let his eyes drop to her face and gasped, his gaze lifting quickly upwards to lock with that of the wraith's.

"What ails her?"

Todd held the Lantean's eyes with his own and refused to look away. "She is dying," he said, choking on the words as they were most difficult for him to say. "I…I did not know what else to do, where else to take her. The gift of life has done nothing to help restore her and I cannot take her back to Atlantis. I have come to ask for your help to save her."

The Lantean stared at him. Never, not in twenty thousand years, had he or anyone else seen this wraith look so unsure, so lost. The look in his golden, reptilian eyes was one of utter helplessness and that alone was enough to bade him stay and not to simply walk away as he knew he should. "Why can you not return her to the city?" he asked, still not completely sure that he was indeed witnessing what his eyes told him he was: Valloran, desperate and afraid.

Todd dropped his eyes down to Katherine's face and gripped at her more tightly before returning his gaze to the Lantean's. "She is a runner."

The Lantean blinked. "A…" he looked down on her. "But she is female!"

Todd nodded. "The first of her kind. The queen's have placed a bounty on her head promising rewards for any hunter that brings her to them. She is being hunted not by only one hive but by them all. Atlantis was just recently attacked not three months hence, if I take her there, I would be leading every hive ship in the galaxy directly to them in a time when they cannot adequately defend themselves."

Again, the Lantean looked at him strangely. "And since when do you care about the fate of our city?" he demanded, crossing his arms and glaring reproachfully at the wraith. "As I recall, it was by your hand that the city was sunk and abandoned in the first place."

Todd growled. "My concern for or not for Atlantis is irrelevant! Katherine is dying and I do not have the power to save her you and your brothers however, do."

The Ancient grappled with what to say. While it was true that the fact that Valloran had sought him out in order to ask for favors was not lost on him, the Lantean had do wonder why the wraith was brothering to do any of this at all. "Why should -"

"Zallus," Todd interrupted the male and looked at him in as pleading a manner as he could for he was quite desperate by now. "I ask this of you for her sake; not for mine," he paused and, with some difficulty, swallowed every last ounce of pride he had that was left to him. "Please."

Silence descended upon the ruins and Zallus could do nothing but stand there for a few moments, slack jawed and wholly disbelieving of the fact that Valloran, High Commander of wraith, greatest and most feared warrior to have ever lived, had just asked him, a Lantean for help and used the word 'please'. The Lantean doctor could count on three fingers, four now, the number of times he'd heard of this particular individual using that word and because of that, found that he could not refuse the assistance that was being requested of him.

"Bring her," he said, swallowing the shock that was lodged thickly in the back of this throat. He trusted Valloran to obey him as he turned on his heel and led the way back towards the center of the ruins, both the wraith and the human following him. As he activated the transport, the four of them disappeared in a flash of light and reappeared in a subterranean complex that was as lavish as it was huge. Turning down a hallway, Zallus didn't bother to check and see if he was being followed as he lead the way to the compounds medical ward. Upon arriving, he stood back and gestured for Valloran to relinquish his burden mentally tallying the moments before his brothers would arrive and demand answers from him.

They appeared just as the wraith was setting Kate down and, predictably, upon seeing him, burst out in protests.

"What is he doing here!" Arius demanded of his younger brother who sighed and turned towards both he and Portan.

Zallus looked at both his brothers and opened his mouth to give them the speech he had been rehearsing since agreeing to Valloran's request. "He has asked for my help and I have granted it."

Portan's eyes widened indignantly whilst Arius let out an angry sounding growl. "You are assisting him!" the latter screeched, his eyes wild with rage. "With what!"

In place of an immediate answer, the youngest of the three brothers stepped to the side and allowed the older two to see into the infirmary behind him. Valloran had placed Kate carefully down on an examination table and was now hovering besides her protectively as though he thought that either Portan or Arius would attack her. Zallus almost, and fleetingly, wished that they would just to see what the wraith would do to them. If the expression on his face was any indication, the Lantean physician could well see Valloran literally ripping both his brother's heads off if they dared harm or even attempt to harm the woman he was acting as sentinel for.

His care for her was a sight to behold, truly.

Arius took in the sight and then let his eyes fall onto the face of the girl. He blinked and then allowed a slow, sadistic smile to spread over his features. "Major Sheppard," he acknowledged her, taking a step forwards. "What on earth did you do to her?"

Todd growled and came around the operations table he'd laid Katherine on and positioned himself between her and Arius, his mind flashing back to what the Lantean had tried to do to her when last they had met. "I did nothing!" he hissed, his teeth bared in evident threat. "She is ill, I have brought her here to -"

Arius smiled cruelly at the creature that had been quick to rise to the defensive. "And what makes you think," he said slowly, savoring the chance he was given to goad this wraith, "that me and my brothers should help you save your, what exactly is she to you again? Tell me, I've forgotten?"

"Arius," Portan said in warning, weary of the look on Valloran's face. The last time they had seen the wraith he had prevented his younger brother from forcing the unwilling Major Sheppard to share his bed and the eldest brother had no illusions about what Valloran would do to Arius if he threatened her again. As protectively inclined as he was towards her, the outcome of a confrontation between them would not be good.

Arius ignored his brother and eyed the wraith, waiting for a response to his question. "Well?" he inquired. "Why is it that she is so important to you?"

Todd growled. "That is none of your concern. Her value to me has no bearing on the situation at -"

"I say it does!" Arius spoke over him, cutting of the wraith's tirade. "And I say that your companion's health is of no concern to me and -"

"She is _not_ my companion!"

"Your whore then!" Arius screamed, quite pleased with himself when he saw the look of utter fury pass over and then settle on Valloran's face. "Whatever she is I see no reason that me or my brothers should concern ourselves with -"

"Valloran?"

The weak call was barely audible but it was heard nonetheless. In an instant, the room grew silent and stilled as its occupants became frozen where they stood Todd, being the only one of them that retained any motion. Moving more quickly than on any other occasion in his life, the wraith was at Katherine's side almost before the last syllable of his name had finished forming on her lips. Reaching out to her, he touched the tips of his fingers to her face and drew a hissing breath inwards as she stirred and turned her head towards him.

"Katherine?"

Kate fought through the darkness that was oppressing her and forced her eyes to open, the first sight they saw being the worried face of Todd the wraith hovering over her. "Valloran," she whispered, her voice as weak as the rest of her. Her eyes felt heavy and she tried her very hardest to keep them open. "Valloran, I'm cold."

Todd felt his breath hitch in his throat as he looked down on Katherine in her weakened state. He could tell, feel, that she was close to death and that if nothing was done soon, he would lose her forever. It was an outcome he would do everything in his power to prevent and so, in the spirit of this, he thought to give her strength; any and all that he could. "You will be warm soon, my Katherine, I promise you."

Kate closed her eyes and lifted her hand upwards and out, seeking him. She needed to touch him, needed to feel his skin against hers for her to truly feel like his words were true. He seemed to know this and, just when she thought her strength would fail her and she felt her hand begin to tremble, she felt the warmth that was his skin against hers and felt the tiny, tickling prickle of his feeding slit slid over her hand; grasping it tightly. Having the touch she'd needed, Kate settled back onto whatever it was she was lain upon and allowed herself to slip away; the darkness calling her back into its embrace.

Todd started worriedly. "Katherine?" he called, begging her with his voice to answer him. "Katherine?"

She did not answer and, even more alarmingly, he felt her grip on his hand slacken and then go limp. Desperately he called out to her again and then, when that did not provoke a response, he resorted to calling out with his mind. _Katherine, Katherine, can you hear me? Answer me, answer me please. Do not leave me. Katherine, Katherine, please…_

When still she did not respond, the frightened wraith let out a cry of despair and turned wildly towards the Lanteans all of whom, his fevered mind noticed, were staring at him with various expressions of perplexed bewilderedness and complete shock. "Please," he begged, beseeching them as he had never in his life asked anything of anyone else, human, wraith, Lantean or otherwise. "Please save her. I…I cannot lose her she is…is is everything to me."

The truth of his words rang clear and could be seen in the way he looked at them. Wordlessly, both Portan and Zallus moved forwards and immediately began to administer various antibiotics and immune strengthening agents directly into her bloodstream that took effect almost immediately. Still without speaking, Portan fetched an IV so that they might be able to get some water and nutrients into her system whilst Zallus began to perform a scan to search for any other viral infections that might be contributing to her condition. When their work was done and Kate was stable, both brothers stepped away from her and looked towards the clearly very relieved looking wraith.

"She will recover," Portan informed Valloran whose eyes, instead of being on he and Zallus, were fixed onto the prone woman's face. Portan let him look, rather than call his attention onto him and continued. "She can remain here until -"

"We can't stay," Kiryk, who hadn't said a word since coming back down here, spoke up. "We have to leave."

Portan looked affronted. "The girl is in no condition to leave supervised care. She must remain -"

"The human is correct," Todd spoke, pulling his eyes forcibly away from Katherine's no longer quite so pale face. "We cannot linger."

Before Portan could protest, Zallus stepped up. "We could remove the tracking deivce while she is here," he looked back and forth between then wraith and the human male. "Then you could take her back to Atlantis."

Todd shook his head. "That would not work. If the device were to suddenly deactivate, then the hunters and their queens would know that it has been removed. They would converge on the city and destroy it. I cannot let that happen."

Portan and Arius frowned. "What do you mean?" they asked in unison before Arius added. "What are you not telling us?"

"The girl is a runner," Zallus provided the answer to his brother's question and then turned back to the wraith. "Perhaps we could -"

"There is no other way," Todd countered. "Unless we can somehow lead the hunters away whilst I retreat with her back to the city then we have no other choice but to -"

"Put it in me."

Todd stopped talking and turned towards Kiryk, one eye ridge raised. "What?"

Kiryk, who had weighed his options and found that this was the course of action that had the best chance of succeeding, sighed and repeated himself. "Take the tracker out of Kate and put it in me. The frequency will still read the same so I'll lead them away while you take her back to Atlantis."

Todd was silent on the issue for all of two seconds. "I do not wish for you to have to -"

"Look," said Kiryk stepping forwards and appealing to the side of Todd who he knew cared about Kate and Kate period. "It's either me or her, pick one."

Todd dropped his eyes. "I will always choose -"

"Yes, yes, I know, that's why I said it now," he turned to the three brothers whom he had worked out in his head were ancestors almost from the get-go. "Can you do it?"

Zallus nodded. "I can."

Todd protested. "But -"

"Then do it," Kiryk said, a note of finality in his voice that dared Todd the stubborn ass wraith to argue with him. He sighed and eyed the creature that he had, upon first meeting, tried to kill. "Take her home Todd, she's run long enough."

Todd nodded his head slowly accepting the sacrifice that the human was making for her and making no farther move to question it. "My thanks, human," he said sincerely, bowing his head in reverence. To be a runner was to suffer, that he was volunteering spoke greatly to his character and the character of his race; of their capacity.

Kiryk looked squarely at the wraith for a moment before turning and looking down on Kate who was now, for the first time in a long time, sleeping peacefully. "Take care of her," he said, his voice coming out thickly, sticking like mud in his throat. He looked back up to the wraith. "Make sure she gets home."

Todd inclined his head once in silent promise before allowing himself to be taken from the room by Portan who explained to him that Zallus would need the room clear in order to perform the double operation. "She will be fine for the few minutes that it takes to do this," he assured the wraith who, evidently, was reluctant to leave her side for even the smallest amount of time.

Todd grunted and let himself be vacated from the infirmary and steered down a corridor to a nearby room to wait.

As he sat, lost in thought, both Arius and Portan stood back and regarded him, the same exact thought on both of their minds.

"He loves her."

Portan nodded in acknowledgement. "Yes," he whispered softly, his eyes resting on the wraith who seemed ill at ease now that he was so far, two rooms, away from the woman that had managed to do what no other female before her had done; tame Valloran. "Yes, he does."

Arius shook his head in astonishment and shock. "If…if I had not seen it..i would not have…I would have never…" words failed him and, at a loss for them, the Lantean trailed off and fell silent.

Besides him, his brother understood his sentiments. Had he not seen for himself the evidence to support it, the idea that Valloran would lose his heart - or perhaps he gave it up willingly - to a human was one of absurdity. And yet, he _had_ seen it and knew it to be true and was, therefore, in awe of it. "I do not believe that, there is anything that he would not do for her," Portan said softly, his mind replaying the cry the wraith had made when the girl had slipped from consciousness. Such a sound as that he had never heard before; it was as though despair itself had been vocalized and, quite truthfully, Portan never wished to hear such a sound again.

The cry would haunt him for the rest of his days.

Arius nodded, swallowing his resentment for the wraith in the wake of all of this. "Yes," he said, agreeing with his brother. "I believe you are correct."

Portan sighed. "He came to us for help, said please and begged us for her life," he paused and shook his head. "I do believe that the stars themselves are as shocked by his doings as are we."

For the remainder of the time it took for Zallus to perform the operation, the three of them were silent and, when the youngest brother came to tell them that it was done, Valloran stood and swept past them without a sound. The brothers offered to drop the wraith and the humans off at the gate and, having done so, watched first Kiryk and then Valloran and Katherine disappear into the vortex; one to some other planet and one back to their own lost city.

As the gate closed, the three of them began the trek back up the mountain each lost in thought and each, wondering what the future might hold now that there was a wraith alive that loved a human.

~xXx~

For the first time in his life, Richard Woolsey felt utterly and completely defeated. It had been a eight days now since Ronon had brought them Todd's transmitter and the trail had gone stone cold after that. Woolsey had done everything in his power to keep it going, authorizing search teams to go out and look for her, had called in every favor that any of their off-world allies had owed them and had even told the IOA and Stargate Command respectively to shove it and that he would _not_ resume normal operations of the city until she was found and brought safely home, it had all been for nothing. They were no closer to finding her now then they had been a month and eight days ago and nobody, not a single person in the city nor any of the wraith that hovered above it, knew what to try now.

They'd lost and, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Richard."

Woolsey looked up from his contemplation of the funeral arrangements that Colonel Sheppard had delivered to him earlier that were laid out on his desk and saw Dr. Weir standing at the entrance to his office. He sighed, "Come in."

Elizabeth shot the director of Atlantis a look of remorse and stepped forwards, settling herself into one of the chairs opposite his desk without waiting for him to offer it to her. "Richard," she said again, worry coloring her tone for the man that sat so gloomily behind his desk, "There's nothing else you can do."

Woolsey sighed. He knew that, of course, but that didn't mean he felt any better about his inability to fix this. "There has to be something," he said, sitting up in his chair and leaning forwards over his desk, rubbing his hand tiredly over his eyes, "Something we haven't tried yet. We've just got to -"

"It's a big galaxy, Richard," Elizabeth soothed him knowing that accepting defeat was as hard for the former bureaucrat as it was for John. "You did your best."

Richard Woolsey snapped. "My best was, obviously, not good enough!" he said loudly, not quite a yell but still, loud enough to startle the few control room personnel that were still at their posts at this hour. He sighed and sank back into his chair, his propriety and usual decorum flying completely out the window as he allowed himself to slouch, dejectedly behind his desk. "I failed her."

Elizabeth stared at him at a complete loss for words. "You failed…" she blinked several times rapidly. "This isn't your fault!"

Woolsey harrumphed. "Isn't it?" he asked, looking squarely at Dr. Weir. "I'm the one that let her leave, let her go on a mission right after coming out of a coma. I sent -"

"There was no way for you to have known that this would've happened!" Elizabeth argued, standing up indignantly. "Kate is a soldier _and_ a Sheppard. Going off on crazy wild suicide missions is not only her job it runs in the family so don't blame -"

Before Woolsey could respond or really, before he could even think, the gate below them activated and began to dial. Woolsey was on his feet immediately and, in a matter of seconds, was in the control room standing besides Chuck with Dr. Weir hovering anxiously besides him. "Do we have an IDC yet?" he asked Mr. Campbell who was busy checking over his computers.

Chuck shook his head. "No," he replied, watching his screen carefully. "Not yet."

Woolsey nodded. "Then -"

Chuck's screen beeped and then began to flash as an old, deactivated identification code was entered by the person on the other side of the gate. The gate tech stared at his screen and then turned in his chair so that he could look upwards at Woolsey. "Sir," he said, his voice a bit shaky. "It's Todd."

Woolsey felt all the blood leave his face at once at the same time as his heart literally leapt to his throat and lodged itself there, refusing to move. "Lower the shield," he whispered hoarsely, turning to look at Dr. Weir whom, he saw, was wearing an expression of almost desperate hope.

"Do you think…" she trailed off, unable to complete the sentence for fear that it wasn't true and that the wraith was returning to them after all this time jus to tell them that it was time to give up.

Woolsey swallowed. "We can only hope," he said weakly before moving away from the control room and starting the decent down into the gateroom proper. Dr. Weir joined him and together, on baited breath, they waited for Todd the wraith to step through.

When he did, it was a sight that nether Richard Woolsey nor Elizabeth Weir would forget for as long as they lived. The wraith had come back to them and, in his arms, he held the woman that they had all but given up the hope of ever seeing again. He felt himself swallow, the bite of bile stinging the back of his throat. "Is she…" he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

Todd turned towards the director of the Lantean city and the woman that had been the first to greet him upon his return. "She will live," he replied, assuaging their fears and watched as they both sagged in relief at the knowledge. He began to walk forwards.

Woolsey stopped him. "Where are you taking her?" he asked, a frown on his features as he looked at first the wraith and then down at the young woman whom was being held securely in his arms; her head pillowed against his shoulder. His eyes narrowed and widened in quick succession as they took in the various injuries she sported that he could see and, in an instant, he felt he knew just what she had lived through in the past two and a half months.

Hell.

Todd grunted and fixed his reptilian gaze onto that of Mr. Woolsey. "She has recently recovered from being ill," he informed the human as he took another step in the direction of the infirmary. "It would be best, if I take her to the infirmary immediately."

Knowing the destination that the wraith had in mind, Woolsey stepped back and let him pass turning to Dr. Weir as soon as he'd swept from the gateroom and disappeared down a nearby corridor. "Radio Colonel Sheppard and his team," he instructed her, trying very hard to keep the emotion he was currently feeling out of his voice. "Tell them…tell them that she's back."

Dr. Weir nodded and immediately got on her radio, calling out for John while Woolsey turned mutely around and walked back to his office. Taking a seat behind his desk once more, the director of Atlantis let out a great, racking sigh that shook his entire body before leaning forwards and dropping his head into his hands, his elbows perched on his knees. Tears came to his eyes and prickled but did not fall.

The bespectacled man let out another sigh. "Thank you," he whispered shakily. "Thank you, God, thank you for brining her back."

He let out a sob and then another whispered "Thank you," to whomever was there to listen before, alone in his office, he let it all go and openly began to cry in sheer, utter relief.

~xXx~

When Elizabeth's voice had come over his radio to tell him that Kate was back and that Todd was taking her to the infirmary, John had literally dropped what he was doing - which had resulted in Rodney crashing to floor, landing on his ass and shouting a myriad of explicative's - and bolted towards the medical bay. When he'd arrived, it had been to see Todd the very tired looking wraith gently lower Kate onto a gurney before stepping back and looking up. For a moment, their eyes had locked and they'd looked at one another before Todd'd nodded once and walked away, saying something about needing to inform his commanders that he had returned. John hadn't wasted any time in moving forwards to take up a vigil over his sister's bed and, he was still there hours later; watching as her chest rose and fell in a peaceful slumber.

"Colonel."

John looked up from his contemplation of his sister's face and locked eyes with Jennifer. "Yeah doc?" he asked.

Jennifer walked towards him. "I know that you don't want to leave her but, Mr. Woolsey needs you in his office to help him with the paperwork. As her power of attorney you -"

John waved her silent. "Yeah, yeah, I know," he said and then sighed, lowering his eyes back to Katie Beth's sleeping face. "You've probably got to run some tests on her anyways right?"

Jennifer nodded. "One or two."

John let out a huff of air through his nose and stood, reaching out a hand to gently tuck a stray strand of hair back behind Katie Beth's ear. "I'll be back," he promised her gently before pulling back his hand and, with a last nod to Jennifer, took his leave, inclining his head to the group of people that had taken to hanging about outside of the infirmary for some time now waiting to be allowed to see her before he got into the transporter and pressed the point on the screen that would take him to the control tower.

Behind him, the group of people - Teyla, Lorne, Cadman, Ronon, Todd, Caavin and Romulus - all turned their heads expectantly towards the entryway to Kate's isolation room and waited for Jennifer to come out and inform them of her condition. The humans had found it odd, at first, that both Todd's son and Romulus seemed invested in learning of Kate's status but then, Teyla had reasoned that perhaps they were simply there because they worried for Todd. Cadman had quickly latched on to that and commented on how utterly horrible their wraith ally looked. He looked ragged, drained and completely exhausted. Personally, having taken the time to look at him properly, the humans all thought it was a miracle that he was even still standing.

And, apparently, the wraith thought the same.

"Eldest," Romulus chided Valloran who had not stopped pacing since he had made the decision to come down here and await word of Katherine's health and condition, "Crease. You shall wear yourself out."

Todd growled. "I am fine," he insisted stubbornly, not willing to admit to anyone how very tired he was. The last few days of running, of worrying for Katherine and of caring for her in her weakened state had drained him and now, he felt very much like he was close to collapse. He refrained however, and fueled himself with the need to know that she would be well and that the Lantean brothers had indeed purged all traces of the disease from her system. Once he had that assurance, once he was sure that she would suffer no lasting effects of the illness and that she would recover fully from her ordeal then, only then, would he allow himself to seek the rest that his body so desperately needed.

Caavin rolled his eyes. "You are not fine, Sire," he insisted, annoyed that his sire was putting Katherine's health before his own. He himself cared for her yes, but not so greatly that he would put her before himself and everything else of importance. That his sire would angered him because, in the grand scheme of things, his sire's life had a great deal more value to it then hers and the thought that his sire would disregard that for her made him irrevocably angry.

Todd rounded on his son. "What right have you to tell me how I do or do not feel?" he snarled, the wildness of his response startling his first born considerably so much so that he, for the first time in centuries, flinched away from him. Todd growled at the sight and returned to his pacing as he willed his body not to give up on him until after he knew that Katherine would be safe.

Lorne eyed the wraith. "Maybe you should sit down," he offered, indicating a bench that nobody was currently sitting on. "You are looking a little bit peak -"

"I am fine!"

Lorne backtracked and shrank away from the clearly delusional and somewhat unbalanced life-sucking alien. "Okay," he said, gulping. "You're fine, we get it. I'm just going to -"

Todd let out another snarl and Lorne clamped his mouth shut, adverting his eyes to his knees as he began to twiddle his thumbs. Todd took a deep calming breath and turned back in the opposite direction to resume his pacing only to still as Jennifer came towards them from Katherine's isolation room. As one, all occupants in the hallway were immediately on their feet and looking expectantly at the good doctor.

"Well?" Cadman asked, a shining almost desperate look in her eyes. "Will she be alright?"

Jennifer took a deep breath and then nodded. "Yes," she confirmed and watched as every single one of them with the exceptions of the wraith, visibly sagged in relief. "She'll made a full recovery."

Teyla looked towards the doctor. "Has she awakened yet?" she inquired, curious to know if her eyes had yet opened and she knew that she was safe.

Jennifer frowned and looked down, hugging her tablet with Kate's test results to her chest. "She did, for a minute and now she's out again."

Lorne raised an eyebrow. "And?" he asked impatiently. "Did she say anything?"

Jennifer sighed and looked around at them all. "She said that word again."

"Oh," Cadman said, feeling somewhat dejected. She would have liked for her friend to have said something upon waking that made sense, something that let them know that she was okay, not a word that they still didn't know the meaning of.

Jennifer sighed. "Yeah," she said, feeling about the same way that they all did; confused. Whatever valloran was, it was obviously important to Kate and the fact that none of them knew what it was bothered her and, from the expressions of everyone else's faces - excluding the wraith - it bothered everyone else too.

Lorne looked at the floor. "Still don't know what it means?" he asked although he already knew the answer.

Jennifer shook her head. "Not a clue and Kate just keeps repeating it over and over like she expects something to happen but I…" she looked defeated, "I don't know what to do."

Caavin frowned. "What word does she keep repeating and why is it so important?"

Jennifer turned towards him. "We don't know," she said. "Kate said it the first time right before she went into her coma and just now, she said it again like four times."

Caavin felt his frown deepen and he glanced towards Romulus and his sire the latter of which had a contemplative look on his face. He turned back to the humans. "And you do not know what it means?"

As a collective they shook their heads.

The wraith snorted. "Perhaps it is in another tongue, have you thought of that?"

Lorne looked annoyed. "Yes we thought of that. We even typed it into every search engine we could think of; nothing came up."

Teyla nodded. "And it is not of a tongue that I recognize," she stated. "I have never heard of such a word nor anything that sounds like it."

Lorne eyed the wraith. "I don't suppose you could tell us if you've ever heard of it?"

Caavin rolled his shoulders. "What is the word?"

Jennifer let out a deep, heavy sigh. "Valloran."

Caavin stared at her, his mouth dropping open whilst his eyes widened go greatly that they hurt. In astonishment, he turned, his bewildered and befuddled brain seeking his sire whom he locked eyes with and gazed at in utter disbelief. "Sire?" he managed to whisper, his arms uncrossing and falling limply to his sides.

Todd sniffed and held his head up high, ignoring the look of inquiry that Romulus was sending him and the disorientated expression that Caavin had taken to eyeing him with and turned his attention onto that of the humans. They looked confused as his eldest did, if not so stunned. "And Katherine has said this?" he asked, one brow ridge lifting upwards. "Just now. She has called this out?"

Jennifer nodded, unsure and totally and completely mystified. Obviously the wraith knew what a valloran was because Todd's son looked like somebody had just kneed him in the stomach and Todd was looking not quite so tired all of a sudden and very, annoyingly, smug. "Yes," she confirmed, still looking at the alien with a curious expression on her face. "Do you know what -"

Todd hissed. "It is not a word," he announced, moving forwards towards the entrance to the isolation room, towards Katherine whom he now knew had been calling for him; it stung him that he had not been there to answer her.

Lorne watched him move and demanded angrily, "Well then what -?"

Todd grunted and stopped just before he was to walk into Katherine's stay room. "It is a name," he informed them before continuing on his way and coming quickly to Katherine's side. She appeared to be asleep and, gently, he reached out a hand and brushed the tips of his fingers across her cheek. "Katherine."

From outside the room, seven pairs of unbelieving and confused eyes peered inwards and watched Todd reach out to touch the bedridden Kate. She stirred as soon as the fingers of his feeding hand brushed against her and, with a soft moan of pain, she rolled towards the wraith and opened her eyes, blinking, into his face.

"Valloran?"

Todd hissed gently and inclined his head towards her in a bow. "I am here," he answered her, speaking softly as an overwhelming wave of pleasure at seeing her open her eyes into his face overtaking him. She was safe and, knowing that, eased the pain he had felt in his heart of not knowing if she would indeed be well again as had been promised.

Kate closed her eyes again briefly and turned her head so that she could press more of her cheek into his fingers; the warmth that they brought her affording her more reassurance that she was indeed safe than anything else could or ever would. "I called for you," she whispered, as great shudder racking through her unbidden as she remembered that he hadn't answered her. "You weren't here. I thought that, that maybe…" her voice trailed off as she shuddered again and rolled even more onto her side, curling around the hand of the wraith that now lay on her arm.

Todd looked down on her and knew that she was afraid, knew that she was uncertain and that it would take a while more before she was mentally recovered from the ordeal that she had just barely lived through. "Katherine, look at me," he called softly to her and, when her grey eyes had lifted and met with his own, he sat down on the side of her bed and lent toward hers, cupping her face in his hands. "I will never leave you," he swore to her, giving her his word and all the connotations that went along with it.

Kate nodded and leaned into the caress of his hands. When he made to move away, she reached out and caught him, staying his feeding hand and bringing it down to rest on her chest, directly over her heart. "Stay."

Todd hissed and gave his acquiesce in the form of a low, rumbling growl. "Always."

Hearing this, that he would stay with her, brought Kate the peace she needed and, moving so that she curled herself around the seated wraith, the battered woman closed her eyes and fell back into a deep, healing slumber.

Above her, Valloran - eldest and greatest of wraith - looked down on her and watched her sleep.

* * *

**A/N:** It's DONE! It's done, it's done! Now push the little rectangular button t let me know what you all thought of it. Please? It was my birthday on the 26th so please, please, please tell me how I did and what you think. It would make me oh so very happy.


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